Tachyina (Hylotachys), Boyd, Olivia F. & Erwin, Terry L., 2016

Boyd, Olivia F. & Erwin, Terry L., 2016, Taxonomic review of New World Tachyina (Coleoptera, Carabidae): descriptions of new genera, subgenera, and species, with an updated key to the subtribe in the Americas, ZooKeys 626, pp. 87-123 : 111-112

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Carabidae

Subgenus Hylotachys subgen. n.

Type species.

Meotachys ballorum sp. n.

Diagnosis.

Mentum bifoveate, antennae long and slender, pronotal margins sinuate, mesepisternum with single small, deep, reniform pit (Fig. 7B), i1 deeply impressed at base, apical recurrent groove (Fig. 5E) short, faintly impressed.

Description.

Size. ABL = 2.7-3.3 mm; SBL = 2.8-3.4 mm; TW = 1.2-1.5 mm.

Form. (Fig. 2E) Elongate, elytra subdepressed to convex.

Color. Matte and dark brown to piceous or glabrous and dark red-brown.

Microsculpture. Varied.

Head. Mentum bifoveate; antennae long, about 2/3 ABL; frons (Fig. 3E) with shallow lateral depressions at clypeus extending posteriad; margin above antennal insertion with shallow groove/channel.

Prothorax. Pronotum (Fig. 3E) transversely quadrate or narrowed near base, with base and apex about equal in width, but greatest width about 1.5 × as wide as narrowest width; lateral margin of pronotum markedly sinuate; anterior convergent impressions boldly impressed, not reaching medial furrow; basal transverse impressions deeply punctate, interrupted by small but deep medial excavation; basal section of pronotum opposite scutellum smooth, inflated; thin, medial furrow emerging from basal excavation not meeting anterior margin of pronotum; prosternum smooth, not sulcate.

Pterothorax. Mesepisternum with single, small, reniform pit/fovea, with opening directed slightly posteriad (Fig. 7B); elytron (Fig. 5E) with 3-6 striate interneurs; i1 complete (reaching apex), subsulcate, originating near apex of scutellum, deeply impressed at base; i3-7 incomplete or absent, i3 abruptly bent around Ed2 and Ed3; i5 (either visible as strial interneur or shallow depression) originating at tip of elytral basal margin and clearly separating elytral disc from humeral region; i8 (Fig. 4E) basally effaced and separated from margin by Eo5-8; apical recurrent groove simple, short, faintly impressed.

Distribution.

Known from the type locality in Ecuador, as well as 4 localities along the Rio Negro, northern Amazonas, Brazil, and southern Perú.

Derivation of name:

Masculine. From the Greek hyle (= “wood/forest”, “matter/substance”), in reference to the association of species of this genus with Amazonian inundation forest habitats and the unique suite of characters uniting the two species, and Tachys , the nominate genus of the subtribe Tachyina .