Mexico Spilman, 1972

Yoshitomi, Hiroyuki, 2019, Review of the Asian Thaumastodinae (Coleoptera, Byrrhoidea, Limnichidae), with a phylogeny of the genera, European Journal of Taxonomy 583, pp. 1-45 : 19-20

Genus Mexico Spilman, 1972

Mexico Spilman, 1972: 113

(type species: Mexico litoralis Spilman, 1972 , by original designation). Babalimnichus Satô, 1994: 174

(type species: Babalimnichus taiwanus Satô, 1994: 174 , by original designation). Syn. nov.

Mexico – Skelley 2005: 119 .

Babalimnichus – Yoshitomi & Satô 2001: 472 [larval description].

Diagnosis

Body oblong. Gena relatively narrow; shallow antennal groove present. Antennae stout and short, 11-segmented; antennal insertions situated near mandibles. Legs relatively short and stout; tarsal formula 4-4-4.

Remarks

As already mentioned by Skelley (2005), Babalimnichus Satô, 1994 cannot be separated from Mexico , and it should be treated as a junior synonym of the latter.

The male genital structures are very peculiar, i.e., with very short lateral lobes with apical setae, longer median lobe and the presence of ventral plates ( Fig. 1A ).

Biological notes

The habitat of this genus ( Fig. 4 B–C) is rocky seashores. The adults ( Fig. 4E ) are found in the splash zone of wet rocks, actively flying when disturbed. The larval stage was described by Yoshitomi & Satô (2001).

Key to the males of the species of Asian Mexico *

1. Lateral lobes long, exceeding proximal half of median lobe, with very short apical setae; Papua New Guinea............................................................................................................... M. papuanus sp. nov.

– Lateral lobes short, reaching about proximal third of median lobe, with long apical setae .............. 2

2. Ventral plates almost of same proportion on right and left................................................................ 4

– Apical part of left ventral plates distinctly curved interiorly............................................................. 3

3. Left ventral plates with thumb-like projection on inner margin of apex; median lobe rather slender; Taiwan and Japan, Yonaguni-jima.............................................. M. taiwanus Satô, 1994 comb. nov.

– Left ventral plates long and curved interiorly in apical part, without thumb-like projection; median lobe wide, expanded in apical quarter; Japan, Honshu to Ishigakijima ............................................................................................ M. masamii ( Satô, 1994) comb. nov.

4. Apical part of ventral plates separated from median lobe; Palau.................... M. palauensis sp. nov.

– Apical part of ventral plates connected with median lobe................................................................. 5

5. Apex of median lobe nipple-like; Borneo ....................................................... M. borneensis sp. nov.

– Apex of median lobe simply pointed................................................................................................. 6

6. Lateral lobe robust, with 2–3 apical setae; Bali .................................................. M. baliensis sp. nov.

– Lateral lobe slender, with 4 apical setae; Ogasawara Islands.................. M. ogasawaraensis sp. nov.

* Mexico splendens ( Hernando & Ribera, 2003) comb. nov. is omitted, because this species is only known from a female specimen.

Figures

Fig. 1. Aedeagus, showing the terminology and the method of measurements. A. Mexico Spilman, 1972, left lateral view. B. Acontosceles Champion, 1924, left lateral view. C. Pseudeucinetus Heller, 1921, ventral view. Abbreviations: bap = basal piece; lal = lateral lobe; mel = median lobe; vep = ventral plate; BL = length of basal piece; LL = length of lateral lobe; ML = length of median lobe.

Fig. 4. Habitats (A–C) and living adults (D–F) of Asian Thaumastodinae Champion, 1924. A. Dondong River, Pengkol, Yogyakarta special Region, Java, Indonesia (type locality of Acontosceles javanicus Yoshitomi & Putra, 2011 (F) and Pseudeucinetus javanicus Yoshitomi & Putra, 2010 (D)). B. Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia (type locality of Mexico baliensis sp. nov.). C. Hirashima, Ogasawara, Japan (type locality of Mexico ogasawaraensis sp. nov.). D. Type locality of Pseudeucinetus javanicus Yoshitomi & Putra, 2010. E. Mexico masamii (Satô, 1994) in Shikinejima, Izu Islands. F. Type locality of Acontosceles javanicus Yoshitomi & Putra, 2011.