Gymnochilini Lacordaire, 1854, 1970

Kolibac, Jiri, 2013, Trogossitidae: A review of the beetle family, with a catalogue and keys, ZooKeys 366, pp. 1-194 : 20-21

Tribe Gymnochilini Lacordaire, 1854

Gymnochilini Lacordaire, J. T. 1854: 344.

Type genus.

Gymnochila Erichson, 1844 (= Gymnocheilis Dejean, 1835)

Bouchard, P. et al. 2011: 57. Burakowski, B. et al. 1986: 118 ( Gymnochilinae ). Kolibáč, J. 2006: 119 (diagnosis, stat. n.). Kolibáč, J. 2007a: 364. Kolibáč, J. 2008: 118-119 (phylogeny). Leschen, R. A. B. & Lackner, T. 2013: 283

Remarks.

Five genera of Gymnochilini (namely Anacypta , Gymnocheilis , Narcisa , Xenoglena , Leperina ) form, beyond doubt, a monophyletic group. Gymnochilins constitute an advanced group of Trogossitinae , adapted to a predatory way of life. They are rapid flyers, dwelling on fallen logs and hunting for bostrichids, scolytids and other insects, strongly resembling the jewel beetles ( Buprestidae ) in their body shape and movement. Two distinctly separated pairs of eyes in most of them and their ability to jump ( Anacypta ) characterize the tribe as one of the most advanced of all trogossitids. Some remarks about the independent status of the tribe Gymnochilini with regard to Trogossitini are made below, in the section relating the latter tribe.

The inclusion of Phanodesta from Juan Fernandez Isl. was more or less confirmed by two separate character analyses ( Kolibáč 2006, 2008). However, the phylogeny of the genus was rendered unclear by the number of autapomorphies (e.g. winglessness, characteristic elytral structure) and separated distribution. I postulated a a sister group of Leperina with a “Gondwanan” distribution (Australia-Chile). Recently, a phylogeny and distribution of Phanodesta , together with descriptions and combinations of some more species from New Zealand and its vicinity have been addressed by Leschen and Lackner (2013) in detail. Two more genera occured in the gymnochiline clade in my second analysis ( Kolibáč 2008): Seidlitzella and Melambia . The first genus, Seidlitzella , was considered related to the Palaearctic species of Leperina , as also pointed out by Schawaller (1993). However, his formal synonymization of Seidlitzella was not confirmed in a recent study by Leschen and Lackner (2013) who established the new genus Kolibacia for Leperina tibialis and Leperina squamulata instead.

In both analyses by Kolibáč (2006, 2008), the genera Seidlitzella and Melambia were considered primitive or basal among the Gymnochilini or Trogossitini . They were included in the trogossitins in my original tribe definition ( Kolibáč 2006). A comparison made specifically for the current shows the heterogenity of Melambia species and the need for revision of the genus with respect to the systematic position of particular species. It cannot be excluded that there are some species of Melambia congeneric with Alindria .

Key to genera

1	Head with 1 pair of eyes. Ventral part of cranium with long setae at sides. Radial cell triangular and moved down, or reduced. Elytra with conspicuous carinae	2
-	Head with 2 pairs of eyes. Ventral part of cranium without long setae at sides. Radial cell mostly oblong. Elytral carinae reduced or inconspicuous	5
2	Body bare, without setae. Window punctures absent. Unicolorous, black species	Seidlitzella
-	Body surface with vestiture consisting of scales or setae or both. Window punctures absent or present. Dorsal side brown or black-brown, with colour patterns formed by vestiture	3
3	Dorsal vestiture consisting of scales. Elytral carinae not beaded; intercarinal space punctate; window punctures present. Mucro absent	4
-	Dorsal vestiture consisting of setae, scales or both. Elytral carinae usually beaded; intercarinal space apunctate; window punctures absent. Mucro absent or weakly developed	Phanodesta
4	Elytral intercarinal space bipunctate; window punctures simple. Protibial edge smooth. Mandibles with mola	Kolibacia
-	Elytral intercarinal space multipunctate; window punctures tuberculate. Protibial edge spinate. Mandibles without mola	Leperina
5	Body rather flat, compact; smaller species (about 4-8 mm)	6
-	Body rather cylindrical, elongate; larger species (about 6-20 mm)	7
6	Body perfectly covered with large scales	Narcisa
-	Body without scales or pubescence, with metallic lustre	Anacypta
7	Body with colour pattern composed of scales and short thick setae; antennal club large	Gymnocheilis
-	Body without scales, spots on pronotum and elytra formed by short setae; antennal club smaller	Xenoglena