Toctoc Casari, 2014

Casari, Sônia A., 2014, A New Genus and a New Species of Dicrepidiina (Coleoptera: Elateridae: Elaterinae: Ampedini) from Brazil, The Coleopterists Bulletin 68 (3), pp. 391-397 : 391-392

Toctoc Casari , new genus

Diagnosis. Frons with supra-antennal carinae strong, present only laterally, above antennal insertions ( Figs. 39, 40 ); nasale very high, continuous with frons; mouthparts downwardly directed; pronotosternal groove absent; prosternal spine with apex sharpened with subapical tooth; prosternum short in relation to hypomeron and roundly prominent between procoxae; lateral carina of pronotum not visible dorsally, displaced ventrally; mesosternal cavity with borders declivous; metacoxal plate with posterior margin straight; tarsomeres 1–3 lamellate beneath; elytra long in relation to pronotum length.

Toctoc is morphologically similar to Dipropus Germar, 1839 , a very speciose (about 150 species) and probably paraphyletic genus recorded from North, Central, and South America. However, it is easily separated by the presence of the following in Dipropus : frons carinate; pronotosternal groove distinct; and posterior margin of metacoxal plate with a tooth.

Toctoc is also similar to Olophoeus Candèze, 1859 and Propsephus Hyslop, 1921 , both from Africa, in body shape and general appearance, but differs as follows: frons partially carinate (carinate in Olophoeus and Propsephus ), mandibles asymmetrical (symmetrical in Olophoeus and Propsephus ); mandibles narrow with one wide tooth or lobe at middle of mesal area (mandibles wide, with one subapical tooth in Olophoeus and Propsephus ); molar area absent (absent in Olophoeus ; well-developed in Propsephus ); last maxillary palpomere with widened apex (elliptical in Olophoeus ; securiform in Propsephus ); pronotosternal groove absent (short in Olophoeus ; long in Propsephus ;); prosternal spine with subapical tooth (subapical lobe in Olophoeus and Propsephus ); posterior margin of metacoxal plate straight (straight in Olophoeus ; with small lobe in Propsephus ); bursa copulatrix without spines or plates (with spines in Olophoeus and Propsephus ).

Etymology. “ Toctoc ” is onomatopoeic, imitating the sound emitted by the elaterids when jumping. It is a popular name for click beetles in the northwest region of Brazil. The gender is masculine.

Distribution. B r a z i l, M a r a n h ã o: M i r a d o r (Parque Estadual Mirador).

Figures

Figs. 30–42. Toctoc asymmetricus. Male: 30–31) Posterior leg (external, internal views, respectively); 32–34) claws (frontal, latero-external, latero-internal views, respectively). Female: 35) Tibia and tarsus; 36) Tarsus; 37–38) Claws (frontal, lateral views, respectively); 39–40) Frons (frontal, lateral views, respectively). Habitus: 41) Male (holotype); 42) Female. Bars = 30 mm, except Figs. 30, 35 = 100 mm; Figs. 31, 36 = 20 mm; Fig. 38 = 20 mm; Figs. 41–42 = 5 mm.