Hilophyllus Paulsen and Mondaca, 2006

Paulsen, M. J. & Mondaca, José, 2006, Revision of the South American Ceratognathini (Coleoptera: Lucanidae: Aesalinae) with the description of a new genus and a new species, Zootaxa 1191 (1191), pp. 1-19 : 6-7

Hilophyllus Paulsen and Mondaca , new genus.

Type species: Ceratognathus penai Martínez, 1976: 101 , here designated.

Description

Length: 8–9.5 mm. Color/Surface: Reddish­brown to dark brown, weakly shining. Dorsum covered with large punctures (integumental pits sensu Holloway 1998), many with a single, elongate, apically acute scale arising at center ( Figs. 13–14); scales longitudinally ribbed, lacking anastomosing cross­bars. Ventral surface coarsely punctate, setose. Head: Frons lacking tubercles. Eyes lacking canthus, enlarged in males. Mandibles small in both sexes, interlocking when closed, not longer than 1/2 length of head, tridentate (larger acute apical tooth with dorsal and ventral teeth); apical tooth strongly curved inward at middle in male, gradually curved in female; dorsal tooth broader in male; ventral tooth of right mandible generally strong, occasionally reduced to barely indicated angulation. Antennae 10­segmented, non­geniculate. Scape ( Fig. 17) more than 3x longer than second segment, curved, with dorsal carina dividing the anterior and posterior faces (less noticeable on female); anterior face of scape alutaceous with several stout, erect bristles; posterodorsal face glabrous, shining, lacking longitudinal groove. Club three­segmented, sexually dimorphic (male club segments elongate, slender, as long as or longer than length of head, female club segments subequal in length to 1/2 length of head, Figs. 1–4), segments subcylindrical, slightly increasing in diameter distally, densely pubescent except at base; pubescence long, golden, longer in male than in female.

Pronotum: Sides explanate to strongly explanate, more strongly explanate in males. Anterior angle produced or truncate, converging strongly to head in female. Lateral margin broadly rounded, widest at middle. Elytra: Shape elongate, slightly broader in female, widest at basal third. Legs: Anterior tibiae with apical tooth and one prominent median tooth (teeth stronger in females), remaining teeth smaller and uniform (more or less serrate, Figs. 7–9). Mesotibiae with or without external tooth. Metatibiae elongate, cylindrical in cross­section, lacking larger teeth or spines, with regular, longitudinal rows of setae. Abdomen: Apex of 5 th ventrite truncate in males, convex in females. Male genitalia: Internal sac eversible. Basal piece large, median lobe bulbous basally and narrowing to apex, contiguous with parameres, sclerotized dorsally, undivided ventrally. Parameres symmetrical and elongate, lacking longitudinal ribbing, apex simple, bidentate, or hooked. Paired plates on dorsum of 9 th abdominal segment (genital capsule) triangular. Female genitalia: ( Fig. 22, H. penai examined) Hemisternite laterally emarginate, emargination receiving apex of 9 th hemisternite. Bursa copulatrix bilobed. Spermathecal duct much shorter than spermatheca (spermathecal gland not located on dissected specimen).

Distribution South America: Central Chile and adjacent areas of Argentina.

Etymology

The name Hilophyllus is created from the Spanish hilo (thread) and Greek (phyllon), latinized phyllus (leaves), in reference to the long, threadlike segments of the antennal club. The name is constructed to be similar to Mitophyllus (Greek mitos, thread), to indicate a closer affinity between the two genera than of either with Ceratognathus . Hilophyllus is masculine in gender.

Diagnosis

Head unarmed, lacking tubercles on frons. Antennal scape with anterior face alutaceous, posterodorsal face shining, without longitudinal groove. Hind tibiae of male with regular longitudinal rows of setae, lacking setiferous patch. Male mandibles small, similar in shape and size to female mandibles, not highly sexually dimorphic. Elytral scales elongate, apically acute. Female genitalia with short, broad styli.