Zeanillus (sensu stricto)

Zeanillus Jeannel, 1937: 277 (type species Anillus phyllobius Broun, 1893, by original designation)

Recognition. With character states of genus Zeanillus, restricted as follows: mental tooth present, mentalsubmental suture visible, postorbital setae present, three discal setae on elytra in positions ed3, ed4 and ed6, one long marginal elytral seta anterior to subapical sinuation; metendosternite with arms V-shaped.

Included taxa. This subgenus includes three allopatric taxa: Z. nunni, new species, Z. phyllobius (Broun), Z. punctigerus (Broun) .

Geographical distribution. The range of this subgenus is confined to the belt of the easternmost mountain ranges of the Southland, Otago, and Canterbury regions of the South Island of New Zealand .

Relationships. The range of the subgenus is allopatric to the ranges of Brounanillus and Nunnanillus, but is overlapped in part by ranges of the representatives of Otagonillus. Putatively this subgenus is the more morphologically divergent sister taxon to, the more ecologically isolated subgenus Brounanillus, representatives of which inhabit coastal lowlands.