Afrodacne Delkeskamp, 1954

Skelley, Paul E., 2023, Subgenera of Dacne Latreille, 1797 (Erotylidae: Erotylinae: Dacnini) given full generic rank, Insecta Mundi 2023 (971), pp. 1-9 : 4

Afrodacne Delkeskamp, 1954 , full generic status

Figures 1 , 13–14

Dacne (Afrodacne) Delkeskamp 1954: 64 . Type species Engis aequinoctialis Thomson 1858: 235 , by original designation.

Diagnosis. Some characters that help diagnose Afrodacne include: Pronotal margin not anteriorly prominent medially (not hood-like). *Pronotal punctation generally coarse, with a sharp line marking a dramatic change from coarse to fine puncture near the medial base ( Fig. 1 ). *Proventrite with long coxal lines and prominent proventral plate ( Fig. 13 ). *Mesoventrite with visible portion very short and broad. *Female genitalia with apical gonostyli, gonocoxite not heavily sclerotized. *Female genitalia with segment 9 lacking rows of teeth-like lamellae ( Fig. 14 ).

Included species. Four species ( Delkeskamp 1981):

Afrodacne aequinoctialis ( Thomson, 1858)

Afrodacne clavata ( Delkeskamp, 1954)

Afrodacne nigropicta ( Delkeskamp, 1954)

Afrodacne rufa ( Delkeskamp, 1954)

Distribution. Africa.

Remarks. The diagnostic characters listed above appear to be a set of possibly synapomorphies shared between Afrodacne , Microsternus ( Fig. 15–16 ), and Neosternus , that readily distinguish them from true Dacne and other Dacnini . In the analysis of Powell (2021, pers. comm.) Microsternus is well separated from typical Dacne . Until phylogenetic studies resolve the precise placement of Afrodacne and presumed relatives, raising its rank to genus-level improves the classification by clarifying the delimitation of Dacne .

These three genera are readily distinguished from each other. Microsternus has a gular pit posterior of each postmandibular lobe, has narrow lateral pronotal margins, and is found in eastern Asia and North America. Neosternus lacks gular pits, has a deep pronotal sulcus along each side forming a broad lateral margin, and is found in eastern Asia. Afrodacne lacking gular pits, has narrow lateral pronotal margins, and is found in Africa. Additional comparative diagnostics and images for Microsternus and Neosternus can be found in Dai and Zhao (2013b).

Figures

Figures 1–7. Pronota and antennae of Afrodacne, Dacne and Xenodacne. 1) Pronotum of Afrodacne aequinoctialis, dorsal view, basal width = 1.75 mm. 2) Pronotum of Dacne quadrimaculata, dorsal view, basal width = 1.42 mm. 3) Pronotum of Xenodacne pubescens, dorsal view, basal width = 1.06 mm. 4) Pronotum of Dacne quadrimaculata, left lateral view, margin length = 0.70 mm. 5) Pronotum of Xenodacne pubescens, left lateral view, margin length = 0.51 mm. 6) Antenna of Dacne quadrimaculata, antennomere X width = 0.24 mm. 7) Antenna of Dacne picta, antennomere X width = 0.30 mm. (Reproduced from Skelley 1997).

Figures 13–16. Ventral view of proventrite and female genitalia. 13–14) Afrodacne aequinoctialis. 15–16) Microsternus ulkei (Crotch) (Reproduced from Boyle 1956).