Tomolanguria Huang, 2020

Huang, Zheng-Zhong, Yang, Xing-Ke & Ge, Si-Qin, 2020, A new genus of Languriinae from Mexico (Coleoptera, Erotylidae), with comments on the potential mimic phenomenon of some languriines, ZooKeys 935, pp. 93-101 : 93

Genus Tomolanguria Huang gen. nov.

Type species.

Languria aculeata Gorham, 1887.

Diagnosis.

The new genus is a member of tribe Languriini , based on the presence of a frontoclypeal suture; the antennal club composed of more than three antennomeres and relatively oval in cross-section. The only species of Tomolanguria can be separated from other languriine genera by the following combination of characters: body length 8.5-9.5 mm, body slender without unified metallic luster, at least prothorax without any metallic luster; antennal club not very dilated; eyes moderate in size and with fine facets; mandibles similar to each other; pronotum finely punctured, without basal foveae; lateral sides of pronotum rounded and prothorax more or less subcylindric, not flattened; elytral epipleura distinct, each elytron with transverse and very weak depressions, apices of elytra being produced and strongly tapering, rounded and with several small denticles.

Comparision.

The elytral structure, which often shows the differences among genera of Languriinae , is a relatively reliable morphological character. Tomolanguria is closely related to genus Languria Latreille, 1802, sharing with the latter a similar external appearance. From Languria , it can be distinguished by having the antennal club not very dilated; lateral sides of pronotum rounded and prothorax more or less subcylindric; each elytron with transverse and weak depressions, and apices of elytra being more or less produced and strongly tapering, and also with several small denticles. However, the elytral apex of Languria is simply rounded and somewhat tapering, and neither produced nor with denticles. Tomolanguria also resembles the Neotropical genera Acropteroxys Gorham, 1887 and Langurites Motschulsky, 1860. Tomolanguria differs from Acropteroxys in having the pronotum finely punctured, with lateral side rounded, and apices of the elytra produced and bearing small denticles. Tomolanguria differs from Langurites in having the lateral side of pronotum rounded and the apices of the elytra with neither a sharp sutural angle nor an outer angle.

On the other hand, a similar structure of the elytra is demonstrated in the Oriental genus Paederolanguria Mader, 1939 and African genus Stenolanguria Fowler, 1885 (Fig. 3G, H ). The new genus can be easily separated from the former by the following characters: 1) elytral epiplerura broader and more distinct; 2) apex of prosternal process bent sharply downward (Fig. 2G, H ); 3) mesoventrite without punctation and nearly smooth (Fig. 2B, C ); 4) apex of elytra produced and with several small denticles (Fig. 2I, J ); 5) abdomen without postmetacoxal lines. (Fig. 2D, E ). Tomolanguria can be easily separated from Stenolanguria in having the head with fine punctures and the apex of elytra rounded; in Stenolanguria , the sutural angle is not produced and the outer angle of the elytra is produced and sharp, without denticles.

Etymology.

The name is derived from the Greek word Τομός (Latin transliteration as tomós, meaning “sharp”, referring to the apex of the elytra) and the generic name Languria (as in Paederolanguria , Megalanguria , Caenolanguria , etc.). Gender feminine.

Distribution.

Mexico, San Andrés Tuxtla.

Included taxa.

Only one species.

Figures

Figure 2. Comparison between Paederolanguria holdhausi Mader, 1939 and Tomolanguria aculeata (Gorham, 1887), comb. nov. A Holotype of Paederolanguria holdhausi Mader, 1939 B P. holdhausi, prosternum and mesoventrite with punctures, non-type C T. aculeata, prosternum and mesoventrite without punctures, paralectotype D P. holdhausi, abdomen, non-type E T. aculeata comb. nov., abdomen, paralectotype F lateral view of T. aculeata, black arrows show the depressions on the elytron, paralectotype G later view of body of P. holdhausi, black arrow shows the prosternal process nearly straight, non-type H same of T. aculeata, black arrow shows the prosternal process downwards, paralectotype I P. holdhausi, apex of the elytra, non-type J T. aculeata comb. nov., apex of elytra, paralectotype. Scale bars: 1 mm (A-C, I, J); 2 mm (D-H).

Figure 3. Body of species from different genera of Languriinae that may imitate genus Paederus. A Anadastus ornatus Arrow, 1925, syntype B A. pulchellus Arrow, 1925, holotype C A. jucundus (Gorham, 1903), syntype, synonym of A. bifasciatus (Motschulsky, 1860) D Clerolanguria tricolor (Fabricius, 1787), syntype E Paederolanguria alternata (Zia, 1959), holotype F P. klapperichi Mader, 1955, holotype G Stenolanguria tricolor Fowler, 1885, syntype H S. robusta Villiers, 1958, holotype. Scale bar: 2 mm (A-D, H); 1 mm (E, F); 5 mm (G).