Metrotyphlini Coiffait, 1963

Metrotyphlini Coiffait, 1963 View in CoL

Diagnosis. Maxillary palpomeres 2 and 3 strongly and about equally dilated; mandibles lacking premolar tooth; tarsi with 2 or 3 tarsomeres; prosternal coxal cavities rounded on anterior margin, lacking excision; lacking suture separating proepisternum from prosternum; all visible tergites with well-defined paratergites; all visible abdominal sternites lacking deep basal transverse sulcus.

Remarks. The tribe Metrotyphlini has actually, together with newly described genus, nine genera and 41 valid species names. Six genera are known in the Palaearctic region and two, monospecific genera, occur in South America, Apotyphlus Coiffait & Saiz, 1965 in Chile and Venezillotyphlus Decu, 1990 in Venezuela. Un undescribed taxon is reported from Mexico ( Navarrete-Heredia et al. 2002). The following key separates Metrotyphlini of the Palaearctic region.

1 All legs with three tarsomeres........................................................................... 2

- All legs with two tarsomeres............................................................................ 7

2 Antenommere 5 larger than antennomeres 4 and 6........................................................... 3

- Antenommere 5 not larger than antennomeres 4 and 6........................................................ 5

3 Antennal club composed of 3 antennomeres................................................ Gynotyphlus Coiffait View in CoL

- Antennal club composed of 5 antennomeres................................................................ 4

4 Labrum edentate, in middle slightly concave; last 4 antennomeres with large sensorial appendages (phaneres) inserted on upper part and curved towards lower part of antennomeres; aedeagus robust, asymmetric, parameres fused to median lobe, with four strong, distal setae.................................................................... Egeotyphlus Coiffait View in CoL

- Labrum dentate; last 4 antennomeres with or without sensorial appendages (phaneres) but those if present always inserted on lower part and oriented towards upper part of antennomeres; aedeagus slender, symmetric, lacking parameres................................................................................................ Epirotyphlus Pace

5 Gular sutures close but not confluent, clearly separated....................................... Cretotyphlus Assing View in CoL

- Gular sutures confluent in about midlength of head or more anteriorly........................................... 6

6 Gular sutures confluent in about midlenght of head, from confluent point fused in one long straight suture; labrum tridentate; mandible lacking molar tooth..................................................... Rhopalotyphlus Scheerpeltz View in CoL

- Gular sutures confluent in about anterior third of head, from confluent point separated again in two divergent sutures; labrum with one, small median tooth; mandible with well-defined molar tooth........................... Banatotyphlus Decu View in CoL

7 Aedeagus with median lobe falciform; parameres very short, at most reaching half of length of median lobe; genital armature of females distinct............................................................. Metrotyphlus View in CoL (s.str.) Coiffait

- Aedeagus with median lobe stout with complicated distal part bearing some apophysis; parameres longer, almost reaching distal part of the median lobe; genital armature of females indistinct.............. Metrotyphlus (Agnotyphlus) Coiffait View in CoL