Capeluprops Schawaller, 2011

Aalbu, Rolf L., Kanda, Kojun, Merkl, Otto, Ivie, Michael A. & Johnston, M. Andrew, 2023, Reconstitution of some tribes and genera of Lagriinae (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae), ZooKeys 1172, pp. 155-202 : 155

Genus Capeluprops Schawaller, 2011

Figs 3 , 50 , 52

Capeluprops Schawaller, 2011: 271. Type species: Capeluproprs laenoides Schawaller, 2011.

Note.

Capeluprops Schawaller, 2011 is provisionally moved from Lupropini to Laenini . Capeluprops contains six species of small, litter-inhabiting, flightless tenebrionids restricted to southern South Africa ( Schawaller 2011). The genus was included in Lupropini without morphological discussion and the original description of the genus did not discuss the closure of the mesocoxal cavity nor presence or absence of defensive glands.

Paratypes and recently collected specimens of the type species were examined (Figs 4 , 43 , 45 ). The mesocoxal cavities of this species are open, as in Lupropini , but abdominal defensive glands are absent. Therefore, this genus is excluded from Lupropini . Five lagriine tribes share these two character states: Belopini , Chaerodini , Eschatoporini , Laenini , and Goniaderini . In Capeluprops , the presence of well-developed eyes, tenebrionoid abdominal hinging, and lack of highly modified adaptions for psammophily exclude it from the first three tribes. However, Capeluprops cannot be definitively placed in Laenini nor Goniaderini . As in all other known Laenini , Capeluprops lacks hind wings, and the elytra are fused. Although the eyes of Capeluprops (Fig. 45 ) are more developed than typical members of the tribe, the current definition of Laenini based on molecular and morphological data ( Kanda 2016) includes species in South America with slightly reniform eyes (e.g., some species of Chaetyllus Pascoe, 1860 and Grabulax darlingtoni Kanda 2016). The ovipositor is very similar to those in Goniaderini , being very stout with long digitate gonocoxites. However, this character state is also present in a few Lupropini . Based on the absence of wings, and overall body form, we provisionally move Capeluprops to Laenini . Further data and a comprehensive review of Laenini are needed to confirm this placement.

Figures

Figures 2 - 5. Mesocoxal closure in Lagriinae. 2 Closed state, Prateus fusculus LeConte, 1862 (Prateini) 3 Open state, Phymatestes sp. (Goniaderini) 4 Open state, Capeluprops laenoides Schawaller, 2011 (Laenini) 5 Closed state distorted during preservation, Micropedinus sp. (Prateini). Abbreviation: msv (yellow polygon) = mesoventrite, msa (red polygon) = mesanepisternum, mse (green polygon) = mesepisternum, mtv (blue polygon) = metaventrite.

Figures 50 - 53. Capeluprops and Plastica, two genera transferred to Laenini. 50 Dorsal habitus of Capeluprops laenoides Schawaller, 2011, paratype 51 Dorsal habitus of Plastica polita Waterhouse, 1903, specimen compared with holotype 52 lateral view of head of C. laenoides, non-type specimen 53 lateral view of head of P. polita, same specimen as Fig. 44. Scale bars: 1 mm (51), 0.5 mm (52, 53). Fig. 50 was produced by Otto Merkl and the size of the specimen was not recorded before he passed.

Figures 42 - 45. Elytral humerus of Anaedus and Aemymone. 42 Anaedus lateralis (Pic, 1917), formerly in Spinolyprops 43 Anaedus brunneus Ziegler, 1844 44 Anaedus punctatissimus Blanchard, 1842 45 Aemymone sp.