A new suspected paedomorphic genus of net-winged beetles from the Atlantic Rainforest (Coleoptera, Elateroidea, Lycidae)

Abstract

Lycidae are among the better studied groups in the superfamily Elateroidea, however despite the progress in the taxonomic understanding of the Neotropical fauna, much still remains unknown and undescribed in the region. The description of the new genus Xenolycus gen. nov., from Serra dos Órgãos, a subrange of the Serra do Mar mountain range, in the Atlantic Rainforest in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, contributes to the knowledge of the Neotropical Lycidae fauna. The new genus can be distinguished from all other known Calopterini and Neotropical Lycidae by the combination of a pronotum with a wide, deep and strongly visible longitudinal cell in the disc area, the filiform antennae, the dehiscent elytra with reticulation strongly reduced and bearing only two weakly developed elytral costae and the mouthparts partially reduced, with rudimentary, barely visible mandibles. The type species, Xenolycus costae sp. nov., is illustrated and diagnostic characters and a discussion on the tribal placement of the new genus are provided.

Falsoceratoprion fumagalliae, New Genus and Species: The First Calopterini from Dominican Amber (Coleoptera: Lycidae)

“…While the absence of a median pronotal carina is not exclusive to the Leptolycini, it can be diagnostic for this tribe when combined with the reduced mandibles, labial palps and simplified male genitalia of most genera of this clade (which includes absent parameres and/or a simple lanceolate median lobe; see Ferreira and Ivie 2022). However, a closer examination of the morphological features of Falsoceratoprion and comparison with the literature and specimens of Calopterini and Leptolycini allowed us to provide a justification for the placement of the genus in the Calopterini as currently understood (i.e., including several mainland Neotropical genera that have been historically treated as belonging to Leptolycini but are in fact Calopterini [all new genera listed in Kazantsev 2017; see discussion section in Ferreira and Silveira 2020]).…”

“…Lycidae are particularly known for their involvement in mimicry-ring relationships and aposematism studies (e.g., Darlington 1938;Eisner et al 2008), and for having lineages known or suspected to be affected by the paedomorphic syndrome (see Ferreira et al 2018;Ferreira and Silveira 2020). Despite incremental advances focused on the phylogenetics of Lycidae (e.g., Bocak and Bocakova 2008;Kazantsev 2013;Masek et al 2018), there is still much ground to cover on the taxonomic and biological aspects of this group, especially regarding the fossil record of this family.…”

Hide-and-Seek with Tiny Neotenic Beetles in One of the Hottest Biodiversity Hotspots: Towards an Understanding of the Real Diversity of Jurasaidae (Coleoptera: Elateroidea) in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

“…Many interesting insects were reported from the Atlantic Forest, including the bioluminescent larvae of Keroplatidae fungus gnats (Diptera) [ 64 ] and rove beetles (Staphylinidae) [ 65 ], the first Neotropical meropeid Mecoptera [ 66 ], ant-brood parasitizing scuttle flies (Phoridae) [ 67 ], and many others. The late discovery of Jurasaidae in the Atlantic Forest might seem surprising at first sight, but considering high numbers of recently reported new lineages in other soft-bodied elateroids, including Lampyridae [ 56 , 57 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 ], Lycidae [ 19 , 75 ], and Phengodidae [ 76 , 77 ], it is much less surprising. For example, Silveira et al [ 57 ] examined the diversity of fireflies (Lampyridae) in the Serra do Órgãos (a subrange of the Serra do Mar), and, for the first time, collected 58 previously described species along with another 42 yet-undescribed species, which makes the Serra do Órgãos one of the richest firefly hotspots on Earth.…”

“…Indeed, several neotenic lineages occur exclusively in humid tropics and have limited ranges [ 6 , 8 , 14 , 15 , 16 ]. Due to their small size and cryptic lifestyle, elateroid neotenic beetles are relatively easy to overlook and hence rarely collected, and for many lineages, immature stages and presumably flightless females are unknown [ 8 , 9 , 13 , 14 , 17 , 18 , 19 ]. Interestingly, two of the four beetle families (and the only two belonging to Polyphaga) that have been erected during the 21st century based on newly collected material were neotenic elateroid lineages.…”

First Phylogeny of Pseudolychnuris Reveals Its Polyphyly and a Staggering Case of Convergence at the Andean Paramos (Lampyridae: Lampyrini)

“…In fact, South America is home to several endemic genera of fireflies across its biomes. For example, recent systematic efforts shed light on several lineages of fireflies endemic to the Atlantic Rainforest [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ], a rather common trend in soft-bodied beetle families [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ]. Likewise, endemic genera were recently identified in the Amazon Rainforest [ 13 ] and in the Chilean matorral ( Cladodes s.s. sensu [ 8 ]).…”