Malayoscelis, Schawaller, 2002

Schawaller, W., 2002, Malayoscelis Gen. N., The Third Genus Of The Pycnocerini (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) From The Oriental Region, Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 48 (3), pp. 197-202 : 198

Malayoscelis gen. n.

Diagnosis: With all characters of the tribe Pycnocerini (see GEBIEN 1904) and subtribe Chiroscelina ( WATT 1974) . Head with clypeal suture distinctly impressed; temples considerably broadened. Antennae with prolonged antennomere 3. Both mandiblesbifid. Maxillary palpswith broadened last segment. Pronotum 1.3 timeswider than long, with distinctly crenulate lateral margin. Elytra only with traces of 5–7 keels, without distinct rows of punctures; epipleura regularly narrowed towardsapex without abrupt constriction, impunctate. Abdominal ventrites impunctate. Surface of all legs nearly impunctate and shining, femora in both sexes with distinct apical teeth, anterior tibiae bent in males, anterior and middle tibiae in males with distinctly hooked inner apex; apex of tibiae without spurs and with comb-like setae.

Type species: Malayoscelis gebieni sp. n. by monotypy and present designation.

Discussion: Malayoscelis gen. n. ( Fig. 1 ) shares with the other Oriental genus Aediotorix BATES, 1868 (syn. Sipirocus FAIRMAIRE, 1896 ) ( Fig. 2 ) the following characters: head with impressed clypeal suture and with distinctly broadened temples, antennae with a prolonged antennomere 3, mandibles bifid, pronotum with crenulate lateral margin, apex of tibiae without spurs and with comb-like setae, and a similar body length of about 15–20 mm. The congeners of Aediotorix form a different monophyletic group (however, speciescharactersare still unclear). Aediotorix isseparated from Malayoscelis by a narrow pronotum (subquadrate or longer than wide), weak crenulation of the lateral margin, elytra with 4 distinct and complete keels besides distinct scutellar keel, scutellum with rough punctation, epipleura with a longitudinal row of distinct punctures, abdominal ventrites with partly coarse punctation, legs with coarse punctation and dull surface, and by different modifications of the legs.

The third genusfrom the Oriental region, Pheugonius FAIRMAIRE, 1899 , obviously belongs to an other evolutionary group (together with the African genus Prioscelis HOPE, 1840 ) because of the following characters: antennae relatively short with antennomere 3 not prolonged, lateral margin of pronotum smooth, elytra with 9 distinct punctural rowsand flat intervalswithout any keels, and dif - ferent modifications of the legs besides the huge body size of 50–60 mm.

Figures

Figs 1–2. Dorsal view. 1: Malayoscelis gen. n. gebieni sp. n. (Malaysia); 2: Aediotorix cf. petersi GEBIEN, 1921 (Philippines)