Barybas Blanchard, 1850

Katovich, Kerry, 2008, A generic-level phylogenetic review of the Macrodactylini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae), Insecta Mundi 2008 (23), pp. 1-78 : 24-25

Barybas Blanchard, 1850

( Figure 33-38 )

Barybas Blanchard, 1850: 94 . Type species Barybas nana Blanchard, 1850 , by subsequent designation ( Bates 1887: 150).

Ctilocephala Burmeister, 1855: 78 . Type species Ctilocephala pellucens Burmeister, 1855 , by monotypy. [New Synonym]

Eubarybas Gutiérrez, 1952: 216 . Type species Eubarybas asper Gutiérrez, 1952 , by original designation. [New Synonym]

Microcrania Burmeister, 1855: 75 . Type species Philochloenia compacta Erichson, 1847 , by subsequent designation ( Evans 2003: 230).

Pseudohercitis Moser, 1921: 174 . Type species Pseudohercitis viridiaenea Moser, 1921b , by subsequent designation ( Evans 2003: 343). [New Synonym]

Taxonomic Notes

The following generic diagnosis is based on a dissected homeotype of the generic type species B. nana Blanchard located at the NHMN and identified with a Blanchard label. The type species of Ctilocephala Burmeister (MLUH) , Eubarybas Gutiérrez (MNNC) , and Pseudohercitis Moser (ZMHB) were critically examined to help form the generic limits of this genus. Of all the above generic type species, syntypes, paratypes, or homeotypes were used for dissections. The only exception was Eubarybas , for which no additional material was located, hence it was not dissected.

38

Generic diagnosis

The genus is characterized by the small body size, rotund appearance; frons angled at 90 o, ocular canthus 2/3 ocular width, prementum with a unique U-shaped raised longitudinal carina; elytra often quadrate in dorsal view; vestiture of the elytra often with scattered hairs or scales.

Generic redescription

Measurements: Prothorax at widest point 2.5-3.2 mm, elytra at widest point 3.0- 3.2 mm, length 5.7- 8.6 mm.

Color and vestiture: Body reddish-brown to black, surface with vestiture consisting of scattered white, orange or golden setae, setae often scale-like.

Head: Ocular canthus 2/3 ocular width ( Fig. 35 ); clypeus not coplanar with frons; frons strongly angled at 90 o; labrum in frontal view, narrowly ovate, moderately emarginate ( Fig. 36 ), labrum not coplanar with clypeus; labium with prementum quadrate, ventral surface with a raised, transverse Ushaped ridge, ridge lined with long setae ( Fig. 37 ); mandibles in dorsal view rectangular, scissorial area bluntly produced, broadly rounded, occasionally emarginate, well sclerotized, molar area bluntly produced; maxillary palpi with apical palpus conical, elongate, occasionally ovate, equal to length of segments 1-2 combined, apex obtuse, narrow in lateral profile; antennae with 8- to 9 antennomeres, antennomeres 7-9 forming the elongate club, club equal in length to antennomeres 2-6 combined.

Prothorax: Pronotum oblong, transverse, widest medially, anterior angles acute or obtuse, often appearing toothed, lateral margins convex, posterior angle acute, weakly toothed, posterior margin straight, medially lobed; prothoracic leg with coxa transverse; tibia with dorsal margin often serrate, mono-tridentate, ventral margin medially with a stout spur; pretarsus with claws weakly divergent, equal in length, both claws narrowly split, upper lobe narrow, lower lobe broad on individual claw, base of claw toothed.

Mesothorax: Scutellum subtriangular; elytra quadrate, width equal to length, in lateral profile epipleuron flattened, angled inwardly, dorsal surface striate, surface uneven, grooved vertically along elytral suture, surface often covered with scale-like setae, anterior and posterior umbones well developed; pretarsus similar to prothoracic pretarsus.

Metathorax: Coxa narrowly separated; femur broadly ovate, widest medially; tibia subtriangular, narrow proximally, widest medially, posteroventral margin with a pair of long, stout spurs, posterior spur slightly longer than anterior spur, spurs arising from same level as tarsal articulation joint, posterior margin with a deep, U-shaped groove; pretarsus with claws unequal, weakly divergent, outer claw longer than inner claw, both claws narrowly split, lobes equal in length, occasionally with a small basal tooth.

Abdomen: With ventrites 2-4 equal in length, 5 th ventrite (= propygidium) equal to 2X length of 4 th ventrite length, ventrite and sternite of 5 th abdominal segment divided by a partial suture, weakly defined groove, or lacking any distinct suture, spiracle placed medially, 6 th ventrite narrow, equal in length to 1/ 3 length of 4 th ventrite; pygidium subtriangular, wider than long, posterior margin broadly rounded ( Fig. 38 ).

Diversity and Geographic Distribution

Barybas currently comprises 49 species recorded from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Trinidad, and Venezuela. No species level key is available for this genus.

Figures

Figure 33-38. Barybas nana Blanchard. 33) Dorsal habitus. 34) Left lateral view. 35) Clypeus, labrum, frons and ocular canthus, left lateral view. 36) Clypeus and labrum, frontal view. 37) Prementum, ligula and labial palpi, ventral view. 38) Pygidium, dorsal view.