Systematic revision and cladistic analysis of the Neotropical genera Mitragenius Solier, Auladera Solier, and Patagonogenius gen. n. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae )

GUSTAVO ERNESTO FLORES

Entomologica Scandinavica

Apollo Books

Lugar: Copenhagen; Año: 1999 vol. 30 p. 361 - 396

The genera Mitragenius, Auladera, and Patagonogenius gen. n. (Pimeliinae: Nycteliini), distributed in Argentina and central Chile, are revised and a cladistic analysis, including 20 species is conducted. The cladistic sequence revealed that Mitragenius is polyphyletic, requiring removal of seven species formerly assigned to Mitragenius to a new genus, Patagonogenius, described herein. Mitragenius comprises nine species: M. tristis Kulzer, M. costatus Kulzer, M. araneiformis Curtis, M. coarcticollis Fairmaire, M. nudus Berg, M. hirtulus Kulzer, M. planicollis sp. n., M. obscuratus Peña, and M. dejeanii Solier; Auladera includes four species: A. crenicosta (Guérin), A. andicola (Lacordaire), A. rugicollis (Philippi & Philippi) stat. n., and A. atronitens Kulzer; and Patagonogenius comprises seven species: P. breviangulus (Kulzer) comb. n., P. gentilii (Peña) comb. n., P. quadricollis (Fairmaire) comb. n. (type species), P. collaris (Kulzer) comb. n., P. acutangulus (Kulzer) comb. n., P. kulzeri (Marcuzzi) comb. n., and P. elegans (Peña) comb. n. Mitragenius pusillus Marcuzzi is synonymized with Patagonogenius collaris (Kulzer); and Auladera andicola rugicollis (Philippi & Philippi) is elevated to species status. The paper includes a cladogram, a discussion of the phylogeny of the three genera, redescriptions or descriptions of the three genera and of their 20 species, four dichotomous keys, habitus photographs, drawings of genitalic features, and distribution maps.