Neolyrium gen. n.

Type species: Neolyrium duidaense sp. n.

Description. Elongate (Fig. 1). Head transverse, not narrowed behind eyes (Figs 2–3). Fastigium acute, ca. 45 degrees. Tentorium represented by posterior pits and a pair of short slender ventral arms (Fig. 14); dorsal tentorial maculae present (Fig. 3). Labrum transverse, distally sclerotized, lying inside epistoma (Fig. 2). Eyes moderately large, spherical. Mandibles vestigial, hardly noticeable. Maxillary palps slender, 4­segmented, with ultimate palpomere pointed distally (Fig. 2). Prementum undivided, labial palps minute, 1­segmented, pointed distally, mentum absent (Fig. 2). Gula absent, genal sclerites connected by narrow process, also bearing posterior tentorial pits (Fig. 2). Antennal prominence conspicuous, antennal sockets separated by minute lamina (Fig. 3). Antenna 10­segmented, relatively long, with antennomeres 3–10 conspicuously flattened, but almost parallel­sided; antennomere 3 considerably longer and wider than antennomere 2 (Figs 1, 4); antennal pubescence complemented with small roundish scales on antennomeres 3–10.

Pronotum transverse, ca. 10 times shorter than elytra, with fine median carina in anterior half and inconspicuous narrow median cell in posterior half; posterior angles strongly produced laterally (Fig. 1). Prosternum short, V­shaped, connected to hypomeron by separate sternopleural sclerites (Fig. 6). Thoracic spiracles well sclerotized and conspicuously protruding laterally beyond coxal limits (Fig. 6). Mesoventrite short and narrow, connected to mesepisternum by relatively large sternopleural sclerites; mesepimeron conspicuously narrower than mesepisternum (Fig. 6). Mesonotum with scutellum not quite attaining to anterior margin, each half of mesoscutum divided by a transverse intrascutal suture; scutellum without postnotal plate (Figs 5, 15). Elytra long, slightly widening posteriorly, with two fully developed primary costae (2 and 4); costa 1 may be present in proximal half and costa 3 noticeable in humeral area (Fig. 1); interstices finely areolate; short elytral pubescence uniform. Metanotum elongate, with convex scutoscutellar ridge; allocristae inconspicuous, starting slightly anteriad of the middle of scutum; scutellum with median suture (Fig. 7). Metaventrite with widely rounded posterior angles; discrimen (metasternal suture) complete, attaining to mesoventrite (Fig. 6). Metendosternite small, without transverse sutures (Fig. 16). Metathoracic wing with C joining RA at apical hinge; Sc vein separate and short; anal cell long; wedge cell absent; cu­a brace absent; Cu veins connected neither to M, nor to A veins (Fig. 8).

Protrochantins slightly larger than mesotrochantins (Fig. 6). Pro­ and mesocoxae elongate; metacoxae distinctly separated (Fig. 6). Legs long and narrow; trochanters elongate, cylindrical, connected to femora distally; femurs and tibiae flattened and narrow, tibial spurs absent; tarsomeres 1–4 narrow, without plantar pads; all claws simple (Fig. 9). Abdominal spiracles located dorsally on lateral edge of tergite. Paraproct divided medially (Fig. 11); spiculum gastrale short (Fig. 10).

Aedeagus symmetric, with short robust parameres and elongate straight median lobe; phallobase without median suture (Figs 12–13).

Females unknown, probably paedomorphic and larviform.

Diagnosis. Neolyrium differs from other lycids with 10­segmented antennae (such as lyropaeine Lyroneces) by the tergal location of abdominal spiracles. Additionally, it is distinguishable by the presence of ventral tentorial arms (Fig. 14) and dorsal tentorial maculae (Fig. 3), absence of a mentum (Fig. 2), division of each half of mesoscutum by a transverse intrascutal suture and a vestigial postnotal plate of mesoscutellum (Figs 5, 15), a narrow mesepimeron, long mesothoracic spiracles (Fig. 6), a long anal cell of the hind wing venation (Fig. 8), absence of tarsomeral plantar pads (Fig. 9) and structure of the aedeagus (Figs 12–13, 17–18).

Etymology. The name is derived from the combination of "Neotropical" and “ Lyropaeus ” alluding to the fact that the new genus is the first South American lycid with 10­segmented antennae. Gender neuter.