Preliminary re-examination of genus-level taxonomy of the pollen beetle subfamily Meligethinae (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) Author Audisio, Paolo Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell’Uomo, Sapienza Rome University, via A. Borelli, 50, I- 00161 Rome, Italy; e-mail: paolo. audisio @ uniroma 1. it Author Cline, Andrew Richard Plant Pest Diagnostics Center, California Department of Food and Agriculture, 3294 Meadowview Road, Sacramento, CA 95832 - 1448, USA; e-mail: acline @ cdfa. ca. gov Author Biase, Alessio De Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell’Uomo, Sapienza Rome University, viale Dell’Università, 32, I- 00185 Rome, Italy; e-mail: alessio. debiase @ uniroma 1. it Author Antonini, Gloria Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell’Uomo, Sapienza Rome University, via A. Borelli, 50, I- 00161 Rome, Italy; e-mail: paolo. audisio @ uniroma 1. it Author Mancini, Emiliano Dipartimento di Scienze di Sanità Pubblica, Sapienza Rome University, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I- 00185, Rome, Italy; e-mail: emiliano. mancini @ uniroma 1. it Author Trizzino, Marco Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell’Uomo, Sapienza Rome University, via A. Borelli, 50, I- 00161 Rome, Italy; e-mail: paolo. audisio @ uniroma 1. it Author Costantini, Lorenzo Museo Nazionale d’Arte Orientale, Servizio di Bioarcheologia e Microscopia, via Merulana 248, I- 00185 Rome, Italy; e-mail: l. costantin @ mclink. it Author Strika, Sirio Museo Nazionale d’Arte Orientale, Servizio di Bioarcheologia e Microscopia, via Merulana 248, I- 00185 Rome, Italy; e-mail: l. costantin @ mclink. it Author Lamanna, Francesco Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell’Uomo, Sapienza Rome University, via A. Borelli, 50, I- 00161 Rome, Italy; e-mail: paolo. audisio @ uniroma 1. it Author Cerretti, Pierfilippo Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell’Uomo, Sapienza Rome University, via A. Borelli, 50, I- 00161 Rome, Italy; e-mail: paolo. audisio @ uniroma 1. it text Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 2009 2009-12-15 49 2 341 504 journal article 10.5281/zenodo.5319334 0374-1036 5319334 40. Lechanteuria S. Endrödy-Younga, 1978 (Figs. 40 a–g) Prianella Lechanteur, 1955: 238 . Junior homonym of Prianella Reitter, 1919: 16 . Lechanteuria S. Endrödy-Younga, 1978: 303 , 307. Substitute name for Prianella Lechanteur, 1955 (non Reitter, 1919 ). Type species. Prianella binotata Lechanteur, 1955: 239 (by original designation) [= Lechanteuria binotata ( Lechanteur, 1955 ) ]. Generic redescription and diagnosis. The single known species ( 4.2–4.3 mm length; 2.4–2.5 mm width) exhibits the combination of characters listed by LECHANTEUR (1955) and ENDRÖDY- YOUNGA (1978) (Figs. 40 a–g; drawings from LECHANTEUR 1955 , ENDRÖDY- YOUNGA 1978, and KIREJTSHUK 1980b ). Fig. 40. Lechanteuria S. Endrödy-Younga, 1978 : a–g – L. binotata ( Lechanteur, 1955 ) . a – male habitus; b – dorsal view of male head and first three antennomeres; c – male antenna; d – ovipositor; e – mentum; f–g – male genitalia. Drawing a modified from LECHANTEUR (1955) ; drawings b , e modified from ENDRÖDY- YOUNGA (1978); drawings c–d , f–g modified from KIREJTSHUK (1980b) . Refer to LECHANTEUR (1955) , ENDRÖDY- YOUNGA (1978), and KIREJTSHUK (1980b) for scale. Etymology. The generic name was derived from F. Lechanteur, a renowned Belgian specialist on Afrotropical Nitidulidae , who was active mostly in the second half of the past century, and who first described this genus under Prianella , a preoccupied name by REITTER (1919) (see ENDRÖDY- YOUNGA 1978). Gender feminine. Biology. The biology of the single representative of Lechanteuria , L. binotata from Zaire , is not completely known ( LECHANTEUR 1955 , ENDRÖDY- YOUNGA 1978, KIREJTSHUK 1980b ). The type series was collected in Zaire on fruits of Treculia africana var. engleriana (De Wild. & Th. Dur.) Engl. (Moraceae) , but a frugivorous larval life style seems unlikely. However, we cannot exclude that Lechanteuria is associated with inflorescences of Moraceae . Phylogenetic position. Available morphological data provide evidence of a likely sister-group relationship to Microporodes and Palmopria (ENDRÖDY- YOUNGA1978). Weaker relationships may also be postulated with members of Microporum and Cornutopria . A revision of the whole Afrotropical complex of genera including Microporodes , Palmopria , Lechanteuria , Cornutopria , and Microporum s. l. is currently in preparation (AUDISIO et al. in prep.). See also the discussion below on the phylogenetic position of Microporodes . No molecular data are currently available. Taxonomy and geographic distribution. The genus includes a single species from central Africa ( LECHANTEUR 1955 , ENDRÖDY- YOUNGA 1978). Lechanteuria binotata ( Lechanteur, 1955 ) Zaire