Glochiphorus Strohmeyer

Glochiphorus Strohmeyer View in CoL

Type species: Glochiphorus globosus Strohmeyer, 1910: 127 View in CoL , monotypic ( Figs 1–3 View FIGURES 1–6 )

Type material. Syntypes: Madagascar, region de l’Androy , Ambovombe [-25.16, 46.08], fev. & mars, Dr J. Decorse, 1901 [ NHMW] .

Diagnosis, genus et species. Length 1.3–1.5 mm, 1.2–1.3 × as long as wide. Frons (sex?) concave, tomentose, with fine golden setae encircling the central tomentose area; antennal funiculus 5-segmented, segment 2 as long as segment 1 (pedicel); club flattened, as wide as long, with two broadly procurved sutures marked by setae; eyes entire, strongly dorsoventrally elongated. Pronotum large, wider than long, almost as long as elytra, distinctly asperate on median two-thirds from anterior to posterior margins; vestiture consisting of pale hair- and scale-like setae. Scutellum not visible. Elytral base with fine crest, strial punctures not evident, replaced by granules in single rows or multiple confused rows; interstrial setae scale-like, semirecumbent, confused; erect strial setae shorter and broader than interstrial setae. Protibiae narrow, with four small, lateral teeth, outer uncus large, curved posterolaterally.

Distribution: Madagascar.

Remarks: All examined type specimens have concave frons and sex cannot be determined without dissection. The genus is distinguished from other hypoborines by segment 2 of the antennal funiculus being as long as segment 1 (pedicel), and the club is large and flat with strongly procurved sutures marked by setae. Shape of the eyes and the protibiae is typical for Hypoborini . It is potentially related to Dacryostactus Schaufuss , but the base of the elytra is not crenulated, which place the genus in the subtribe Xerasiborina . DNA data and morphological dissections of non-type material is therefore needed to test this hypothesis.

With the taxonomic changes made here, Glochiphorus is now entirely restricted to Madagascar. We know very little about the ecology and biology of G. globosus other than the habitat type in which it was collected—a dry shrub landscape in the very south of the island. This kind of habitat harbors some other deviant and species poor lineages of wood boring beetles, such as Microlanurgus Jordal, 2021c and Xerasiborus Jordal, 2021b . The special dry shrub landscapes of Madagascar is therefore of much interest in biodiversity studies. With a steady growth in new species and genus discoveries, Madagascar continues to be an important area for such studies. However, the once extensive tracts of forest are shrinking rapidly, and there is little time left to obtain a comprehensive record of the Malagasy flora and fauna.