Antillengis, Skelley, 2009

Skelley, Paul E., 2009, Pleasing fungus beetles of the West Indies (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Erotylinae), Insecta Mundi 2009 (82), pp. 1-94 : 15-17

Distribution. Antillengis is known only from the mountains of Cuba and the Dominican Republic.

Larvae. Only small, first instar specimens of A. epochthidius were available for study ( Fig. 37 ). Head broadly, evenly pigmented brown; all nota of T1-3 and terga of A1-9 sclerotized brown; dorsally T1-3 and A1-8 with 2 transverse rows of microspinules; terga of A5-8 becoming heavily granulate, granules obscuring rows of microspinules; dorsum of A9 long, concave, heavily granulate, with strong apical horn-like urogomphi. Spiracles of A1-8 not raised on tubercles. These larvae were collected with adults on a bracket fungus identified as Ganoderma sp.

Etymology. The generic name is derived from Engis , an old generic name used for various Erotylinae , and Antilles, due to the fact that this is the first megalodacnine recognized from the Greater Antilles. Thus, this is an “Antilles- Engis ”. The gender is masculine.

Remarks. Megalodacnini is primarily distributed in the Old World, having the greatest diversity in Asia and Indonesia. Until now, only the widespread genus Megalodacne Crotch (6 spp.; Alvarenga 1994, Delkeskamp 1952) was known to occur in the continental areas of the New World. A closely related tribe, Encaustini, is also primarily found in the Old World tropics and only the flightless genus Scaphengis Gorham (9 spp.; Skelley 1997b) occurs in the New World, i.e. Mexico and northern Central America.

Mouthpart characters are the primary diagnostic characters separating Megalodacnini and Encaustini. The Megalodacnini have a large, transversely rectangular mentum and more ventrally flattened mandibles and genal lobes so the terminal palpomeres are more or less exposed at rest. In comparison, the Encaustini have a narrower, distinctly triangular mentum and a buccal cavity formed by ventrally expanded mandibles and genal lobes in which the entire palpi rest. Antillengis is intermediate in these characters, having a broad mentum and shallow buccal cavity. Further analyses of tribal relationships are needed to better understand the placement of this genus and the relationships of these tribes. For now, Antillengis is placed in Megalodacnini because of the broad mentum, which is unlike that of any member of Encaustini (sensu stricto).

Another striking character of Antillengis is the sexually dimorphic epistomal notch ( Fig. 29-30 ). This character appears in some Asian megalodacnines, e.g. Episcaphula australis (Boisduval) . In the New World, an epistomal notch is diagnostic of Pselaphacus Percheron (presently Tritomini ), however the notch is more developed and present in both sexes.

Figures

Figure 35-37. Antillengis spp., habitus. 35) A. brunnipes. 36) A. epochthidius, paratype. 37) A. epochthidius, first instar larva.

Figure 29-34. Antillengis spp. 29-30) Anterior view of head. 29) A. brunnipes, male. 30) A. brunnipes, female. 31- 32) Ventral view of head. 31) A. brunnipes. 32) A. epochthidius. 33-34) A. epochthidius genitalia. 33) Male. 34) Female. Genitalic scale line = 1mm.