Microzygops Champion, 1906b: 46

Anzaldo, Salvatore S., 2017, Review of the genera of Conoderinae (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, ZooKeys 683, pp. 51-138 : 81

Microzygops Champion, 1906b: 46 Figs 11 , 45 , 86

Type species.

Microzygops nigrofasciatus Champion, 1906 [by original designation].

Gender.

Masculine.

Diagnosis.

Microzygops can be distinguished from other lechriopine genera with an elongate second funicular article and modification to the mesoventrite by the following characters: the shape of the eyes, which are very large and contiguous in bottom 2/3 and widely separated in top 1/3 (Fig. 45 ), the distinct form of the mesoventrite (Fig. 11 ) which is similar only to the few species of Macrocopturus that have modification to the mesoventrite with an elevated posterior margin of the mesoventrite and faint, arcuate longitudinal carinae (as well as a deeply excavated anterior margin of the metaventrite), and the color pattern, which is putatively ant mimetic ( Hespenheide 1995) but distinct from the other ant mimics with orange-brown ground color and transverse black fascia of the pronotum and elytra.

The metafemora are very elongate, extending well past the abdominal apex and lacking carina. The pro- and mesofemora are ventrally toothed, but the metafemur is unarmed in Microzygops nigrofasciatus though with a small tooth in the South American M. flavatus Rheinheimer, 2011 and one undescribed Central American species [SSAC0001210]. Other generic characters given by Champion (1906b: 46) include the "exserted head" and "cylindrical constricted prothorax".

Notes.

The species M. nigrofasciatus like the species of several other genera originally described as monotypic, is possibly a complex of several species - specimens identified to that species have been observed from Mexico to Peru and at a range of elevations.

Phylogenetic relationships.

The exserted head, elongate and slender hind legs, proportionately short and narrow third tarsomere, and linear carina of the vertex of the head, in combination, is only similar to Pseudolechriops and, to a lesser extent (excluding the head characters) Lissoderes , but the mesoventrite is distinct in each of those genera. Microzygops was among the genera moved from the Zygopini to the Lechriopini in Lyal et al. (2006), but the position of the genus within the Lechriopini is at present uncertain.

Host associations.

Unknown.

Described species.

One species is known from the focal region and one additional species is known from French Guiana ( Rheinheimer 2011: 68).

Range.

Mexico [ASUHIC0031512], Costa Rica [ASUHIC0086639], Panama; South America.

Figures

Figures 10 - 18. Variation in the mesoventrite. 10 Lechriops californicus [ASUHIC 0024146] showing relatively parallel carinae marking the lateral margin of the rostral channel and a closure of the channel on the metaventrite 11 Microzygops nigrofasciatus [ARTSYS 0000797] with tubercles anterior to the mesocoxae and slight, arcuate carinae on the anterior region of the mesoventrite (encircling the central scaled region) 12 Paramnemyne decemcostata [ARTSYS 0000798] showing tuberculate posterolateral margins of the mesoventrite and a transverse carina near the posterior margin of the metaventrite 13 Pseudolechriops klopferi [SSAC 0001060] showing a deep ovoid receptacle on the meso- and metaventrite 14 Turcopus viscivorus [ARTSYS 0000530] showing a receptacle on the mesoventrite with prominently carinate posterior margin 15 Lissoderes subnudus [SSAC 0001066] showing a completely unmodified mesoventrite covered with multifid setae 16 Peltophorus adustus [ASUHIC 0031514] showing a ventrally expanded posterior margin of the mesoventrite to receive the rostrum in repose 17 Philenis fuscofemorata [ARTSYS 0000659] with tubercles at the posterolateral margins of the mesoventrite and a deep depression at the posterior margin in between 18 Philinna bicristata [ARTSYS 0000799] showing slight lamellate processes at the posterolateral margins of the mesoventrite as well as transversely flattened projections behind the procoxae.

Figures 37 - 45. Variation in eye shape. 37 Trichodocerus brevilineatus [ARTSYS 0000609] with large, subcontiguous eyes that continue below rostral insertion 38 Cratosomus punctulatus mexicanus [ASUHIC 0031510] with relatively small, widely separated eyes 39 Lobops bonvouloiri [ARTSYS 0000658] with widely separated eyes and the frons concave between the upper half of the eye 40 Pseudopiazurus centraliamericanus [ASUHIC 0086627] with very large eyes that are contiguous in upper half 41 Pseudopinarus guyanensis [ASUHIC 0086636] with large, subcontiguous eyes and an arcuate carina on the vertex of the head 42 Acoptus suturalis [ASUHIC 0016914] with subcontiguous eyes separated at the top by a lanceolate space 43 Cylindrocopturinus pictus [SSAC 0001288] 44 Macrocopturus lynceus [SSAC 0001085] with very large, partially contiguous eyes 45 Microzygops nigrofasciatus [ARTSYS 0000802] with large eyes contiguous in the bottom 2 / 3 and widely separated at the top.

Figures 83 - 86. Lateral and dorsal habitus images of Lechriopini. 83 a-b Macrocopturus lynceus [SSAC 0001085] 84 a-b Macrolechriops spinicoxis [ARTSYS 0000529]. 85 a-b Microzurus championi [ASUHIC 0031507] 86 a-b Microzygops nigrofasciatus [ARTSYS 0000802]. Scale bars = 2 mm.