Agaocnemis Moser, 1918

Katovich, Kerry, 2008, A generic-level phylogenetic review of the Macrodactylini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae), Insecta Mundi 2008 (23), pp. 1-78 : 15-16

Agaocnemis Moser, 1918

( Figure 1-6 )

Agaocnemis Moser, 1918: 115 . Type species Agaocnemis pruina Moser, 1918 , by monotypy.

Taxonomic Notes

The following generic diagnosis is based on a single dissected male paratype of the type species, A.

pruina (ZMHB) .

Generic diagnosis

This genus is characterized by its elongate body, quadrate prementum with lobed ventral surface, strongly clavate metathoracic tibia, with distal margin broadly rounded, setose; 6 th ventrite equal in length to 4 th ventrite, flattened medially, forming an ovate region.

Generic redescription

Measurements: prothorax at widest point 4.7 mm, elytra at widest point 5.8 mm, elytral length 12.7

mm.

Color and vestiture: Body dark brown, vestiture consisting of small reddish-brown setae.

Head: Clypeus not coplanar with frons; frons angled at 30 o; labrum in frontal view broadly ovate, deeply emarginate, labrum coplanar with clypeus; labium with prementum quadrate, ventral surface raised medially ( Fig. 3 ); mandibles in dorsal view narrowly rectangular, scissorial area bluntly produced, molar area well developed; maxillary palpi with apical palpomeres broadly ovate; antennae with 10 antennomeres, antennomeres 8-10 forming an elongate club, the length of the lamellae equal to combined length of segments 3-7.

Prothorax: Pronotum oblong, transverse, widest in posterior 1/4, anterior angles acute, lateral margins convex, posterior angles obtuse, posterior margin convex, medially lobed, dorsal surface rounded; prothoracic leg with coxa transverse; tibia with dorsal margin bidentate; tarsomeres broadly clavate ( Fig. 4 ); pretarsus with claws divergent, equal in length, both claws narrowly split, upper and lower lobes of individual claw narrow.

Mesothorax: Scutellum subtriangular; elytra longer than wide, widest in posterior 1/4, elytral epipleuron flattened, dorsal surface lacking striae, anterior and posterior umbones well developed; pretarsus similar to prothoracic pretarsus.

Metathorax: Coxae contiguous; femur ovate, widest in distal 1/2; tibia very strongly clavate, narrow in proximal 1/2, widest in distal 1/2, posteroventral margin with two stout, long spurs, each arising at same level as tarsal articulation joint, posterior margin with a shallow, U-shaped groove ( Fig. 5 ); pretarsus with claws similar to those of prothoracic legs.

Abdomen: Ventrites 2-4 equal in length, 5 th ventrite (= propygidium) equal in length to combined lengths of ventrites 3-4, ventrite and sternite of 5 th abdominal segment not separated by a distinct suture, spiracle placed medially at the anterior region of a shallow groove-like depression, 6 th ventrite equal in length to that of ventrite 4, flattened medially, forming an ovate region ( Fig. 6 ); pygidium subtriangular, wider than long.

Diversity and Geographic Distribution

Agaocnemis is monotypic, with A. pruina recorded only from Brazil.

Figures

Figure 1-6. Agaocnemis pruina Moser (male). 1) Dorsal habitus. 2) Left lateral view. 3) Prementum, ligula and labial palpi, ventral view. 4) Prothoracic tibia (male). 5) Left metathoracic femur and tibia (male). 6) Visible abdominal segments, ventral view.