Mizotrechus Bates 1872

Erwin, Terry L., 2011, Rainforest understory beetles of the Neotropics, Mizotrechus Bates 1872, a generic synopsis with descriptions of new species from Central America and northern South America (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Perigonini), ZooKeys 145, pp. 79-128 : 81-83

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.145.2274
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:94F032BD-93F2-4652-B7A3-E914EAB8BB92
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/07EB4A20-8AF2-BEC7-08CF-9D26125C01CB
treatment provided by	ZooKeys by Pensoft
scientific name	Mizotrechus Bates 1872
status

Treatment

Trough beetles Mizotrechus Bates 1872 View in CoL

Mizotrechus Bates, 1872:199

Type species.

Mizotrechus novemstriatus Bates, 1872:199

Number of species.

Previously one, now 18.

Taxonomy.

Stable herein as of this publication, yet many new species expected in Central and South America, particularly south of the main Amazon channel. Adelphotaxon: probably Perigona Laporte de Castelnau 1835.

Proposed English vernacular name.

Trough beetles. An attribute of adults of the Tribe Perigonini is the peculiar setiferous trough-like margin at the latero-apical po rtion of the elytron. While Bates’ use of “mizo” as part of the genus name is unclear, I found that the French translation of the Japanese word, mizo, is ditch or pit in English. Perhaps Bates (who published much on Japanese beetles) was referring to the long marginal setiferous “trough” near the apex of the elytron.

Distribution.

Presently known from Central and (northern) South America and here predicted to be found throughout the Amazon Basin and possibly north into México.

Habitat.

Tropical rainforest, dry forest, and cloud forest possibly in leaf litter, or more likely subcortical (under loose bark). I suggest that these beetles are subcortical based on their coloration, robust exoskeleton, markedly expanded distal antennomeres, prolonged sharp mandibles, serrate or undulating humerus in some species, and somewhat depressed form. Some of these attributes are found in the adults of genera Pachyteles , Holmalomorpha , Catapiesis , Inpa , and Morion , among others, whose adult members are known to be subcortical inhabitants for part of their life history.

References.

( Bates (1872, 1883)

Diagnostic combination.

Differing in adult attributes from those of its probable adelphotaxon, Perigona Laporte de Castelnau 1835 and from Diploharpus Chaudoir 1850 by the following: 1) adult Mizotrechus possess markedly expanded distal antennomeres (neither adults of Perigona nor Diploharpus adults have such); 2) both male and female Mizotrechus adults have the foreleg femur modified in some manner (except Mizotrechus batesi , sp. n.) such as dentate, serrate, swollen or ridged (lacking in adults of both Perigona and Diploharpus ); 3) adult Mizotrechus lack discal setae of the elytra (present in Perigona at apex of interneur 5 and in Diploharpus at middle and apical third in interneur 3); 4) adult Mizotrechus have umbilicate setae at apical third off-set and surrounded by a dense patch of short setae (both Perigona and Diploharpus have the umbilicate setae in-line and with few if any short setae); 5) adult Mizotrechus have a dense patch of setae in the apical trough of the elytron (neither Perigona nor Diploharpus have such a patch, although some species have a few setae); 6) sternum III of both sexes of Mizotrechus species have a short row of reclinate setae medially set between two narrowly spaced ambulatory setae (neither adults of Perigona nor Diploharpus nor a new genus (Erwin, in prep) have such).