Iphiclus (Neoogaster), Alvarenga 1965

Skelley, Paul E., 2009, Pleasing fungus beetles of the West Indies (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Erotylinae), Insecta Mundi 2009 (82), pp. 1-94 : 26-29

Subgenus NEOOGASTER Alvarenga 1965

Iphiclus (Neoogaster) Alvarenga 1965: 87 . Type species: Galleruca guadeloupensis Fabricius 1792 (= Erotylus marginatus Olivier 1792 ), original designation Alvarenga 1965: 87. Replacement name for Oogaster Lacordaire 1842: 377, not Oogaster Faldermann 1837: 30 ( Coleoptera : Tenebrionidae ) ~ Alvarenga 1994: 73.

Brachysphaenus (Oogaster) Lacordaire 1842: 377 . Type species: no type designated [considered monotypic because of subsequent synonymy of all included species]. ~ Germar 1843: 137; Chapuis 1876: 61; Crotch 1876: (137) 513; Kuhnt 1909: 22, 27; Alvarenga 1965: 88.

Diagnosis. Neoogaster resembles Aegithus in color pattern, but is distinguished from Aegithus and other members of Iphiclus by: the oval body attenuated anteriorly and posteriorly ( Fig. 8-9 , 46-47 ), black body with yellowish-brown elytra and abdomen, enlarged antennal club, and simple prosternum lacking a median keel ( Fig. 48-49 ).

Description. Length 7.0-10.0 mm; width 4.5-6.5 mm. Body oval, attenuated toward ends, moderately convex dorsally; body black with yellowish-brown elytra and abdomen ( Fig. 48-49 ).

Head surface glossy, punctures minute, faintly impressed; clypeus width = 1.25 x length, parallel to weakly divergent toward base, anterior edge weakly concave, surface with few fine punctures; ocular striae attaining antennal base anteriorly. Eyes finely faceted. Antenna entirely black, antennomeres generally elongate; antennomere II subglobose; antennomere III length = 3.5-4.0 x width, length = length of antennomeres IV+V combined; antennomeres IV-VIII gradually shortening, IV notably longer than VII; antennomeres IV-VII rounded apically, all equal in width; antennomere VIII somewhat triangular, angular apically, width = 1.5 x antennomere VII width, appearing as part of club; antennomere IX enlarged length = antennomere III, width = 2.5 x antennomere VII, rectangular, sides parallel ( Fig. 46-47 ); antennomere X-XI equal in length, length = 0.75 x antennomere IX; antennomere XI subcircular. Terminal maxillary palpomere dilated, triangular, width = 1.5 x length. Terminal labial palpomere dilated medially, triangular, width = 0.75 x terminal maxillary palpomere width. Mentum with raised triangular plate poorly defined, groove and bead that usually define mentum obscured or lacking.

Pronotum glossy and faintly punctate, surface relatively flattened; narrowed anteriorly, anterior edge straight medially, curving forward laterally, with fine entire marginal bead; anterior angles acute, posterior angles approximately 90 o; base sinuate, edge straight near lateral angles, moderately lobed medially; base lacking marginal bead and basal punctures. Scutellum weakly triangular to weakly pentagonal, edges rounded, length = 1.0-1.2 x width. Elytra dull; lacking basal marginal bead; visible striae 2-7 paired (gemellate) ( Fig. 46-47 ). Wings present, fully developed.

Prosternum moderately convex, somewhat flattened, not keeled medially, not constricted at anterior margin; anterior edge with fine, entire marginal bead; surface relatively smooth, faintly punctate; lines fine, continuous around coxal cavity; base distinctly concave. Meso- and metasternum with lines fine, continuous around mesocoxal cavity, line absent from metasternal surface ( Fig. 48-49 ); meso- and metasternal surface smooth, glossy, faintly punctate. Abdomen with lines continuous around metacoxal cavity, scattered fine punctures on terminal ventrites. Femora lacking marginal bead, rounded in cross section; short, only apex of meso- and metafemora visible from above. Tibiae weakly carinate on lateral edge. Tarsi with well-developed ventral pads on tarsomeres I-III; metatarsomere I length = length of metatarsomere II+III combined. Male and female lacking notable sexual dimorphism (compared with some Aegithus males which have a pilose spot on first abdominal ventrite). Male genitalia with median lobe slightly elongate and weakly hooked at apex; sclerite at base of flagellum small; flagellum hair-like ( Fig. 50-51 ).

Distribution. Neoogaster is restricted to Guadeloupe and Dominica, and are the only known Erotylinae from the northern Lesser Antilles.

Larvae. Roberts (1958: 281) briefly diagnosed the larvae of a I. guadeloupensis , and stated it “... is to some extent intermediate between this genus [ Iphiclus ] and Aegithus ...” Considering the diversity of these genera, it is ill advised to make any conclusions regarding relationships between these taxa based on the few known larvae. Unfortunately, Roberts reported the species he studied only as “ Aegithus guadeloupensis F.” and did not state where the specimens were collected. Thus, the true identity of his Neoogaster materials cannot be confirmed. Two dried larvae were available for study of I. suturalis , from which the following diagnosis is based.

Body elongate, tergites dark, dorsally covered with spicules, scoli, and aristate or simple setae. Antennal length subequal to half head width. Head with setae present, but spines and tubercles absent. Tergites of T2-A8 dorsally with 3 long, branched scoli on each side. Abdominal epipleurites with single, moderately sized, unbranched scoli. General habitus similar to Aegithus .

Remarks. A study of numerous adult specimens has demonstrated the existence of two valid species, each endemic to a different island; e.g. I. guadeloupensis from Guadeloupe and I. suturalis from Dominica.

Figures

Figure 2-11. Key characters. 2-3) Anterior view of head and pronotum. 2) Iphiclus suturalis. 3) Notaepytus flavitarsis. 4-5) Lateral habitus. 4) Aegithus clavicornis. 5) Iphiclus suturalis. 6-11) Dorsal habitus. 6) Aegithus clavicornis. 7) Aegithus lebasii. 8) Iphiclus guadeloupensis. 9) Iphiclus suturalis. 10) Cubyrus sapphirus. 11) Ischyrus quadripunctatus.

Figure 46-47. Iphiclus (Neoogaster) spp., dorsal habitus. 46) I. suturalis. 47) I. guadeloupensis.

Figure 48-51. Iphiclus (Neoogaster) spp., ventral habitus and male genitalia. 48, 50) I. suturalis. 49, 51) I. guadeloupensis. Genitalic scale line =