Micrambina Reitter, 1878

Gimmel, Matthew L. & Leschen, Richard A. B., 2022, Revision of the genera of Picrotini (Coleoptera: Cryptophagidae: Cryptophaginae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (Acta. Ent. Mus. Natl. Pragae) 62 (1), pp. 61-109 : 106

Note on Micrambina Reitter, 1878

Unfortunately, as noted in LൾඌർHൾඇ & Gංආආൾඅ (2012), the type specimen of Micrambina amitta Reitter, 1878 is misplaced or destroyed. Rൾංඍඍൾඋ (1878: 128) himself noted this much: “Während der Untersuchung ist mir das einzige ausgezeichnete Thierchen verloren gegangen, weshalb ich die Beschreibung desselben ausführlicher nicht geben kann. [During the investigation I lost the only excellent animal, which is why I cannot give a more detailed description of it.]”. This is the type species of Micrambina Reitter, 1878 , a generic name historically widely used in Picrotini . However, after careful consideration of the original description of the genus, we believe it fits closely with the concepts of Loberoschema Reitter, 1896 or Stengita Reitter, 1875 (see LൾඌർHൾඇ 2003 for notes on the validity of these genera), both members of Erotylidae : Cryptophilinae : Toramini, particularly with regard to the punctate-striate elytra and the obtuse callosity on the anterior angle of the pronotum. Here is the original Latin description of the genus (Rൾංඍඍൾඋ 1878: 128):

Antennae robustae, articulo primo incrassato, clava 3-articulata. Prothorax transversus, basin versus leniter angustatus, lateribus integer, margine laterali extus canaliculato, angulis anticis incrassato callosis. Elytra striato-punctata. Tarsorum articulus tertius vix lobatus.

Loberoschema and Stengita were originally described in the Cryptophagidae , and in the notes that follow the Latin diagnosis, Reitter noted the similarity of Micrambina to Loberus LeConte, 1861 (now Erotylidae : Loberinae ) and Micrambe Thomson, 1863 (Cryptophagini) . Loberoschema occurs from Central America to Chile, while Stengita occurs in Chile (LൾඌർHൾඇ 2003). As additional evidence for this transfer, the type locality of M. amitta is “ Colombia ”, which is outside the known range of the tribe Picrotini , but within that of Loberoschema . Micrambina amitta should be considered a member of the Toramini as a genus et species inquirenda.