Parapylus Blackburn, 1891

Bartlett, Justin S., 2024, The ‘ Pylus complex’ sensu Opitz revisited (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Korynetinae): non-homogeneity of its genera addressed by alternative species-assignment hypothesis, Zootaxa 5415 (1), pp. 193-200 : 197-198

Parapylus Blackburn, 1891

Parapylus Blackburn, 1891: 305 . Type species: Pylus bicinctus Newman, 1842 , by monotypy. Gender: Masculine.

Revised differential diagnosis. Parapylus is differentiated from Apopylus and Pylus as follows: Eye facets intermediate between finely- and coarsely-facetted ( Fig. 3 ) (coarse in Apopylus and Pylus ); eye separation (frons width) approximately 2.5 eye widths (eye separation narrower, between 0.7 and 2.1 eye widths, in volant species of Apopylus and Pylus , and much wider in one apterous species of Pylus ); terminal maxillary palpomeres subdigitiform (subsecuriform to securiform in Apopylus and Pylus ); tibial spur formula 2–2–2 (number of spurs reduced in Apopylus and Pylus ); each elytron with at least one transverse band composed of pale setae (not present in Apopylus and Pylus ), a conspicuous basal hump (or umbo) and an unevenly carinate ridge in the basal half between the second and third puncture rows (neither present in Apopylus and Pylus ). The antennal club of Pseudopylus is compact ( Fig. 9 ) and the mesocoxal cavities are laterally open.

Character states supporting the monophyly of Parapylus in relation to Pylus and Apopylus include the more finely-facetted eyes (synapomorphic, see Kolibáč & Huang 2016), and elytron with a setose fascia, basal umbo and a carinate ridge (putative synapomorphies).

Included species. (2): Parapylus bicinctus ( Newman, 1842) ; Parapylus sedlaceki ( Kolibáč, 2003) .

Material examined. Parapylus bicinctus (Newman) (5): Mt. Houtham Vic , 1000m 7.7.76 // J Sedlacek collector // UQIC specimen (1, QM) ; Yarram // UQIC Reg #96965 // Parapylus bicinctus Newman Det. W. Opitz (1, QM) ; horse yards area, Mt. William Nat. Pk. TAS 40˚52’S 148˚10’E, 19 Jan 1992, G. and A. Daniels (1, QM) ; same data as above except 21 Jan 1992 (1, QM) ; TMAG F123022 Tas : Ben Lamond NP: campgrnd: 150m to SW: 41.5035°S x 147.6126°E. Malaise trap. coll. S.J. Grove. 06-Feb-2022 // Parapylus bicinctus Det. S.J. Grove 2022 (1, TMAG) .

Parapylus sedlaceki (Kolibáč) (4): Tooloom, N.S.W. Jan, 1926 H. Hacker // Pylus sedlaceki Kolibáč Det. JS Bartlett, 2005 (1, QM); Illidge, Brisbane (1, QM); Mt. Norman area via Wallangarra, Qld. 2-3.x.971. G.B Monteith (1, QM); Bundaberg, Q. 18.9.27 // G. Bates ex // ID by A.M. Lea // specimen ex. R.I. Story Collection QPIM— Mareeba (1, QDPC).

Remarks. Blackburn (1891) erected the genus Parapylus for Pylus bicintus , formalising Gorham’s (1878) earlier suggestion that the species would “form the type of a new genus” due to its eyes being more finely-facetted and deeply emarginated than those of Pylus , and its terminal maxillary palpomeres being less triangular than those of the labium. Parapylus was subsequently synonymised with Pylus by Kolibáč (2003), then again treated as valid by Opitz (2012) who differentiated the genus from Pylus by its smaller ommatidiae, each elytron with a setose fascia, basal umbo and a carinate ridge in the basal half, plus a tibial spur formula of 2–2–2. A strong degree of morphological similarity between Parapylus and Pylus is nevertheless evident (see above Apopylus diagnosis, and Table 1 ) suggesting a likely sister-group relationship between the two genera, possibly even warranting subgenus status for Parapylus . Application of subgeneric ranking, however, is not an established convention among the community of clerid taxonomists, and I hesitate to do so outside of the context of, for example, a review of the genera of a broader group such as a tribe or subfamily.

Figures

FIGURES 1–22. (1) Apopylus redactus holotype, eye; (2) Apopylus leptofustus paratype, eye; (3) Parapylus bicinctus, eye; (4) Pylus fatuus, eye; (5) Pylus nactus paratype, eye;, antennal club (6) Apopylus leptofustus paratype, antennal club; (7) Apopylus redactus holotype, antennal club; (8) Apopylus unumgarensis holotype, antennal club; (9) Parapylus bicinctus, antennal club; (10) Pylus fatuus, antennal club; (11) Pylus okei holotype, antennal club; (12) Pylus nactus paratype, antennal club; (13) Pylus apterus paratype, antennal club; (14) Apopylus redactus holotype, head showing palpi; (15) Pylus nactus paratype, head showing palpi; (16) Apopylus redactus holotype, pronotum; (17) Pylus apterus paratype, pronotum; (18) Pylus nactus paratype, pronotum; (19) Apopylus creparius paratype, beaded elytral apical margin; (20) Apopylus creparius paratype, elytral puncture with four nodules; (21) Pylus kolibaci paratype, plain elytral apical margin; (22) Pylus kolibaci paratype, elytral puncture with two nodules.