Abstract
A new genus and species are described from the Cofre de Perote volcano, in the state of Veracruz, Mexico. Although the new genus is very similar to Placusa, it presents tergite VIII completely modified to form a horn, in both females and males, in addition to other differences in mouthparts. A map and illustrations are provided, as well as an identification key to the genera of Placusini. No morphological characters are apparent to separate Kirtusa Pace from Euvira Sharp in our genus key. The specimens of the new genus were collected using Lindgren and cross traps baited with a mix of semiochemicals: ipsenol, ipsdienol and lanierone.
Highlights
The tribe Placusini currently includes four genera: Euvira Sharp is known from North America to Argentina, including the Antilles (Ashe and Kistner 1989), Kirtusa Pace is only known from Ecuador (Pace 2008), Speiraphallusa Pace was described from Malaysia (Pace 2013), and Placusa Erichson is distributed worldwide (Newton et al 2000)
Tribe Placusini as proposed by Ashe (1991) has eight synapomorphies, of which two characters are unique to this tribe: mandible with dorsal molar area modified with transverse rows of large teeth, and a similar distribution of dorsal sensory pores on the mandible
8 species were mentioned from North America by Newton et al (2000); whereas only two species have been described from Mexico, Pace (1990): Placusa flohri and Placusa uhligi, with a Neotropical distribution
Summary
The tribe Placusini currently includes four genera: Euvira Sharp is known from North America to Argentina, including the Antilles (Ashe and Kistner 1989), Kirtusa Pace is only known from Ecuador (Pace 2008), Speiraphallusa Pace was described from Malaysia (Pace 2013), and Placusa Erichson is distributed worldwide (Newton et al 2000). Placusa complanata Erichson, 1839 has a Holarctic distribution (Erichson 1839, Hamilton 1894), P. tenuicornis Fauvel, 1878 is found in the Oriental and Australian regions (Fauvel 1878; Bernhauer 1920), and P. pygmaea Kraatz, 1859 is distributed throughout the Oriental, Afrotropical and Australian regions, though its type locality is in Sri Lanka (= Ceylon) (Kraatz 1859, Fauvel 1903, Cameron 1939, Pace 1992, Pace 2006) The distribution of the latter species is atypical and requires corroboration. The new genus is very similar to Placusa, according to the Placusa diagnosis proposed by Klimaszewski et al (2001), but can be distinguished from Placusa and other Placusini based on several morphological differences
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