Tibipectinus, Tshernyshev & Shcherbakov, 2020

Tshernyshev, S. E. & Shcherbakov, M. V., 2020, A new genus and species of the soft flower beetles tribe Apalochrini (Coleoptera: Malachiidae) from Africa, Far Eastern Entomologist 416, pp. 1-9 : 8-9

Key to the species of the genus Tibipectinus (males only)

1. Upperside black, pronotum with a weak metallic lustre. Legs yellow excepting brown external sides of posterior femora, antennae yellow with brown apical spots in 9th and 10th antennomeres; intermediate tibiae with protruding triangular edge above thin narrowed distally and bi-appendiculate appendage, which is longer than the distal side of the tibia in front ……............................................................…. T. claripes (Evers, 1990)

– Upperside of head, pronotum and elytra blue or green with metallic lustre ….............…. 2

2. Upperside of head, pronotum and elytra with green, green-blue or green-bronze metallic lustre ………………………………….................................…………………………. 3

– Upperside of head, pronotum and elytra with deep blue or blue-violaceous metallic lustre ………………….........................………………………………………………. 5

3. Thin appendage in outer distal side of the intermediate segment perpendicular to tibia, distal side of tibia straight, not hollowed between appendage and inner lobe ......…… 4

– Thin appendage in outer distal side of the intermediate segment perpendicular to tibia, strongly curve inwardly at apex, distal side of tibia strongly hollowed between appendage and inner lobe; basal four antennomeres beneath or in part, anterior tibiae (except at the base and apex), the intermediate femora at the base yellow …..................……… …………………………..........................................……… T. fissipes (Champion, 1920)

4. 1st-5th antennomeres, palpi, intermediate femora yellow at the base beneath, remaining parts black-brown; antennae strongly dilated, anterior tibiae with wide dilated plate above ……………............................................………. T. dilaticornis (Champion, 1920)

– 1st-6th antennomeres, palpi, all tibiae and femora in anterior and intermediate legs yellow, remaining parts black; antennae weakly dilated, anterior tibiae with narrow dilated plate …………………..............................................……………. T. testaceicornis (Pic, 1914)

5. Antennae yellow, anterior tibiae yellow-brown, remaining parts of all legs black-brown; intermediate tibiae with thin dilated distally appendage, inner side of the tibia in front of the appendage not impressed ……......................................... T. appendicifer (Pic, 1904)

– 1st-4th in part antennomeres and base of 5th antennomere yellow, remaining black; anterior tibiae and intermediate femora yellow excepting brown apical part, remaining parts of all legs black-brown; intermediate tibiae with thin dilated distally appendage, inner side of the tibia in front of the appendage strongly impressed ….........………… ……………………..............................………. T. caeruleoviolaceus Tshernyshev , sp. n.