Afrocerophytum, Costa, Cleide, Vanin, Sergio A. & Rosa, Simone P., 2014

Costa, Cleide, Vanin, Sergio A. & Rosa, Simone P., 2014, Description of a new genus and species of Cerophytidae (Coleoptera: Elateroidea) from Africa with a cladistic analysis of the family, Zootaxa 3878 (3), pp. 248-260 : 250-251

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.3878.3.2
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:14A1B63D-32B6-4B6D-9CDC-C14D86F3CA9E
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5625858
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/039C87B6-BD27-785E-31C5-F9D7FE39F914
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Afrocerophytum
status	gen. nov.

Treatment

Afrocerophytum gen.nov. Costa, Vanin & Rosa

( Figs.1–23 View FIGURES 1 ‒ 2 View FIGURES 3 ‒ 4 View FIGURES 5 – 6 View FIGURES 7 – 10 View FIGURES 11 – 16 View FIGURES 17 – 19 View FIGURES 20 – 22 View FIGURE 23 )

Type species. Afrocerophytum vix sp. nov. (by monotypy and present designation).

Head: Frontoclypeal region and posterior frontal carina absent; apical maxillary palpomere securiform ( Fig. 8 View FIGURES 7 – 10 ). Prothorax: Pronotum rectangular, posterior angles not produced laterally. Chin piece truncate ( Fig. 7 View FIGURES 7 – 10 ). Elytra: Without subhumeral row of punctures between striae 8 and 9 ( Figs. 2 View FIGURES 1 ‒ 2 , 6 View FIGURES 5 – 6 ); interstria IX weakly convex. Legs: profemur (posterior surface) without longitudinal carina; upper distal angle acute and produced. Aedeagus ( Figs 11–19 View FIGURES 11 – 16 View FIGURES 17 – 19 ): phallobase elongate (ventral view), distal membranous region of parameres unilobate ( Fig. 13 View FIGURES 11 – 16 ), dorsal region not fringed. Female reproductive organs with coxites divided ( Figs. 21–23 View FIGURES 20 – 22 View FIGURE 23 ); bursa copulatrix well developed, without sclerites; two globular and not very sclerotized spermathecae.

Distribution. Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

Etymology. Afro, a word˗forming element referring to "Africa," from the Latin afer, afra, afrum.

Remarks. Afrocerophytum includes a single African species: A. vix sp. nov. This new genus is immediately distinguished from the other cerophytid genera by the gonocoxites divided, dorsally and ventrally, into proximal and distal lobes, which are undivided in the other three genera. The anterior edge of the phallobase is rounded and not strongly emarginate as in the other three genera, but the posterior margin is similarly produced as a narrow process. The base of tergite IX is not fused at middle with sternite IX, a condition present in many Elateroidea, but not present in other cerophytids. The basal region is weakly constricted in the new genus, while it is much more abruptly and strongly constricted in Brachycerophyum, and not constricted at all in Cerophytum and Phytocerum . Finally, the spermathecae of Afrocerophytum are globular, have a spermathecal gland directly associated with the spermathecal capsule, and are similar to those occurring in Brachycerophytum . Further studies based on more representative material of the four genera should be done in order to better understand the structure of the cerophytid spermatheca.