Tampulcher, Vlasak & Santos-Silva, 2025

Tampulcher gen. nov.

( Figs 64–68 View FIGURES 64–68 )

Type Species: Tampulcher chartreusosus sp. nov., here designated.

Etymology. Latin, a fusion of “ tam ” (so) and “ pulcher ” (handsome). Masculine gender.

Description. Female. Body moderately elongate, convex. Frons transverse. Eyes moderately coarsely faceted; distance between upper eye lobes twice the width of one upper lobe; in frontal view, lower eye lobes distinctly longer than genae. Antennae 11-segmented, distinctly longer than body; scape distinctly widened from middle, surpassing elytral base, without apical cicatrix or projections; pedicel and antennomeres III–XI filiform, without projections apically, III widened apically. Prothorax wider than long; lateral tubercles large, conical, located about middle. Pronotum with two conical, distinctly elevated tubercles on anterior third; with row of coarse punctures posteriorly, punctures following toward sides of prothorax. Narrowest area of prosternal process wider than half width of procoxal cavity, without lateral projection about middle. Mesoventral process distinctly wider than half width of mesocoxal cavity; without tubercles. Elytra subparallel-sided, slightly concave on anterior half; sides convergent toward apex on posterior half; apex obliquely truncate, with outer angle triangularly projected; humeral angles distinct, not projected; centrobasal crest strongly elevated, without tufts of setae dorsally, longitudinal, gradually elevated anteriorly, abruptly inclined posteriorly, straight dorsally, from basal anterior region to dorsal apex slightly longer than metatarsomere I; humeral carina absent, but epipleural area abruptly inclined on anterior half; surface without tubercles, without isolated erect setae; without dorsal carinae. Femora pedunculate-clavate; metafemora not reaching elytral apex. Metatarsomere I longer than II–III together. Ventrite 5 about as long as ventrites 3 and 4 together, with apex truncate, surpassing elytral apex. Last tergite triangularly projected, surpassing apex of ventrite 5 and elytral apex.

Remarks. Tampulcher gen. nov. can be included in the alternative of couplet “16” from Monné et al. (2020a):

16(15). Centrobasal crest with setae...................................................... Lophopoeum Bates, 1863 - Centrobasal crest without setae..................................................................... 16’

16’(16). Centrobasal crest of elytra at most slightly elevated............................ Trypanidius Blanchard, 1847 (part) - Centrobasal crest of elytra strongly elevated............................................ Tampulcher gen. nov.

Tampulcher gen. nov. can be included in the alternative of couplet “27” from Monné et al. (2020b):

27(26). Centrobasal crest of elytra strongly elevated............................................ Tampulcher gen. nov. - Centrobasal crest of elytra absent or nearly so.......................................................... 27’

27’(27). Scape clavate............................................................... Sympagus Bates, 1881 (part) - Scape not clavate........................................................... Trypanidius Blanchard, 1847

Tampulcher gen. nov. resembles Acanthodepressus Bezark, Santos-Silva & Audureau, 2023 , but differs as follows: scape distinctly surpassing elytral base; centrobasal crest of elytra strongly elevated; and apex of ventrite 5 truncate. In Acanthodepressus , the scape does not reach the elytral base, the centrobasal crest of the elytra is slightly elevated, and the apex of the ventrite 5 is distinctly V-notched.

We tried to avoid creating yet another monotypic genus within Acanthocinini. However, it was impossible to place the new species in any known genus without making it even more chaotic than most of them already are.