Aulicoides Rifkind, 2017

Rifkind, Jacques, 2017, New genera and species of mimetic Cleridae from Mexico and Central America (Coleoptera: Cleroidea), Insecta Mundi 2017 (591), pp. 1-18 : 9-10

Aulicoides Rifkind , new genus

( Fig. 14–16)

Type species. Aulicoides leavengoodi Rifkind (by monotypy)

Diagnosis. Clerinae . From other New World clerine genera, Aulicoides can be distinguished by a combination of small size (<5.0 mm), subflattened body, broad pronotum, rather elongate antennae terminating in a weakly defined capitulum, antennomere 11 without emarginate sides, and elytral surface densely, cribrately punctate. In its general facies, and with its red and black markings, Aulicoides resembles some species belonging to the genus Aulicus Spinola , but it is easily separated from these by the shape of the mouthparts (all terminal palpomeres securiform in Aulicus ) and by its lack of an expanded antennal club. The new genus might be confused with similarly colored small individuals belonging to Perilypus Spinola , but Perilypus species have the pronotum and elytra more elongate, and the elytral punctures are never as coarsely cribrate as in Aulicoides .

Description. Form: small (<5.0 mm), rather squat, subflattened dorsoventrally. Head: eyes moderate in size, feebly protuberant, finely faceted; ocular notch triangulate; frons rather shallowly bi–im- pressed; antennae ( Fig. 16) moderately elongate (extending past elytral humeral umbones when laid alongside), without a distinct capitulum, flagellum compressed dorsoventrally, antennomeres 3–6 subconical, antennomeres 7–10 subserrate; antennomere 11 obovate / elongate, subaciculate apically; maxillary palpus with terminal palpomere subconical, rather pointed at apex; labial palpus with terminal palpomere securiform. Pronotum: broader than long (ratio of maximum width to length 17:13), dorsoventrally compressed; sides arcuately expanded behind transverse impression; transverse impression distinct, broadly U-shaped; lateral foveae broad, rather distinct; basal collar rather narrow at middle. Scutellum: rounded posteriorly. Elytra: moderately elongate (ratio of length to maximum width approximately 5:3), broadest at posterior 2/5; humeri rounded, with distinct umbones; sides feebly sinuate at anterior 1/3, feebly expanded posteriorly, then very gradually, arcuately convergent to almost conjointly rounded, slightly dehiscent apices; subbasal tumescences obsolete; disk subflattened above; integument rather coarsely, densely, cribrate-punctate and roughened; punctures not arranged in rows, undiminished posteriorly; raised areas between punctures forming an irregular reticulum; vestiture moderately dense but inconspicuous. Mesosternum: posterior process narrow, elongate, not elevated distally. Metasternum: anterior process not elevated apically. Abdomen: ventrite 5 broad; hind margin broadly, feebly, arcuately emarginate; ventrite 6 smaller, with hind angles rounded, hind margin subtruncate or feebly inflected at middle; tergite 6 with hind margin moderately narrowly rounded, surpassing posterior margin of ventrite 6; pygidium (male) without setal daggers. Legs: moderate in length; femora rather narrow.

Distribution. Known only from the Mexican state of Jalisco.

Etymology. The generic name makes reference to the new taxon’s superficial resemblance to some members of the clerid genus Aulicus .