Apoquedius Scheerpeltz, 1972

Reyes-Hernández, José L., Hansen, Aslak Kappel, Shaw, Josh Jenkins & Solodovnikov, Alexey, 2024, Phylogeny-based taxonomic revision and niche modelling of the rove beetle genus Loncovilius Germain, 1903 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society (Zool. J. Linn. Soc.) 202 (1), pp. 1-42 : 37

Genus Apoquedius Scheerpeltz, 1972 stat. nov.

( Fig. 15A)

Apoquedius Scheerpeltz, 1972: 24 , 25 (original description; as subgenus of Quedius ; included species: aeneipennis and piciformis ); Herman 2001a: 24 (synonym of Loncovilius ); Newton, 2022 (synonym of Loncovilius (Lienturius) .

Type genus: Apoquedius aeneipennis ( Fairmaire and Germain, 1862) comb. nov.

Included species: Apoquedius aeneipennis ( Fairmaire and Germain, 1862) comb. nov., A. piciformis (Bernhauer, 1912) comb. nov.

Diagnosis: Apoquedius can be diagnosed based on the head with frontoclypeal suture distinct only laterally; wide neck; paraocular punctures present; apical segment of maxillary palpi fusiform; apical segment of labial palpi fusiform, widest at the middle portion; apical labial palpomere distinctly longer than penultimate labial palpomere; flexible postcoxal hypomeral extension or process elongated and thin; two short empodial setae on each tarsal 5 segment; metacoxae with more than four spines on the posterior surface; abdomen with apical row of setae at the anterior margin of tergites and sternites III–VI; anterior margin of tergites III–VI distinctly crenulate. Apoquedius is easily distinguished from Loncovilius by the shape of the maxillary palps, which are fusiform; the shape of the postcoxal process which is thin and elongated; ventral side of meso- and metatarsi in males and females without pale adhesive setae; presence of protergal glands; presence of PTBC in tergites III to V; the most apical row of setae at the apical margin of tergites and sternites III to VI giving a crenulated appearance.

Distribution: As of now, Apoquedius is restricted to Chile and Argentina.

Remarks: The monophyly of Apoquedius is supported by a unique synapomorphy: flexible postcoxal hypomeral extension or process elongated and thin (character 58, state 1); and 11 homoplastic synapomorphies: head with frontoclypeal suture distinct only laterally (character 1, state 1); infraorbital ridge (IOR) not merged with postgenal ridge (PGR) (character 17, state 1); apical segment of maxillary palpi more or less fusiform, widest at its middle portion (character 29, state 0); apical segment of labial palpi more or less fusiform, widest at the middle portion (character 32, state 0); apical labial palpomere distinctly longer than penultimate labial palpomere (character 33, state 1); two parocular punctures on each side (character 41, state 1); basisternum from about as long as to moderately longer than furcasternum (character 46, state 0); protibiae, apical tibial spur distinctly outside tibial margin (character 66, state 1); more than four spines on the posterior surface of metacoxae (character 73, state 1); mesothorax with sternopleural (anapleural) suture transverse, or nearly transverse (very slightly oblique) (character 79, state 0); abdomen with apical row of setae at the anterior margin of tergites and sternites III–VI and anterior margin of tergites III–VI distinctly crenulate (character 90, state 1). Several undescribed species from southern South America and one described species from Tasmania likely belong to Apoquedius pending further examination.