Lolodorfus, a new genus of net-winged beetles (Coleoptera: Lycidae: Dexorinae) from CameroonAuthorBocakova, MiladatextZootaxa201438113374380journal article4559410.11646/zootaxa.3811.3.83703787b-5abf-4aa1-ade5-67cbb5817b7d1175-53262292029751C04B-A444-46FE-8DE8-46B1835B8209Lolodorfus flavussp. nov.
(
Figs. 1–3
)
HOLOTYPE
.
AFRICA
:
Republic of Cameroon
: South Prov., Lolodorf,
550 m
,
N 3o 14.06´
,
E 10 o 43.52´
,
31. Mar 2008
, Bolm lgt., male (
UPOL
).
Description.
Head, pronotum, antennae, and legs light brown to yellow, abdomen dark brown. Body length:
2 mm
, humeral width:
0.55 mm
. Female and immature stages unknown.
Etymology.
The specific name
flavus
(from the Latin adjective
flavus
, a, um meaning gold coloured) highlights the body coloration.
Pendola
Bocak
Platerodriloplesius
Wittmer
Platerodrilus
Pic
Subdihammatus
Kleine Lyropaeinae Miniduliticolini
Atamania
Kazantsev
Autaphes
Kazantsev
Microeron
Kazantsev
Miniduliticola
Kazantsev
Lolodorfusgen. nov.
is here considered to be closely related to the genus
Mimolibnetis
. Both the genera share several common characters (shape of pronotum, elytra with primary costa 1 shortened, double rows of reticulate cells irregular).
Lolodorfusgen. nov.
and
Mimolibnetis
differ namely in the number of antennomeres (
11 inLolodorfus
,
10 inMimolibnetis
). On the basis of a morphological phylogenetic analysis
Kazantsev (2013)
proposed a new subfamily Mimolibnetinae for “the most basal” lycid genus
MimolibnetisPic, 1936
. Neotenic characters were here considered to be synapomorphies of lycid neotenic lineages. However, no consideration was given to frequent appearance of homoplasies when reduced characters evolve (e.g. reduced mouthparts of lycid neotenic taxa, reduction of elytral costae etc.). Similarly, the selection of a single outgroup,
Thilmanus
(Omalisidae)
, was questionable, while multiple outgroups have been favored to overcome outgroup sensitivity problem. This morphological tree of
Lycidae (
Kazantsev 2013
)
supported monophyly of neotenic lycids from Oriental, Afrotropical and Neotropical regions, which strongly contradicts the results of molecular phylogenetic analyses (Bocak et al. 2008,
Malohlava et al. 2010
) and extremely low vagility of neotenic taxa with flightless females.
AsLolodorfusgen. nov.
and
Mimolibnetis
share several characters with
DexorisWaterhouse, 1878
and
ElgodexorisBocak et Bocakova, 1988
(Dexorinae), particularly reduced mouthparts, trochanters obliquely attached to femora, and the shape of pronotum with longitudinal folds in basal half broadly divergent anteriorly, monophyly of Afrotropical neotenic lycids is here assumed, and
Dexoris
, is considered to be closely related to
Lolodorfusgen. nov.
+
Mimolibnetis
clade. Consequently,
MimolibnetisPic, 1936
is transferred to the Dexorinae
Bocak et Bocakova, 1989
, and the subfamily Mimolibnetinae
Kazantsev, 2013
is proposed to be a younger synonym of Dexorinae
Bocak et Bocakova, 1989
.
Further research will require thorough field work in Afrotropical Region. Then, analyses of DNA sequences could shed more light on phylogenetic relationships of
Lolodorfusgen. nov.
and the subfamily Dexorinae.