Pycinus Guillebeau, 1893

Gimmel, Matthew L., 2013, <strong> Genus-level revision of the family Phalacridae (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea) </ strong>, Zootaxa 3605 (1), pp. 1-147 : 68-69

16. Pycinus Guillebeau, 1893

( Figs. 19 ; 40b, c )

Pycinus Guillebeau 1893 a: 289 . Type species: Pycinus politus Guillebeau 1893 , fixed by subsequent designation.

Ochrodemus Guillebeau 1893 a: 293 . Type species: Ochrodemus brevitarsis Guillebeau 1893 , fixed by monotypy. Syn. nov. Radinus Guillebeau 1893 a: 295 . Type species: Radinus latus Guillebeau 1893 , fixed by monotypy. Syn. nov.

Euphalacrus Champion 1925 b: 608 . Type species: Euphalacrus crassipes Champion 1925 , fixed by original designation. Syn. nov.

Type material. Pycinus politus Guillebeau : two syntypes found (of five mentioned by Guillebeau 1893 a: 289), one here designated lectotype, male, “Caracas [handwritten] // Simon [handwritten] // Muséum Paris \ Coll. Générale [green label] // Pycinus \ politus \ Guilleb. [handwritten] // LECTOTYPE ♂ \ Pycinus \ politus Guillebeau \ des. M.L. Gimmel 2009 [red label]” ( MNHN), point mounted, genitalia dissected and mounted in DMHF. Paralectotype, female, “Caracas [handwritten] // Simon [handwritten] // Muséum Paris \ Coll. Générale [green label] // TYPE [red label] // politus \ Guilb. [handwritten] // PARALECTOTYPE ♀ \ Pycinus \ politus Guillebeau \ det. M.L. Gimmel 2009 [yellow label]” ( MNHN), point mounted, genitalia dissected and mounted in DMHF. The lectotype is designated to prevent future doubts about the identity of this species and of the genus Pycinus .

Ochrodemus brevitarsis Guillebeau : holotype, “San Esteban \ E. Simon III.88 // Muséum Paris \ Coll. Générale [green label] // TYPE [red label] // [unpublished lectotype label, turned over] // brevitarsis \ Guilb. [handwritten] // HOLOTYPE ♀ \ Ochrodemus \ brevitarsis Guillebeau \ det. M.L. Gimmel 2009 [red label]” ( MNHN), point mounted.

Radinus latus Guillebeau : holotype, “Caracas [handwritten] // Simon [handwritten] // Muséum Paris \ Coll. Générale [green label] // TYPE [red label] // latus \ Guilb. [handwritten] / HOLOTYPE ♀ \ Radinus \ latus Guillebeau \ det. M.L. Gimmel 2009 [red label]” ( MNHN), point mounted.

Euphalacrus crassipes Champion : two syntypes found in BMNH, lectotype, here designated, “ Fry \ Rio Jan. // Fry Coll. \ 1905.100. // Type \ H. T. [red-bordered disc] // Euphalacrus \ crassipes Ch. \ type [handwritten] // Specimen \ figured. // Ann. Mag. N.H. \ Ser. 9. XVI 1925. \ G.C.C. det. // SYN- \ TYPE [blue-bordered disc] // LECTOTYPE \ Euphalacrus \ crassipes Champion \ des. M.L. Gimmel 2010 [red label]” ( BMNH), card mounted. Paralectotype, “[female symbol] // Ilha Santo Amaro \ nr. Santos, Brazil. \ G.E. Bryant. \ 23.IV.1912 [date handwritten] // G. Bryant Coll. \ 1919–147 // Euphalacrus \ crassipes Ch. \ Cotype. [handwritten] // Specimen \ figured. // Co- \ type [yellow-bordered disc] // Ann. Mag. N.H. \ Ser. 9. XVI 1925. \ G.C.C. det. // SYN- \ TYPE [blue-bordered disc] // PARALECTOTYPE \ Euphalacrus \ crassipes Champion \ det. M.L. Gimmel 2010 [yellow label]” ( BMNH). The lectotype is designated in order to fix the identity and type locality of this taxon.

Diagnosis. This genus is characterized by having a medially setose prosternum, metaventral process not produced anteriad of mesocoxae, metaventral postcoxal lines not separated from coxal cavities, metatarsomere I shorter than II, mandible with ventral ridge and with dorsal row of small, blunt teeth, and elytra usually with spectral iridescence.

Description. Small to large, total length 1.6–3.2 mm. A few species (undescribed) are quite dorsoventrally flattened, while others are extremely globose. Dorsal color completely completely testaceous to completely black, ventral surface, appendages, and often pronotum much lighter in color ( Figs. 40b, c ); no maculated species are known. Tibial spur formula 2-2-2, tarsal formula 5-5- 5 in both sexes.

Head. Not constricted behind eyes. Eyes small to large; facets flat; interfacetal setae absent; weakly to deeply emarginate medially; without posterior emargination; periocular groove present; with transverse setose groove ventrally behind eye. Frontoclypeus emarginate above antennal insertion; clypeal apex arcuate-truncate. Antennal club 3-segmented (one undescribed Brazilian species with 5-segmented club), club weakly asymmetrical, antennomere XI slightly constricted on anterior edge ( Fig. 19b ). Mandible ( Fig. 19a ) with apex bidentate, with row of two or more small, rounded teeth on dorsal edge; without retinaculum; mandible with ventral ridge. Maxillary palpomere IV fusiform, nearly symmetrical; galea short, rounded; lacinia with two stout spines. Mentum with sides divergent toward apex; labial palpomere III fusifsorm. Labrum with apical margin truncate. Gular sutures short, barely evident .

Thorax. Pronotum without obvious microsetae; with quite weakly developed scutellar lobe. Prosternum anteriorly with continuous row of marginal setae, setae flattened at base; procoxal cavity with anterolateral notchlike extension; prosternal process angulate in lateral view, usually conspicuously setose preapically, without spinelike setae at apex. Protrochanter with setae; protibia without ctenidium on kickface ( Fig. 19c ). Scutellar shield small. Elytron usually with spectral iridescence; with one sutural stria; disc of elytra often with conspicuous rows of punctures; without transverse strigae; lateral margin with row of tiny, sawtooth-like setae. Mesoventral plate ( Fig. 19f ) deeply notched anteriorly, extending posteriorly to metaventrite, dividing mesoventral disc in two, forming procoxal rests; mesanepisternum with incomplete transverse carina; mesocoxal cavities widely separate, separated by more than half width of a coxal cavity. Mesotarsomere III bilobed. Metaventral process ( Fig. 19f ) extending nearly to anterior level of mesocoxae; metaventral postcoxal lines not separated from mesocoxal cavity margin; discrimen long, extending about halfway to anterior margin of metaventral process; metendosternite ( Fig. 19g ) with anterior tendons moderately separated, ventral process intersecting ventral longitudinal flange at anterior margin. Anterior margin of metacoxa with emargination sublaterally; metacoxal plate with transverse line; metatibial foreface with apical ctenidium roughly perpendicular overall to long axis of tibia; spurs cylindrical, longest spur shorter than or subequal to width of tibial apex; metatarsomere I shorter than metatarsomere II, joint between I and II rigid ( Fig. 19d ); metatarsomere III bilobed. Hind wing ( Fig. 19e ) with distinct, ovate anal lobe; leading edge without row of long setae at level of RA +ScP; AA 3+4 apparent only basally, crossvein to Cu absent; cubitoanal system unbranched apically; CuA 2 and MP 3+4 without distal remnants; r4 weak but connected with RA 3+4; conspicuous fleck present in apical field just distal to rp-mp2, with much fainter fleck more distally; long transverse proximal sclerite and additional small triangular sclerite present just distal to end of radial bar.

Abdomen. Abdominal ventrite I without paired lines, without calli; spiracles present and apparently functional on segment VII. Male with aedeagus upright in repose; tegmen ( Fig. 19h ) with symmetrical anterior margin and parameres hinged to basal piece, parameres without medial longitudinal division; penis ( Fig. 19g ) with pair of endophallic sclerites and spicules, apex variable; spiculum gastrale V-shaped, with arms free. Female ovipositor weakly sclerotized, palpiform.

Immature stages. Unknown.

Bionomics. Many specimens have been collected by beating, Malaise traps, and flight intercept traps. Members of this genus do not appear to be strongly attracted to lights.

Distribution and diversity. Restricted to the Neotropics, from Mexico south to Argentina. Many undescribed species exist.

Included species (12):

Pycinus brevitarsis (Guillebeau, 1893) , comb. nov. ( Ochrodemus ) ( Distribution : Venezuela) (type!)

Pycinus crassipes (Champion, 1925) , comb. nov. ( Euphalacrus ) ( Distribution : Brazil) (type!)

Pycinus guatemalenus ( Sharp, 1888) , comb. nov. ( Olibrus ) (Distribution: Guatemala, Panama) (type!) Pycinus hemisphaericus Guillebeau, 1893 (Distribution: Venezuela) (type!)

Pycinus latipes ( Sharp, 1888) , comb. nov. ( Olibrus ) ( Distribution : Panama) (type!)

Pycinus latus (Guillebeau, 1893) , comb. nov. ( Radinus ) ( Distribution : Venezuela) (type!)

Pycinus microsternus ( Sharp, 1888) , comb. nov. ( Olibrus ) ( Distribution : Panama) (type!)

Pycinus politus Guillebeau, 1893 ( Distribution : Venezuela) (type!)

Pycinus rubiginosus ( Sharp, 1888) , comb. nov. ( Olibrus ) ( Distribution : Guatemala, Mexico) (type!)

Pycinus subrotundatus Guillebeau, 1893 ( Distribution : Venezuela) (type!)

Pycinus tropicus ( Kirsch, 1870) , comb. nov. ( Phalacrus ) ( Distribution : Colombia) (type!)

Pycinus vulgaris ( Sharp, 1888) , comb. nov. ( Olibrus ) ( Distribution : Guatemala) (type!)

Discussion. Guillebeau’s genera Pycinus , Ochrodemus , and Radinus , all described in the same paper, do not display differences that warrant generic distinction. Interestingly, he described these three genera in two different tribes: Pycinus and Ochrodemus in his “Olibrini” and Radinus in his newly defined group “Heteromorphini” (with Sphaeropsis Guillebeau ). The latter supposedly differs in having the “Bord apical médian du prosternum dépassant distinctement les hanches” (p. 295) (apical border of the prosternal process distinctly exceeding the coxae). Examination of the type specimens of the type species of all three genera reveals only the slightest variation in this and other character states. These generic synonymies result in two new combinations, listed above.

Euphalacrus Champion , as well, is clearly a superfluous name, as its type species falls well within the concept of Pycinus . Therefore I propose Euphalacrus as a new synonym of Pycinus .

After examination of types, I have determined that several of the Central American species described by Sharp (1888) in Olibrus belong to the genus Pycinus . Kirsch’s (1870) Phalacrus tropicus also belongs here. These six new combinations are included above.

Figures

FIGURE 19. Pycinus sp., male. (a) Left mandible, dorsal; (b) left antenna (scale bar = 0.5 mm). (c) Left protibia and tarsus, dorsal; (d) left metatibia and tarsus, ventral (scale bar = 0.5 mm). (e) Hind wing (scale bar = 1.0 mm). (f) Meso- and metaventrite, ventral (scale bar = 0.5 mm). (g) Metendosternite (scale bar = 0.5 mm). Pycinus politus, lectotype male. (h) Tegmen, dorsal; (i) penis, dorsal; (j) spiculum gastrale (scale bar = 0.5 mm).

FIGURE 40. Photographs. Olibroporus punctatus: (a) dorsal. Pycinus sp.: (b) dorsal; (c) ventral. Ochrolitus rubens: (d) dorsal; (e) ventral. Sveculus lewisi, holotype: (f) dorsal; (g) ventral. Tolyphus (Tolyphus) granulatus: (h) dorsal; (i) head and pronotum laterally, showing eye facets.