Oogenius Solier, 1851

Moore, Matthew R., Jameson, Mary L., Garner, Beulah H., Audibert, Cedric, Smith, Andrew B. T. & Seidel, Matthias, 2017, Synopsis of the pelidnotine scarabs (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Rutelinae, Rutelini) and annotated catalog of the species and subspecies, ZooKeys 666, pp. 1-349 : 1

Oogenius Solier, 1851 Figs 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49

Type species.

Oogenius virens Solier, 1851.

Species.

7 species; length 12-23 mm.

Species in the genus Oogenius are egg-shaped (from which the generic name was derived) and distributed in Chile and Argentina. Based on prevailing usage of the name, Mondaca (2005) corrected the spelling of the genus from “Oogeneius” to Oogenius and provided a catalog of included species. Oogenius was later revised by Mondaca (2016), and this work provided a comprehensive key to species, a distribution map, high-quality images of diagnostic characters, and additional biological information.

Circumscription of the genus and phylogenetic analyses that include Microogenius , Eremophygus , and Lasiocala are necessary to better understand the composition of the genus and sister group relationships. Although Soula (2006) treated the genera Lasiocala and Microogenius (or Minilasiocala by Soula 2006), he omitted the genera Oogenius and Eremophygus . Species in these groups possess a broad overlap in characters and many species are quite rare in collections.

The genus Oogenius can provisionally be identified based on the following characters: pronotum with basal bead obsolete or complete medially, complete laterally and apically; clypeus broadly rounded apically, reflexed; labrum produced beyond apex of clypeus; mandibles broadly rounded externally; inner claw enlarged and weakly split in male; unguitractor plate subcylindrical; 5th meso- and metatarsomeres lacking medial tooth; mesosternum not appreciably produced beyond mesometasternal suture; and ventral surface densely setose.

The immature stages of Oogenius have not been described, but Mondaca (2016) reported that larvae feed on roots and decaying plant matter in three species: O. castilloi Martínez and Peña, O. chilensis Ohaus, and O. virens Solier.

Figures

Figure 45. Oogenius arrowi Gutierrez holotype from BMNH. A Dorsal habitus B Lateral habitus C Specimen labels D Type labels.

Figure 46. Oogenius castilloi Martinez and Pena paratype from MNNC. A Dorsal habitus B Specimen labels.

Figure 47. Oogenius chilensis var. barrosi Gutierrez (valid name Oogenius chilensis Ohaus) holotype female from UCCC. A Dorsal habitus B Specimen labels.

Figure 48. Oogenius (Oogenius) lariosae Martinez (valid name Oogenius lariosae Martinez) male holotype from MACN. A Dorsal habitus B Specimen labels, male genitalia, and specimen parts.

Figure 49. Oogenius gutierrezi Martinez and Pena (valid name O. penai Mondaca) paratype from PVGH. A Dorsal habitus B Specimen labels.