Biflabelotillus Pic, 1949

Pavel, Filip & Purchart, Luboš, 2024, Revision of Madagascan Cleridae (Coleoptera: Cleroidea). Part I. - The genus Biflabelotillus Pic, 1949 (Tillinae), Zootaxa 5519 (3), pp. 384-394 : 385-386

Genus Biflabelotillus Pic, 1949

Biflabelotillus Pic, 1949: 3 (original description). – EDWARDS & HOPWOOD (1966): 36.

Type species: Biflabelotillus foveolatus Pic, 1949: 3 (original description).

Biflabellotilus [sic!] – Pic (1949): 3 (used as Biflabellotilus foveolatus Pic, 1949).

Biflabellotillus [sic!] – CORPORAAL (1950): 17 (catalogue); WINKLER (1961): 20, 32 (list of genera); MENIER (1979): 75, 76 (redefinition, key to species); MAWDSLEY (1993): 26 (list of endemic Madagascan genera).

Note. Pic (1949) used two different spellings in his original paper, Biflabelotillus and Biflabellotilus (pp. 3). As far as we know, no one has acted as First Reviser ( ICZN 1999, Article 24.2.3) and we here select Biflabelotillus as the correct original spelling.

Diagnosis. Although a review of Madagascan tilline genera is needed to determine the generic status for most of the genera ( Menier 1979, Gerstmeier & Weis 2009), Biflabelotillus seems to be a relatively well defined genus. According to Menier (1979), this genus belongs to the group of several genera (besides Biflabelotillus e.g. Archalius Fairmaire, 1903 ) within Madagascan Cleridae , whose elytral surface is covered with bituberculate foveae - a pair of tubercles situated opposite each other on top of a large round depression (see also Figs 20 , 27 , 32 , 37 , 41). It, however, can reliably be distinguished by biflabeloid antennae, with two flabelae situated at the beginning of each antennomere III–X. Moreover, the flabelae have the same diameter along their whole length (see also Figs 1–3 ). In other Madagascan genera which possess flabeloid or biflabeloid antennae, the flabelae are situated in the middle or at the end of antennomeres III–X and their diameter is not equal along their length but usually gradually widened toward their apex. Moreover, in some genera (e.g. in Diplocladus Fairmaire, 1885 ; Gerstmeier & Weis 2009) the base of flabelae is so close that it seems to be in fact one bifurcate flabella.

Redescription. Body cylindrical, shiny, sparsely pubescent. Body length 7.5–11.9 mm. Body width 2.1–3.6 mm.

Head. Head including eyes broader than pronotum. Eyes large, with sparse erect setae, protruding laterally, anteriorly kidney-shaped ( Figs 7–12 ). Frons and vertex wrinkled. Labrum bilobed, anterior margin with yellow setae and emarginate in middle ( Figs 7–12 ). Terminal maxillary palpomeres cylindrical; terminal labial palpomeres securiform. Clypeus shiny, straight anteriorly, slightly dilated posteriad, sparsely pubescent.Antennae 11-segmented, biflabeloid, with flabelae situated at base of each antennomere III-X ( Figs 1–3 ). Flabelae 2–3 times longer than length of respective antennomere. Flabelae equal in width along their whole length, divided, unjointed.Antennomere I thickened, approx. 2.5 longer than antennomere II, which is strongly shortened. Antennomere II with a small pronounced bump on inner side. Antennomeres III-X approx. equal in length. Dorsal side of antennomeres sparsely covered with long yellow recumbent hairs whereas inner side of antennomeres and flabelae is densely covered with shorter white erect hairs ( Figs 1–3 ).

Pronotum. Shiny, longer than wide, cylindrical, surface roughly and irregularly wrinkled, whole surface covered with long erect and semi-erect hairs ( Figs 7–9 ).

Elytra. Elytra shiny, parallel or subparallel, distinctly longer than their width, with posterior half parallel or slightly widening posteriad, whole surface sparsely covered with semi-erect yellow hairs, more densely in lateral part of elytra. Humeri well developed, distinct, almost rectangular. Elytral surface with bituberculate foveae - a pair of tubercles situated opposite each other on the top of the large round depressions ( Figs 20 , 27 , 32 and 37 ). The latter arranged in regular rows ( Figs 17 , 24 , 28 and 34 ).

Scutellum. Almost square or subtriangular ( Figs 19 , 26 , 31 and 36 ).

Legs. Relatively densely covered with long erect hairs.

Lower surface. Shiny, covered with long semi-erect hairs; pro-intercoxal process narrow, slightly expanded distally; anterior margin of mesoventrite straight, lateral margins divergent posteriad, meso-intercoxal process narrow, pointed; metaventrite subquadrate; abdomen with six visible ventrites ( Fig. 18 , 29 , 35 ).

Distribution. Central and Eastern Madagascar.

Figures

FIGURE 13–20. Biflabelotillus foveolatus Pic, 1949—13–15 (lectotype), 16–20 (non-type). Fig. 13—labels of the lectotype; 14, 17—habitus, dorsal view; 15,16—habitus, lateral view; 18—habitus, ventral view; 19—scutellum; 20—bituberculate foveae (white arrows indicate the two tubercles on the top of the fovea).

FIGURE 21–27. Biflabelotillus peyrierasi Menier, 1979—21–23 (holotype), 24–27 (non-type, male). Fig. 21—labels of the holotype; 21, 24—habitus, dorsal view; 23, 25—habitus, lateral view; 26—scutellum; 27—bituberculate foveae (white arrows indicate the two tubercles on the top of the fovea).

FIGURE 28–32. Biflabelotillus peyrierasi Menier, 1979, female. Fig. 28—habitus, dorsal view; 29—habitus, ventral view; 30—antenna (red arrow indicates last antennomere); 31—scutellum; 32—bituberculate foveae (white arrows indicate the two tubercles on the top of the fovea).

FIGURE 33–37. Biflabelotillus bicolorus sp. nov., holotype. Fig. 33—habitus, lateral view; 34—habitus, dorsal view; 35— habitus, ventral view; 36—scutellum; 37—bituberculate foveae (white arrows indicate the two tubercles on the top of the fovea).

FIGURE 1–12. Biflabelotillus foveolatus—1, 4, 7, 10; B. peyrierasi—2, 5, 8, 11; B. bicolorus sp. nov., holotype—3, 6, 9, 12. Fig. 1–3—right antenna, antennomers II-VI; 4–6—right antenna, antennomers IX–XI (red arrows indicate last antennomere); 7–9—head and pronotum, dorsal view; 10–12—head, front view.