Fornax Laporte, 1835

Otto, Robert L., 2020, A review of the Nearctic species of Fornax Laporte (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae: Macraulacinae: Macraulacini) with descriptions of six new species, Insecta Mundi 2020 (818), pp. 1-26 : 2-3

Genus Fornax Laporte, 1835

Diagnosis (sensu stricto). Apical margin of frontoclypeal region evenly rounded and twice as wide as the distance between antennal sockets; antennomere IV longer than II, shorter than III, as long as V; well-developed basally open lateral antennal grooves present; male protarsomere I simple, with basal sex combs; metacoxal plates medially more than 6.0 times wider than laterally; elytral epipleura evenly punctate; elytral apices dehiscent, spiniform; last visible ventrite either strongly produced, rounded or truncated; tarsal claws basally toothed; lateral surfaces of meso- and metatibiae with setae and transverse rows of spine combs (Otto, pers. obs.).

Note. A non-type French Guyanese specimen of Fornax ruficollis Laporte , the type species of Fornax , has been studied during the course of the study. During the examination, I observed the presence of evenly punctate elytral epipleuron and dehiscent, spiniform elytral apices. The presence of dehiscent, spiniform elytral apices are also evident in Spinifornax Fleutiaux. It appears that Fornax and Spinifornax may be congeneric. All species of Fornax in the Nearctic region possess grooved elytral epipleura and elytral apices meet, contrary to the observed character states present in F. ruficollis . It would indicate that all Nearctic species currently assigned to Fornax are misplaced. For the time being they are left in Fornax until a global revision of the genus is conducted, which includes evaluating nearly all misplaced species presently assigned, evaluation of the status of two synonymized groups within Fornax , as well as creating new group names for any misplaced species that cannot fit in any recognized groups within Macraulacini .