Axelinus Kryzhanovskij, 1976

Lackner, Tomáš, 2010, Review of the Palaearctic genera of Saprininae (Coleoptera: Histeridae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (suppl.) 50, pp. 1-254 : 74-75

Axelinus Kryzhanovskij, 1976

Axelinus: KRYZHANOVSKIJ (1974) : 106 (nomen nudum).

Axelinus Kryzhanovskij, 1976 in KRYZHANOVSKIJ & REICHARDT (1976) : 112, 215. Axelinus: MAZUR (1984) : 83; MAZUR (1997): 249; MAZUR (2004): 90.

Type species: Axelinus ghilarovi Kryzhanovskij, 1976 in KRYZHANOVSKIJ & REICHARDT (1976) , original designation.

Diagnosis. Body moderately convex; frontal stria largely interrupted; frontal disc as well as clypeus rugulose-lacunose; eyes inconspicuous from above. Dorsal surface almost entirely punctate; pronotal foveae absent; pronotal hypomeron with short setae; pre-apical foveae small; prosternal process narrow, carinal prosternal striae convergent, united in front. Outer margin of protibia with three large teeth topped with short denticle, followed by two minute round denticles; meso- and metatibia somewhat thickened and dilated.

Differential diagnosis. Superficially Axelinus is most similar to the genus Hypocacculus differing from it chiefly by the shape of protibia as well as rugulose-lacunose frontal and clypeal disc and the largely interrupted frontal stria. From Reichardtiolus it also differs by more widely interrupted frontal stria (only shortly interrupted in Reichardtiolus ) and less thickened and dilated meso- and metatibiae. Shape of the protibia is also different between the two taxa (see Key to genera).

Biology. Biology of Axelinus is virtually unknown; the type series was discovered during digging in sandy habitats of Central Asia ( KRYZHANOVSKIJ & REICHARDT 1976: 217) .

Distribution. Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Species examined. Axelinus ghilarovi Kryzhanovskij, 1976 .

Discussion. Axelinus is characterized by only a few weak synapomorphies (e.g. shape of protibia and somewhat thickened meso- and metatibiae) that are most likely homoplasies. Its taxonomic validity should be tested in the future with special regard to the presumably related taxa, especially the species-rich genus Hypocacculus that is possibly polyphyletic, with respect to other, smaller genera like Axelinus .