Caymania Ratcliffe and Cave, 2010

Ratcliffe, Brett C. & Cave, Ronald D., 2010, The Dynastinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) of the Cayman Islands (West Indies), with descriptions of Tomarus adoceteus, new species (Pentodontini) and Caymania nitidissima, new genus and species (Phileurini), Insecta Mundi 2010 (139), pp. 1-15 : 11

Caymania Ratcliffe and Cave , new genus

Type Species. Caymania nitidissima Ratcliffe and Cave , new species, here designated.

Description. Scarabaeidae : Dynastinae : Phileurini . Form elongate-oval, slightly flattened dorso-ventrally, pronotum widest at middle. Length 9.5-11.5 mm. Color dark reddish brown, almost black, strongly shining. Head: Surface lacking tubercles, instead with low, transverse carina; carina broadly interrupted at middle. Clypeus triangular, apex acute, reflexed. Eyes small, interocular width equals 9.0 transverse eye diameters. Antenna 10-segmented, antennomeres stout, club subequal in length to segments 2-7. Mandibles arcuate on lateral edge, apex acute. Pronotum: Surface evenly convex, lacking median furrow. Base with marginal bead. Elytra: Surface with weak rows of minute to small punctures, striae absent. Pygidium: Surface with sparse, minute punctures. In lateral view, surface in males weakly convex in basal half, strongly convex (almost protuberant) in apical half, surface in females weakly convex. Legs: Protibia tridentate, teeth subequally spaced. Apex of metatibia with upper angle prolonged into sharp tooth. Apex of first tarsomere of metatarsus prolonged into long spine. Venter: Prosternal process moderately tall, thick, apex broadly rounded. Last sternite impunctate. Parameres: Form symmetrical.

Diagnosis. Caymania is distinguished from other phileurine genera, especially Hemiphileurus Kolbe to which it is probably most related, by mandibles entire (not toothed), clypeus acuminate, absence of tubercles on the frons, absence of a pronotal furrow, absence of elytral striae, presence of transverse carinae on the metatibiae, small size (less than 12 mm), and highly polished surface of the body. There are eight species of Hemiphileurus in the West Indies ( Ratcliffe and Ivie 1998), but none occur on the Cayman Islands. The species of Caymania , along with the two species of Microphileurus Kolbe from South America, are the smallest of the New World Phileurini .

Etymology. Named in reference to the Cayman Islands, to which it is endemic. The name Caymania is feminine.