Tapinomorphus Hartmann, 1904

Borovec, Roman & Perrin, Hélène, 2019, Systematic position of Ascopus Marshall, Oreosecus Marshall, Perarogula Hoffmann and Rhadinocopes Hustache (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae) with description of a new species of Ascopus from Guinea, Zootaxa 4668 (2), pp. 245-257 : 252-253

Tapinomorphus Hartmann, 1904

Tapinomorphus Hartmann, 1904: 372 (original description), type species: Tapinomorphus metallicus Hartmann, 1904 by subsequent designation. Gender masculine.

Tapinomorphus: Emden & Emden 1939: 96 (key to genera); Marshall 1940: 39 (new species description); Marshall 1953: 2 (new species descriptions); Voss 1962: 290 (new species descriptions); Alonso-Zarazaga & Lyal 1999: 178 (catalogue); Borovec & Skuhrovec 2017: 533 (new species description).

Oreosecus Marshall, 1950: 75 (original description), syn. nov., type species: Oreosecus porculus Marshall, 1950 by original designation.

Oreosecus: Alonso-Zarazaga & Lyal 1999: 172 (catalogue).

Rhadinocopes Hustache, 1931: 58 (original description), syn. nov., type species: Rhadinocopes orientalis Hustache, 1931 by original designation.

Rhadinocopes: Alonso-Zarazaga & Lyal 1999: 150 (catalogue).

Rhadinoscopes Hoffmann, 1966: 1003 (lapsus).

Diagnosis. Small Sciaphilini , less than 4.2 mm, epifrons at base almost as wide as space between eyes, clearly separated from head by narrow, V-shaped sulcus; frons glabrous and declivous; epistome not developed; antennal scrobes laterally placed, well edged and curved downwards; antennae very slender; elytra dorsally lacking humeral calli; procoxae touching anterior border of pronotum; femora unarmed; metatibiae lacking corbels, with glabrous apical surface; claws connate; metaventral process distinctly wider than transverse diameter of metacoxa; abdominal ventrites glabrous, with suture between ventrite 1 and 2 straight and with ventrite 2 shorter than ventrites 3 and 4 together.

Remarks. The genus belongs among entimines with “brachyderine” type of antennal scrobes which means scrobes laterally placed, in profile furrow-shaped and curved downwards, and here is listed in the tribe Sciaphilini Sharp, 1891 , by having pronotum lacking ocular lobes or setae in lateral part of anterior border, metatibiae lacking corbels, claws connate and elytra without laterally prominent humeral calli. All these characters are identical for the Sciaphilini and also Brachyderini Schoenherr, 1826 , the latter is distinguishable by having conical head and rostrum. However, separation of these two tribes must be confirmed by more detailed study in future. Tapinomorphus is among all Sciaphilini genera recognizable mainly by using of following set of characters: body covered by appressed oval or rounded scales, frons posteriorly not carinate, scapes reaching behind anterior border of pronotum in repose, tarsi not very slender, with segment 1 less than twice longer than wide and shorter than segment 2 and 3 together and metaventral process distinctly wider than transverse diameter of metacoxa. Genus includes 19 species including 3 species newly transferred in this paper, all described from Kenya, Tanzania and Democratic Republic of Congo, with at least the same number of undescribed species mainly from Tanzania and Democratic Republic of Congo. Some species of the genus occur further south of its current distribution area, about ten undescribed species are known to the first author from Angola, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Moreover, undoubtedly some species originally assigned to the genus Dysommatus Marshall, 1933 belong also to Tapinomorphus . From all these reasons revision of the genus is necessary.