Diastatotropis Lacordaire, 1865

Genus Diastatotropis Lacordaire, 1865

Diastatotropis Lacordaire, 1865: 520 . Gemminger & Harold (1872): 2729 (catalogue); Bovie (1906): 245 (catalogue); Wolfrum (1929): 32 (catalogue); Wolfrum (1953): 12 (catalogue); Frieser (1992): 46 (key to species); Rheinheimer (2004): 35 (catalogue); Trýzna & Baňař (2016): 434 View Cited Treatment (key to species); Trýzna (2024): 340 (image list).

Vitalis Fairmaire, 1893: 171 (synonymy according to Frieser 1992: 46).

Amecus Fairmaire, 1897: 190 (synonymy according to Frieser 1992: 46).

Type species. Diastatotropis tigrina Lacordaire, 1865 (as D. tigrinus , by original designation, type locality: ‘Madagascar’).

Systematic placement. Anthribinae : incertae sedis (see Trýzna 2024).

Diagnosis of Diastatotropis . Body oval to elongate. Medium- or large-sized species, from 6 mm ( D. arofaniana Trýzna & Baňař, 2022 or small specimens of D. rubricollis ( Fairmaire, 1893)) to more than 18 mm ( D. olivacea Waterhouse, 1877 ). Rostrum extended apically, with one, two or three longitudinal carinae or without these carinae. Eyes spherical or elliptical, not emarginate. Antennae of males usually reaching posterior margin of pronotum or beyond, antennae of females shorter, not reaching posterior margin of pronotum. Antennal funicle slender, then antennal club 3-segmented (most species) or 4-segmented, or antennomeres continuously extended. Dorsal transverse carina of pronotum distinct and antebasal.

For remarks on terminalia and diversity of the genus see Trýzna (2024), for images of genitalia see Trýzna & Baňař (2017, 2022), Trýzna & Andrianomenjanahary (2019) and Trýzna et al. (2024).

The genus appears to be endemic to Madagascar. We know of only one specimen from outside of Madagascar, a female of Diastatotropis cf. perrinae Trýzna & Baňař, 2017 from Grande Comore (for details see Trýzna 2024). So far 22 species are known in Diastatotropis .