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.