Blaiseus Fleutiaux 1931

Douglas, Hume, 2009, Revision of Blaiseus Fleutiaux, a Genus Now Known from Asia, Africa and North America (Coleoptera, Elateridae, Cardiophorinae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 63 (1), pp. 86-100 : 87-88

Blaiseus Fleutiaux 1931

Blaiseus Fleutiaux 1931:307 . Type species: B. bedeli Fleutiaux 1931:308 .

— Type species fixed by original monotypy.

—Name recognised by: Fleutiaux 1947:343 (species of French Indochina). Blaseus Gurjeva 1974:112 , incorrect subsequent spelling of Blaiseus . —Misspelling verified by placement in context of other cardiophorine genera.

Diagnosis (based on males only). Head: Mandibles simple. Abdomen: Tergite and sternite of segment 9 articulated at base. Most species with protibiae broadened, apparently for digging. Aedeagus: Parameres split vertically into 2 or 3 lobes.

Redescription of adults. Male: Length 4.5–7.5 mm. Integument yellow-brown to dark-brown, some species with lighter areas on elytra; setae simple. Head: Antennomere 1 without dorso-lateral carina, antennal sensory elements beginning on antennomere 3; mandibles with apices unidentate; labrum flat or evenly convex; area between antennal fossa and eye smooth; nasale of most or all with pair of circular pits antero-mesad of antennal fossae; frons with supra-antennal carina present and not forked near juncture with eye. Prothorax: Pronotum without tubercles; punctures round, hind angles convergent to abruptly divergent, with single carina at lateral edge, reaching from hind angles halfway to anterior edge, second carina on dorsal surface absent; sublateral carinae and incisions absent; posterior edge of pronotum with 2 or 3 apices mesally (abutting scutellum); hind angles not truncate dorsally, hypomeral hind edge with sinuation ( Fig. 1 ) or semicircular emargination ( Fig. 2 ) immediately meso-ventrad of hind angles; procoxal cavities open. Prosternum with lateral edges concave in ventral view; anterior prosternal lobe long or short, partially covering labium or not; prosternal process curved dorsad, ventral surface weakly or not carinate laterally.

Pterothorax: Scutellum with anterior edge broadly concave, posterior apex truncate to pointed (Figs. 3, 4). Mesosternum with anterior edges concave laterad of mesosternal cavity; mesosternal cavity with lateral edges sinuate anterad of mesocoxae. Mesepisternum and mesepimeron not reaching mesocoxal cavity; mesotrochantin hidden. Elytra with 0–3 intervals costate on apical half; epipleurae serrate or not. Hind wings not notched in anal area, CuA1 forked at junction with MP3+4 at least in some individuals of some species, forming an additional closed cell (Fig. 7). Legs: Femora and tibiae expanded (apparently fossorial) or not; fore tibiae with or without posterior tooth at midlength (m in Fig. 5); tarsi simple or with tarsomere 4 lobed; claws simple; metacoxal plate covering approximately 1/4 of metatrochanter when legs withdrawn. Abdomen: Ventrites not serrate laterally. Male genitalia: Abdominal segment 9 with tergite and sternites articulated mesally, at base; parameres without apicolateral or apico-medial expansions, apex forked ( Figs. 17–26 ), forming 2–3 apices of variable length, sides of dorsal branches of apices with 15–30 setae; median lobe 88 simple, broadest at base or near apex. Female: Only known female is described in B. zamoranoensis sew species section.

Geographic distribution. Blaiseus is known from Vietnam, Laos, P.R. China, Malaysia, South Africa, Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras.

Comments. Split paramere apices found in all known species of Blaiseus are diagnostic among Cardiophorinae , and probably also among all Elateridae . This character is probably a synapomorphy, supporting the monophyly of the genus (although verification would require phylogenetic analysis). This hypothesis of monophyly is further strengthened by the unusual simple mandibular apex of Blaiseus . The most likely close relatives of Blaiseus are the few other Cardiophorinae with simple mandibular apices and fossorial legs, which include Globothorax Fleutiaux , Cardiophorus : subgenus Metacardiophorus Gurjeva and Patriciella Van Zwaluwenburg.

Figures

Figs. 1–2. Lateral view of pronotum of Blaiseus spp. 1) B. malayensis new species; 2) B. nothoafricanus new species. Arrows indicate concavity of hypomeron immediately mesoventrad of hind angles. Scale bar 5 1 mm. Figs. 3–4. Dorsal view of scutellum of Blaiseus spp. 3) B. mexicanus new species; 4) B. bedeli Fleutiaux. Scale bar 5 1 mm. Figs. 5– 6. Dorsal view of protibia of Blaiseus spp. 5) B. mexicanus new species; 6) B. guatemalensis new species. m 5 tooth at midlength; a 5 apical tooth. Scale bar 5 1 mm. Fig. 7. Wing of Blaiseus bedeli Fleutiaux. Arrows indicate forked vein CuA1. Scale bar 5 2 mm.

Figs. 17–26. Dorsal view of aedeagi of Blaiseus spp. 17) B. bedeli Fleutiaux; 18) B. chiapasensis new species; 19) B. daklakensis new species; 20) B. fujianus new species; 21) B. guatemalensis new species; 22) B. laoensis new species; 23) B. malayensis new species; 24) B. mexicanus new species; 25) B. nothoafricanus new species; 26) B. zamoranoensis new species. d 5 dorsal apex of parameres; i 5 inner apex; v 5 ventral apex. Scale bar 5 1.0 mm.