Cladistics and redescription of Hybreoleptops Kuschel (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae) with the description of two new species from the Central Chilean subregion

Abstract

Hybreoleptops Kuschel was established in a key to Chilean “Leptopini” for four species previously included in other genera. Those species are: H. tuberculifer (Boheman), H. aureosignatus (Blanchard), H. vestitus (Blanchard), and H. xanthomelas (Fairmaire and Germain). The genus is endemic to southern South America, inhabiting the southernmost part of Santiago Province (Central Chilean subregion) and Maule province, and the northernmost part of Valdivian province (Subantarctic subregion). All the species are recorded only from Chile, except H. tuberculifer which has been recorded both for Chile and Argentina. We undertake a cladistic analysis of the genus based on adult external morphology and genitalia. In the cladistic analysis two terminal taxa correspond to new species. The resulting cladogram confirms that these new species must be assigned to Hybreoleptops and lead us to redescribe the genus. Accordingly, we also describe the two new species, H. santiagensis Pérez and Posadas n. sp. and H. juanjosei Pérez and Posadas n. sp., and provide a key to the species of the genus.