Taxonomic revision of a darkling beetles genus Anaxius (Tenebrionidae: Pedinini: Helopinina)
Author
Kamiński, Marcin J.
Author
Schoeman, Colin S.
text
Zootaxa
2018
2018-08-03
4455
3
471
485
journal article
29087
10.11646/zootaxa.4455.3.4
c9bf5059-abe4-414e-a7c2-f3f9e75f2979
1175-5326
1457467
69209FF7-80B0-409D-A257-0B88C65E903F
Genus
Anaxius
Fåhraeus, 1870
Anaxius
Fåhraeus, 1870
: 307
.-
Koch 1958
: 208
.
Type species
.
Anaxius obesus
Fåhraeus, 1870
; by monotypy.
Diagnosis
. According to
Koch’s (1958)
hypothesis, this genus is close to
Aptila
Fåhraeus, 1870
and
Asidodema
Koch, 1958
based on pronotal shape (subparallel sided; flat disc) and male terminalia (relatively short tegmen; clavae as large as penis). All three genera were previously classified within a single subtribe Aptilina. From
Aptila
and
Asidodema
,
Anaxius
can be distinguished by having widened protarsi and the apical segment of the maxillary palpus enlarged in males. Moreover, it differs from
Aptila
by the lack of scale-like vestiture on the upper surface of the body, while the relatively reduced prosternum differentiates it from
Asidodema
(see
Koch 1958
).
Species included
(7)
.
bloubergensis
sp. nov.
,
campbellae
Koch, 1958
,
limpopoensis
sp. nov.
,
meletsensis
sp. nov.
,
obesus
Fåhraeus, 1870
,
prozeskyi
Koch, 1958
,
pseudoloensus
sp. nov.
Distribution
. Representatives of this genus have been collected in the following ecoregions of
Namibia
,
Mozambique
,
South
Africa
and
Zimbabwe
(
Fig. 5
): Drakensberg montane grasslands, woodlands, and forests; Highveld grasslands; Kalahari xeric savanna; Southern Africa bushveld; and Southern Miombo woodlands.
Anaxius
was recorded from localities distributed between 874 and 1544 meters in elevation (
Fig. 6
).
Note
. During the present investigation 49
Anaxius
specimens were studied. Among this number a total of three females was identified. Because of this the following key includes only the male morphology.