Monophylla Spinola, 1841

Burke, Alan & Zolnerowich, Gregory, 2017, A taxonomic revision of the subfamily Tillinae Leach sensu lato (Coleoptera, Cleridae) in the New World, ZooKeys 179, pp. 75-157 : 123-125

Monophylla Spinola, 1841

Type species.

Cymatodera megatoma Spinola, 1841 (monotype), synonymized as Monophylla (Tillus) terminata (Say, 1835).

Synonyms.

Macrotelus Klug, 1842, type species: Tillus terminatus Say (monotypic), synonymized by LeConte (1849); Elasmocerus LeConte, 1849, type species: Monophylla terminata Say (original designation), unnecessary replacement name for Monophylla (Say, 1835).

Distribution.

Shown in Fig. 21J.

Differential diagnosis.

Monophylla is conspicuously different from other New World tillinids, and several morphological characters are unique to this genus. The most characteristic feature of the genus is the size of the last antennomere. Species in Monophylla have this antennomere conspicuously longer than remaining antennomeres combined (Fig. 10 C–D). This character state is also observed in species of the African genus Teloclerus Schenkling ( Cleridae : Tillinae ). The enlarged and feebly emarginate eyes of Teloclerus (Fig. 4E) may serve to separate this genus from the New World Monophylla , where the eyes are of moderate size and conspicuously emarginate, almost dividing them into two portions (Fig. 12B). Additional characters that will serve to separate Monophylla from other New World Tillinae genera are the rectangular shape and strongly rugulose surface of the pronotum (Fig. 7C), and the exposed pygidium in dorsal view (Fig. 4 C–D).

Redescription.

Size: 4-10 mm. Color: Body ranging from fuscous to ferrugineous; some specimens may possess one pale fascia on each elytron (Fig. 4 B–D). Body: Winged species, elongate, slender, subparallel.

Head: Including eye slightly narrower than pronotum; integument numerously, coarsely punctate, punctations vary from narrow to wide and shallow to deep; eyes moderately small, finely faceted, strongly emarginate, emargination almost dividing each eye into two separate halves (Fig. 12B); inconspicuously bulging laterally; number of antennomeres variable, last antennomere as long as or conspicuously longer than the length of remaining antennomeres combined (Fig. 10 C–D); frons bi-impressed; terminal labial palpi securiform; terminal maxillary palpi cylindrical, compressed laterally.

Thorax: Pronotum coarsely punctate, punctations may range from narrow to wide, depending on species; lateral margins subparallel, slightly constricted posteriorly (Fig. 7C). Prosternum enlarged, smooth to rugose, variously punctate. Mesoventrite wider than long, smooth to rugulose, somewhat punctate. Metaventrite wider than long, surface conspicuously punctate to almost smooth. Metaventral process not compressed anteriorly. Metepisterna largely exposed, the elytra do not coverer these plates.

Elytra: Elongate, subparallel, surface coarsely punctate, punctations numerous, irregularly arranged, punctations extending to apex; scutellum ovoid, not compressed, wider than long; epipleural fold complete, narrowing toward apex.

Legs: Femora feebly to coarsely rugose; swollen; tibiae slender; pulvillar formula 4-4-4; two tarsal denticles, inner tarsal denticles trigonal in shape.

Abdomen: Six visible ventrites. Ventrites 1-5 not impressed laterally; pygidium of males moderately differentiated from that of females; females with sixth ventrite broadly rounded; pygidium simple; pygidium covered by elytra in dorsal view.

Remarks.

Monophylla was described by Spinola (1841), assigning Monophylla megatoma , a species later synonymized as Monophylla terminata (Say), as the type species. Synonyms for the genus were subsequently proposed by Klug (1842) and LeConte (1849). Klug erected Macrotelus (1842) to designate Tillus terminatus Say as a different entity outside of species of Tillus . LeConte (1849) erected the monotypic genus Elasmocerus to synonymize Tillus (Macrotelus) terminatus Say. Both names were unnecessary replacement names for Monophylla and are now considered junior synonyms. Currently, the genus is composed of four species distributed in the United States, Mexico, Central America and Cuba. Due to a lack of material of Monophylla cinctipennis ( Chevrolat 1874), this species is not covered in this study. The relatively short description given by Chevrolat (1874) is translated from French and presented here. Remaining species are redescribed here.

Sexual dimorphism is noticeable in all species comprising the genus. The form of the antennae, number of antennomeres, and differences in the shape of the pygidium will help to separate males from females (Figs 10 C–D). Due to this dimorphism, keys for identification to Monophylla species are given for males and females, separately. It is advisable to determine the sex of the specimen before using the keys provided here. Sex determination can be achieved upon observation of the last antennomere. Males have the last antennomere conspicuously elongate and laterally compressed, with remaining segments remarkably reduced (Fig. 10C). Females, on the other side, have the last antennomere moderately enlarged, slightly longer than remaining antennomeres combined, and antennomeres 7-10 or 6-10 are strongly serrate (Fig. 10D). Additionally, the pygidium of males is subquadrate in shape and emarginate posteriorly (Fig. 17 E–F), while females have this segment broadly rounded posteriorly (Fig. 17 G–H).

Key to male species of Monophylla Spinola

Key to female species of Monophylla Spinola