Eleoselinus, Kaminski, Marcin Jan, 2014

Kaminski, Marcin Jan, 2014, A cladistically based reinterpretation of the taxonomy of two Afrotropical tenebrionid genera Ectateus Koch, 1956 and Selinus Mulsant & Rey, 1853 (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Platynotina), ZooKeys 415, pp. 81-132 : 96-97

Genus Eleoselinus gen. n.

Type species.

Ectateus villiersi Ardoin, 1965; here designated.

Diagnosis.

The presence of the basal depressions on the pronotal disc place Eleoselinus near to ( Kamiński 2013c): Anchophthalmops Koch, 1956, Anchophthalmus Gerstaecker, 1854, Kochogaster Kamiński & Raś, 2011, Ectateus , Glyptopteryx Gebien, 1910, Microselinus Koch, 1956, Monodius , Nesopatrum Gebien, 1920, Phallocentrion Koch, 1956, Phymatoplata Koch, 1956, Platykochius Iwan, 2002, Platymedvedevia Iwan & Banaszkiewicz, 2007, Quadrideres Koch and Selinus .

Non-dimorphic legs distinguish Eleoselinus from: Anchophthalmops , Anchophthalmus , Ectateus , Microselinus , Monodius , Phymatoplata , Platykochius , Platymedvedevia and Selinus . From Kochogaster it can be easily distinguished by a triangular submentum and lack of sclerites in bursa copulatrix ( Kamiński and Iwan 2013). Not parallel body sides separates Eleoselinus form Quadrideres and Glyptopteryx . Additionally, from the latter it can be distinguished by flat elytral intervals and slightly sinusoidal base of pronotum (Iwan 2002). Fine hairs covering the body surface, narrow apical segments of maxillary palps and long basal apophyses of aedeagal tegmen separates Eleoselinus from Phallocentrion ( Iwan 2001a).

The following character combination is unique for Eleoselinus within the whole subtribe Platynotina : (1) anntenna robust, shorter than pronotum, (2) shallow anterior tentorial pits, (3) presence of apophyseal and basal depressions on pronotal disc, (4) intercoxal process of prosternum bellied, (5) metaventrite with coarse longitudinal depression, (6) 5th abdominal ventrite unbordered, (7) non dimorphic legs and maillary palps, (8) elytral intervals with fine punctures, (9) curved, hook-shaped clavae and (10) longitudinal coxites of ovipositor.

Description.

Body length = 10.5-13.0 mm. Elytra wider and longer than pronotum (width ratio elytra / pronotum = 1.1-1.2; length ratio elytra / the middle of pronotum = 2.4-2.9).

Dorsal side of head dull, with fine punctures (the intervals between the punctures are greater than the 2 diameters of the puncture). Frontoclypeal suture fine. Clypeal emargination relatively deep (clypeal emargination width / depth ratio = 5.5-5.7). Mentum with median part wide. Submentum with short base. Maxillary palp not widened (width of maxillary palp / length of 3rd antennomere = 1.0-1.2). Length of antennae slightly greater than pronotal length (ratio antenna / pronotum from tip of anterior pronotal angle to tip of posterior pronotal angle ca. 0.9). 3rd antennomere relatively long (length ratio of antennomere 3rd / 2nd = 3.2-3.5).

Pronotal disc transverse (middle of pronotum length / width ratio = 0.5-0.6); dull, with fine punctures (the intervals between the punctures are greater than the 3 diameters of the puncture). Lateral margins of pronotum narrowing towards apex. Apophyseal and basal depressions on pronotal disc present. Pronotal hypomera dull, without punctures.

Elytra oblong (elytra length / width ratio = 1.1-1.3). Elytral striae with fine punctures (the intervals between the punctures are greater than the 2 diameters of the puncture). Elytral intervals dull, non-convex, without punctures of with very fine punctuation. Elytral base slightly sinusoidal. Elytral humeri rounded, not protruding laterad. Wings absent. Scutellum triangular.

Intercoxal process of prosternum bellied. Metaventrite reduced (length ratio cavity of hind coxa / metaventrite between the insertions of mid and hind coxae ca. 2), with longitudinal depression. In both sexes abdominal process without tubercles, relatively narrow (process of 1st abdominal ventrite / process of metaventrite = 2.1-2.2). 5th abdominal ventrite without bordering; punctures fine (the intervals between the punctures are greater than the 2 diameters of the puncture).

Legs. Protarsi narrow. Other leg segments simple.

Male genitalia. Parameres narrowing towards apex; length equal to the 0.2 of the rest of aedeagal tegmen. Clavae hook-shaped. Female genitalia. Paraproct equal to coxites. Coxites narrow and long. Bursa copulatrix without sclerites.

Etymology.

The name is derived from the combination of Eleo (prefix indicating the genus Eleodes Eschscholtz, 1829 - a poster beetle genus of the Third International Tenebrionoidea Symposium in Tempe, Arizona) and Selinus . This genus is named to thank the Steering Committee of the Third International Tenebrionoidea Symposium: Aaron Smith (lead organizer), Rolf Aalbu, Patrice Bouchard, Kojun Kanda, Nico Franz, Warren Steiner and Quentin Wheeler.

Distribution.

Eleoselinus gen. n. specimens have been collected in the following ecoregion of Central Africa (Republic of the Congo): Western Congolian forest-savanna mosaic (Fig. 42).

Species included (2).

Eleoselinus villiersi (Ardoin, 1965), comb. n. and Eleoselinus ursynowiensis ( Kamiński, 2011), comb. n.

Key to the species of Eleoselinus gen. n.