Parabagous Schilsky, 1907

ROBERTO CALDARA, CHARLES W. O’BRIEN & MASSIMO MEREGALLI, 2017, A phylogenetic analysis of the aquatic weevil tribe Bagoini (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) based on morphological characters of adults, Zootaxa 4287 (1), pp. 1-63 : 39

Subgenus Parabagous Schilsky, 1907 resurrected name

Bagous subgen. Parabagous Schilsky, 1907 : N (type species: Bagous chevrolati Tournier, 1874 ). Klima 1934: 111. Hustache 1930: 206. Hoffmann 1954: 716, 722. González 1971: 5. Caldara & O'Brien 1998: 137. Alonso-Zarazaga & Lyal 1999. 88. Caldara 2013: 172.

Fontenelleus Hoffmann, 1962: 120 (type species: Bagous cyperorum Peyerimhoff, 1929 ). Caldara & O'Brien 1998: 137 ( Fontenellus err.). Alonso-Zarazaga & Lyal 1999. 88. Caldara 2013: 172.

Diagnosis. Antenna with segment 7 of funicle nearly as wide as segment 6 (char. 21.0) and distinctly separated from club (except for B. belloi with 6 funicular segments). Forehead neither sulcate nor foveate (char. 24.0), with tuberculate elevation along margin of eye (excluding some species). Vestiture of odd-numbered elytral intervals generally tesselate, with alternate rectangles of dark and pale scales; setae of odd-numbered elytral intervals surrounded usually by rosette of scales of same color. Elytra lacking declivital callosities (char. 36.0). Metasternum distinctly shorter than ventrite 1. Tibiae stout, with inner margin weakly bisinuate, lacking denticles and with several moderately short bristles; outer margin of tibiae, especially on hind tibiae, straight or nearly so toward apex (in lateral view) (char. 48.0). Tarsi short, with tarsomere 3 subcordate. Basal sclerite complex with two pairs of subclavate sclerites variously articulated (char. 90.1). Sclerotization of ventral surface of penis body broadly membranous. Apodemes of spiculum ventrale very broadly and arcuately divergent from base (U-shaped) (char. 114.1). Bursa with digitate sclerotized structure (char. 116.1).

Remarks. This subgenus was fully supported in BI and strongly supported in ML and MP (96% bs and sr). The species belonging to this subgenus share four synapomorphies: shape of funicular segment 7 (char. 21.0), features of the sclerite complex at the base of the endophallus of the penis (char. 90.1), shape of the spiculum ventrale (char. 114.1) and the sclerite complex of the bursa (char. 116.1). Some strongly modified external features (i.e., short and robust legs, scale vestiture, long elytral setae) might be related to the biology of these species, which is generally poorly known. These species appear to be more strictly associated with the soil than aquatic habitats. Specimens with known data were collected either in desert or forested habitats, from lowland to high altitude, usually by sifting soil and debris far from permanent aquatic pools.

We refer three groups to this subgenus.