Microporum C. O. Waterhouse, 1876

Audisio, Paolo, Cline, Andrew Richard, Biase, Alessio De, Antonini, Gloria, Mancini, Emiliano, Trizzino, Marco, Costantini, Lorenzo, Strika, Sirio, Lamanna, Francesco & Cerretti, Pierfilippo, 2009, Preliminary re-examination of genus-level taxonomy of the pollen beetle subfamily Meligethinae (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 49 (2), pp. 341-504 : 487-489

43. Microporum C. O. Waterhouse, 1876

( Figs. 42 a–m )

Microporum C. O. Waterhouse, 1876: 109 . Probaenus C. O. Waterhouse, 1876: 110 .? Microporellus S. Endrödy-Younga, 1978: 303 , 304.

Type species. Microporum – Microporum nitens C. O. Waterhouse, 1876: 109 (by monotypy); Probaenus – Probaenus longicornis C. O. Waterhouse, 1876: 110 (by monotypy) [= Microporum nitens C. O. Waterhouse, 1876 ]; Microporellus – Pria scotti Grouvelle,1913: 3 (by original designation).

Generic redescription and diagnosis. Inclusive species vary greatly in size (1.3–2.8 mm length), and share the combination of characters listed by COOPER (1974, partim), ENDRÖDY- YOUNGA (1978), and KIREJTSHUK (1980b, partim) ( Figs. 42a–m ; drawings from COOPER 1974, ENDRÖDY- YOUNGA 1978).

Etymology. The generic name was probably derived from Greek ‘μικρός’ (= small) and ‘πόρος’ (meaning puncture), which is indicative of the small sized dorsal body punctures characterizing most inclusive species.

The original gender assignment ( WATERHOUSE 1876) was uncertain, despite the obviously neuter (–um) generic ending. GROUVELLE (1913c) listed the genus as being implicitly masculine, but later the same author treated this taxon as neuter (GROUVELLE 1915) when describing Microporum congolense Grouvelle, 1915 (now within Palmopria ). COOPER (1974) used both neuter and masculine specific epithets for his inclusive species, whereas KIREJTSHUK (1980b) described a few African species using neuter specific epithets and later describing (KIREJTSHUK 1995) an additional new species from Seychelles Islands with a masculine specific epithet, i.e. Microporum insularis Kirejtshuk, 1995 . All other known animal genera ending with ‘- porum ’ included in Nomenclator Zoologicus are considered neuter ( NEAVE 2009). However, article 30.1.2 of the Code ( ICZN 1999) states that ‘ a genus-group name that is or ends in a Greek word transliterated into Latin without other changes takes the gender given for that word in standard Greek dictionaries ’. In the present case, the Latin desinence ‘- porum ’ is a transliteration from a combination of the Greek ‘ πόΡΟΣ ’, which is masculine, but with a deliberately changed ending (several animal taxa of genus-groups share, in fact, the more correct ‘- porus ’ desinence, and all these taxa retain an obvious masculine gender). Consequently, also applying the ICZN (1999) article 30.1.4.5 (‘ A genus-group name that is or ends in a Latin word of which the ending has been changed takes the gender appropriate to the new ending ’), we suggest considering Microporum as being definitively neuter.

Biology. The biology of the described species of Microporum is poorly known. The available data refer only to imaginal associations of a single species from the Aldabra Islands (i.e. M. popei S. Endrödy-Younga, 1978 ) with male inflorescences of Pandanus sp. (Monocots; family Pandanaceae : ENDRÖDY- YOUNGA 1978). Larval associations of Microporum inhabiting Madagascar and surrounding islands that possess Pandanus may be likely. However, KIREJTSHUK (1980b) reported a small number of specimens of Microporum corbisieri Kirejtshuk, 1980 collected, in conjunction with Micropria diluticolor Kirejtshuk, 1980 , on fruits of Treculia (Moraceae) in Zaire. Therefore, an association with inflorescences and/or fruits of Moraceae in Central African Microporum cannot be excluded. However, as discussed above, the classification of Afrotropical complex of genera and species related to Microporum is in need of complete revision.

Phylogenetic position. Microporum is likely related to Lechanteuria , Microporodes , Palmopria , and allied taxa. Microporellus S. Endrödy-Younga, 1978 from the Seychelles Islands is considered by KIREJTSHUK (1980b, 2008) as a synonym of Microporum . We tentatively accept this synonymy, however we suspect Microporellus could represent a distinct lineage and a valid taxon. The entire set of known species from Tropical Africa, southern-western Indian Ocean Islands, and Madagascar now attributed to Microporum , Microporellus , Lechanteuria , Cornutopria , and Lucanopria gen. nov. possess deviating species ( WATERHOUSE 1876; GROUVELLE 1913c; COOPER 1974; ENDRÖDY- YOUNGA 1978; KIREJTSHUK 1980b, 1995) that are in need of accurate generic level revision. See above discussion on the phylogenetic position of Microporodes . No molecular data are currently available.

Taxonomy and geographic distribution. This taxon tentatively includes (with the reservations discussed above about the taxonomic position of Microporum , Microporellus , and related taxa) 12 species from Tropical Africa, southwestern Indian Ocean Islands, and Madagascar ( WATERHOUSE 1876, GROUVELLE 1913 c, COOPER 1974, ENDRÖDY- YOUNGA 1978, KIREJTSHUK 1980b). However, undescribed species await description from these areas.

Microporum corbisieri Kirejtshuk, 1980 Zaire

Microporum insulare Kirejtshuk, 1995 Seychelles

Microporum interruptum Kirejtshuk, 1980 Zaire

Microporum mordace Cooper, 1974 Madagascar

Microporum nitente C. O. Waterhouse, 1876 Rodriguez

Microporum nitidior (Grouvelle, 1913) Seychelles

Microporum opacum Cooper, 1974 Madagascar

Microporum popei S. Endrödy-Younga, 1978 Aldabra Island

Microporum pusillum Cooper, 1974 Madagascar

Microporum reitteri ( Grouvelle, 1896) Madagascar

Microporum rufulum Cooper, 1974 Madagascar

Microporum scotti (Grouvelle, 1913) Seychelles

Figures

Fig. 42. Microporum C. O. Waterhouse, 1876: a–g – M. mordace Cooper, 1974; h–m – M. scotti (Grouvelle, 1913). a – male habitus; b – ventral view of body; c – male protibia; d, h – male antennae; e–f, k – male genitalia;g – ovipositor; m – dorsal view of male head and first three antennomeres. Drawings a–g modified from COOPER (1974); drawings h–m modified from ENDRÖDY-YOUNGA (1978). Refer to COOPER (1974) and ENDRÖDY-YOUNGA (1978) for scale.