Taxonomic review of Mycomystes Gorham, 1888 (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Tritomini)

Abstract

ABSTRACT The genus Mycomystes Gorham, 1888 (Erotylidae: Tritomini) is revised, based on examination of types and historical material. A new generic diagnosis to Mycomystes, including characters of the mouthparts, thorax, abdomen and male and female abdominal terminalia is provided, together with species diagnoses, notes on types, key to included species, lectotypes designations and new synonyms. Additionally, the main morphological differences between Mycomystes and other Tritomini are discussed, and other potential species of Mycomystes are pointed out. Five species currently included in the genus Mycotretus Lacordaire, 1842 (Erotylidae: Tritomini) are transferred to Mycomystes, as follows: Mycomystes apicalis (Lacordaire, 1842), new combination; Mycomystes coccineus (Lacordaire, 1842), new combination; Mycomystes fuscitarsis (Lacordaire, 1842), new combination; Mycomystes melanophthalmus (Duponchel, 1825), new combination; Mycomystes peruvianus (Kirsch, 1876), new combination. The following species are synonymised with Mycomystes apicalis (Lacordaire, 1842): Mycotretus corallipennis Crotch, 1876, new synonymy; Mycotretus gemmula Lacordaire, 1842, new synonymy; Mycotretus gentilis Lacordaire, 1842, new synonymy; Mycotretus nigroterminatus Lacordaire, 1842, new synonymy; Mycotretus pulicarius Lacordaire, 1842, new synonymy; Mycotretus coccinelloides Taschenberg, 1870, new synonymy. Mycotretus sanguinosus Crotch, 1876 and Mycotretus unicolor Fauvel, 1860, new synonymies, are synonymised with Mycomystes coccineus (Lacordaire, 1842). Mycotretus cinctellus (Guérin-Méneville, 1841) and Mycotretus discoidalis Taschenberg, 1870, new synonymies, are synonymised with Mycomystes melanophthalmus (Duponchel, 1825). Lectotypes are designated for 13 species names, as follows: Erotylus (Brachymerus) cinctellus Guérin-Méneville, 1841; Erotylus melanophthalmus Duponchel, 1825; Mycomystes ferrugineus Gorham, 1888; Mycotretus apicalis Lacordaire, 1842; Mycotretus coccinelloides Taschenberg, 1870; Mycotretus corallipennis Crotch, 1876; Mycotretus discoidalis Taschenberg, 1870; Mycotretus fuscitarsis Lacordaire, 1842; Mycotretus gemmula, 1842; Mycotretus gentilis, 1842; Mycotretus nigroterminatus, 1842; Mycotretus pulicarius, 1842; Mycotretus sanguinosus Crotch, 1876. The present study clarifies the historical taxonomic mess between Mycomystes and Mycotretus and represents an important step in our ongoing systematic studies on Tritomini.http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:EE3E3844-D6E5-45AB-8FA8-44C8891CB226