Caplothorax, 2020

CAPLOTHORAX KIREJTSHUK , STAT. NOV.

CARPOPHILUS SUBGEN. View in CoL CAPLOTHORAX KIREJTSHUK, 1997

CARPOPHILUS SUBGEN. View in CoL PLAPENNIPOLUS KIREJTSHUK, 1997

Type species: Carpophilus melanopterus Erichson, 1843 ; designation in Kirejtshuk, 1997.

Description

The following description is based on males and females of all included species. Large size, length 3.2–6.8 mm, width 1.3–3.2 mm. Body elongate oval, moderately convex, dull, dorsal punctation coarse and uniformly distributed. Overall coloration typically matt [feebly to moderately shining in C. yuccae ( Crotch, 1874) ]. Labrum deeply cleft; vertex of head densely and deeply punctate; clypeal–labral suture slightly concave; eyes finely faceted. Anterior margin of pronotum broadly concave, lateral margin narrowly explanate, fimbriate; pronotum widest in posterior third, abruptly sinuate prior to posterior angle, posterior angles distinct, reflexed. Pronotal disc densely, deeply punctate. Elytra with humeri moderately produced, lateral margins narrowly explanate, fimbriate. Elytral disc with setae not arranged in serial rows. Elytra shortened, exposing two abdominal tergites. Pygidium deeply, densely punctate.

Mandibles bidentate, most species with apical mandibular tooth elongate and molar region well pronounced with distinct transverse ridges. Raised portion of mentum highly transverse, apical angle acute; antennal furrows deep, strongly convergent; antennal club large and broad (except in C. yuccae ). Mesocoxal lines diverging slightly from mesocoxae forming a narrow axillary space that does not extend beyond one-fifth the metasternal/metepisternal suture. Female hypopygidium simple, male hypopygidium deeply recessed for reception of the anal sclerite. Anal sclerite directed ventrad, not visible from above. Male hypopygidium possessing distinct paired lateral foveae or a single median fovea.

Diagnosis

The following combination of characters distinguishes Caplothorax from all other Carpophilinae genera: two exposed abdominal segments dorsally, and the presence of hypopygidial foveae (paired or one single continuous fovea). Pronotum large, transverse, length-width ratio greater than 1.5; widest in posterior third, posterior angle distinct, reflexed (less distinct in C. yuccae ), lateral margins abruptly sinuate prior to posterior angle [less distinct in C. sayi ( Parsons, 1943) and C. viduatus (Sharp, 1889) ]. Axillary space reduced, reaching no more than one-fifth the length of the metasternal/ metepisternal suture. These characters, along with the generally larger body size and matt surface appearance, help distinguish members of this group.

Distribution

All currently included species are distributed in the New World.