Monodius Koch, 1956

Kaminski, Marcin Jan, 2014, A cladistically based reinterpretation of the taxonomy of two Afrotropical tenebrionid genera Ectateus Koch, 1956 and Selinus Mulsant & Rey, 1853 (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Platynotina), ZooKeys 415, pp. 81-132 : 99-100

Genus Monodius Koch, 1956 stat. r.

Monodius Koch, 1956: 181. - Iwan 2001b: 352, 2002a: 100 (syn. with Selinus ).

Type species.

Selinus convexipennis Gebien, 1904; by original designation.

Diagnosis.

The following character combination is unique for Monodius within the whole subtribe Platynotina : (1) antennomeres from 7 to 11 elongated (their length greater than the width), (2) anterior tentorial pit deep, clearly visible, (3) 5th abdominal ventrite strongly widened, (4) female protarsi widened, (5) penis wide, at least 4 times wider than clavae, (6) clavae long, their length more than half of the length of parameres, (7) apex of parameres fused and (8) bursa copulatrix with 2 additional sacs.

Distribution.

Monodius specimens have been collected in the following ecoregions of West and Central Africa (Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Republic of Benin, Republic of Ghana, Republic of Liberia, Republic of Niger, Sierra Leone, Togolese Republic): Cross-Sanaga-Bioko coastal forests, Atlantic Equatorial coastal forests, Central African mangroves, Eastern Guinean forests, Guinean forest-savanna mosaic, Mount Cameroon and Bioko montane forests, Northern Congolian forest-savanna mosaic, Northwestern Congolian lowland forests, West Sudanian savanna, Western Guinean lowland forests (Figs 42-43).

Species included (7).

Monodius convexipennis (Gebien, 1904), Monodius gravis Koch, 1956, Monodius laevistriatus (Fairmaire, 1897), comb. n., Monodius lamottei (Gridelli, 1954), comb. n., Monodius malaisei Koch, 1956, Monodius medius (Fairmaire, 1897), Monodius plicicollis (Fairmaire, 1897), comb. n.

Key to the species of Monodius