Pylus Newman, 1841, 1842

Bartlett, Justin S., 2024, The ‘ Pylus complex’ sensu Opitz revisited (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Korynetinae): non-homogeneity of its genera addressed by alternative species-assignment hypothesis, Zootaxa 5415 (1), pp. 193-200 : 198-199

Pylus Newman, 1841

Pylus Newman, 1841: 36 . Type species: Clerus fatuus Newman, 1841 , by original designation. Gender: Masculine.

Ylotis Spinola, 1841: 74 . Type species: Not designated prior to emendation of genus name. Gender: Feminine.

Yliotis Spinola, 1844: 282 (emendation of Ylotis Spinola, 1841 ). Type species: Yliotis passerinii Spinola, 1844 , by monotypy. Gender: Feminine.

Fallopylus Opitz, 2012: 9 . new synonym Type species: Pylus pallipes Macleay, 1872 , by original designation. Gender: Masculine.

Pseudopylus Opitz, 2012: 16 . new synonym Type species: Pseudopylus apterus Opitz, 2015 , by subsequent designation of Bartlett (this paper, under Article 70.3 of the Code, ICZN 1999; see remarks below) not of Opitz (2015). Gender: Masculine.

Revised differential diagnosis. Pylus is differentiated from Apopylus as follows: Eyes with ocular margin raised ( Figs. 4, 5 ) (not raised in Apopylus ); antennal club compact ( Figs. 10–13 ) (loose in Apopylus ); terminal palpomeres relatively small in relation to head size ( Fig. 15 ) (notably large in Apopylus ); prothorax strongly tuberculate laterally ( Figs. 17, 18 ) (tubercle weak to moderate in Apopylus ); pronotal disc with isolated deep foveolate punctures ( Figs. 17, 18 ) ( Apopylus with dense matrix of shallow crater-like impressions); mesocoxal cavities wide open laterally (not confirmed in P. cruslumus comb. nov., P. kolibaci comb. nov. or P. nactus comb. nov.) (closed to narrowly open in Apopylus ); elytral apical margin plain, without beads or serration ( Fig. 21 ) ( Apopylus with beaded serration); punctation of elytral disc typically with two minute internal nodules ( Fig. 22 ) (four nodules in Apopylus ), sometimes with a third, seta-associated nodule on the anterior edge of some punctures. Putative synapomorphies supporting monophyly of Pylus in relation to Apopylus include antennal club more compact (see Bartlett 2021).

Pylus differs from Parapylus as follows: Eyes coarsely-facetted (facets intermediate between fine and coarse in Parapylus ); terminal maxillary palpomeres subsecuriform to securiform (subdigitiform in Parapylus ); tibial spur formulae 0–0–0, 1–2–1 or 2–2–1 (2–2– 2 in the two known species of Parapylus ); elytra without a band-like arrangement of setae (band-like setal pattern present in Parapylus ). The reduction in tibial spurs is synapomorphic (see Solervicens 2007) for Pylus in relation to Parapylus .

Included species. (9): Pylus apterus ( Opitz, 2015) new combination (transferred from Pseudopylus ); Pylus cavus ( Opitz, 2015) new combination (transferred from Fallopylus ); Pylus cracentus Opitz, 2015 ; Pylus cruslumus ( Opitz, 2015) new combination (transferred from Apopylus ); Pylus fatuus ( Newman, 1841) ; Pylus kolibaci ( Opitz, 2015) new combination (transferred from Apopylus ); Pylus nactus ( Opitz, 2015) new combination (transferred from Apopylus ); Pylus okei Elston, 1929 (return to original combination from Apopylus ); Pylus pallipes Macleay, 1872 (return to original combination from Fallopylus ).

Material examined. Pylus apterus (Opitz) (6): 35.33S 148.47E, 1 km N of Mt Gingera , A.C.T. 18 Feb. 1981 A.A. Calder (2 paratypes, ANIC) ; A.C. T. 3 km N Mt. Aggie , 1-21-II-1979, D. Rentz (2 paratypes, ANIC) ; Mt. Franklin, A.C.T. 5 Jan. 79, J.F. Lawrence, D. Rentz (1 paratype, ANIC) ; NSW: Bombala , Coolangubra SF, Waratah Ck. G.A. Webb, ex pitfall trap // GAWCOOL Jan 1985, 1316/2/10 /3 (1, JSBC) .

Pylus cavus (Opitz) (1): S. E. Queensland Bundaroo Creek Conondale Range 4–5 March 1995 Gunter F. Maywald // Pylus cavus (Opitz) Det. J.S. Bartlett Nov. 2023 (1, JSBC) .

Pylus cracentrus Opitz (1): Galston, NSW, K416205 (holotype, AM).

Pylus fatuus (Newman) (9): Hobart Mt. Nelson, Tas. 21.VIII.83 G.F. Bornemissza // Pylus fatuus (Newman) Det. W. Opitz // specimen ex. R.I. Story Collection QPIM—Mareeba (3, QDPC); Panton Hill V. 1-9-1969 LJ Cookson // Pylus fatuus (Newman) Det. J.S. Bartlett 2007 (4, JSBC); Banyo (Brisbane), Qld Kennedy’s Timber 18.x.2007; D. Borland HSS Trap 1559 // Pylus fatuus (Newman) Det. J.S. Bartlett 2007 (2, JSBC).

Pylus kolibaci (Opitz) (1): (21.35S 117.04E), Millstream, W.A., 31.x.70, at light, eucalypt woodland, E.B. Britton (1 paratype, female, ANIC) .

Pylus nactus (Opitz) (1): 34.21S 139.31E SA, Brookfield Con. Pk., 20 Mar.–1 May 1993, S. Shattuck, malaise (1 paratype, ANIC) .

Pylus okei Elston (1): K209300 // Gypsum, V. Nov. 1926 C. Oke // A.H. Elston Collection // 4559 Pylus okei Elston TYPE (holotype, AM).

Pylus pallipes Macleay (5): K209299, K34238, Pylus pallipes M. Cle. (lectotype, AM); Little Laura R. via Laura N. Qld. 15.xi.1982. Storey, Jacobson & Brown // Pylus pallipes Det. W.Opitz (1, QDPC) ; Qld :27°20.4’Sx153°04.5E Boondall Wetlands, site 1 11Nov2003. 5– 10m. night hand colln. QM Party. Melaleuca woodland. 51718 (1, QM) ; Brisbane Illedge // UQIC specimen (2, QM) .

Remarks. The unique holotype of Apopylus cruslumus Opitz was not able to be located by South Australian Museum staff (pers. comm. Ben Parslow). Its transfer to Pylus is therefore based on Opitz’ (2015) description of the pronotal disc as depressed, the elytral epipleurae as not distally serrate, and the elytral punctation as binodal, and on Opitz’ (2015, Fig. 62) habitus photograph showing a very Pylus- like beetle with prominent lateral pronotal tubercles.

Opitz (2012) designated Pylus okei Elston, 1929 as the type species of the genus Pseudopylus Opitz and included a colour photograph of an apterous Pylus- like beetle labelled Pseudopylus okei ( Opitz 2012: 31, Fig. 23a) that appeared to be the same species earlier presented as Pylus okei by Kolibáč (2003: 62, photo 9). Having documented Elston’s Pylus okei syntype (erroneously referred to as a holotype by Opitz 2015), not an apterous insect, Bartlett (2013) reported that ‘ okei ’ sensu Kolibáč (2003) and sensu Opitz (2012) was a misidentification. Opitz (2015) subsequently described the abovementioned apterous species as Pseudopylus apterus Opitz and designated it as the type species of the genus Pseudopylus while stating that it has been previously identified as Pylus okei Elston and Pseudopylus okei (Elston) by Kolibáč (2003) and Opitz (2012) respectively, though without referencing Bartlett (2013). As Opitz (2015), however, did not refer directly to Article 70.3 of the Code (see Article 70.3.2, ICZN 1999), Pylus okei Elston remains the type species of the genus Pseudopylus Opitz.

In line with Opitz’s (2015) intention, and with reference to Article 70.3 of the Code ( ICZN 1999), I formalise the act of subsequent designation of Pseudopylus apterus Opitz, 2015 as the type species of the genus Pseudopylus Opitz, 2012 new synonym, which I synonymise with Pylus Spinola on the grounds of the latter genus having no identifiable synapomorphy in relation to Pseudopylus , with the species Pylus apterus (Opitz) new combination atypical among its congeners only in characteristics associated with its apterous condition, and otherwise conforming to the revised definition of Pylus presented above.

Differences between Opitz’ (2015) published descriptions and my observations include: description of the elytral epipleurae of Pylus okei as serrated distally (I observed that the elytral margins were plain and without serration); the description of the elytral punctures of Pylus cracentrus as tetranodal (examination of the holotype confirmed the punctures to be binodal, having two, not four, internal nodules); the description of the antennal club of Fallopylus cavus as loose (I observed that it is typically Pylus -like in being relatively compact). Hitherto unknown among clerid genera, with Apopylus being the only other known exception, the number of tibial spurs is evidently inconsistent within Pylus (0–0–0, 1–2–1 and 2–2–1).

Figures

FIGURES 1–22. (1) Apopylus redactus holotype, eye; (2) Apopylus leptofustus paratype, eye; (3) Parapylus bicinctus, eye; (4) Pylus fatuus, eye; (5) Pylus nactus paratype, eye;, antennal club (6) Apopylus leptofustus paratype, antennal club; (7) Apopylus redactus holotype, antennal club; (8) Apopylus unumgarensis holotype, antennal club; (9) Parapylus bicinctus, antennal club; (10) Pylus fatuus, antennal club; (11) Pylus okei holotype, antennal club; (12) Pylus nactus paratype, antennal club; (13) Pylus apterus paratype, antennal club; (14) Apopylus redactus holotype, head showing palpi; (15) Pylus nactus paratype, head showing palpi; (16) Apopylus redactus holotype, pronotum; (17) Pylus apterus paratype, pronotum; (18) Pylus nactus paratype, pronotum; (19) Apopylus creparius paratype, beaded elytral apical margin; (20) Apopylus creparius paratype, elytral puncture with four nodules; (21) Pylus kolibaci paratype, plain elytral apical margin; (22) Pylus kolibaci paratype, elytral puncture with two nodules.