Revision of the genus Diastoleus Solier, 1838 (Tenebrioninae: Scotobiini)

VIOLETA AYELEN SILVESTRO

Praga

Simposio; 5th International Tenebrionoidea Symposium; 2018

The genus Diastoleus Solier belongs to the Scotobiini, a Neotropical tribe of Tenebrioninae, with six genera endemic to arid and semiarid lands of South America. Diastoleus species are distributed in northern and central Chile and are characterized by having the lateral margin of pronotum broadly expanded and recurved upright, anterior margin with a deep and narrow incision, with eye and antennal base hidden when viewed from above. Prior to this study Diastoleus comprised three species. In this contribution the genus is revised with descriptions of new characters as internal skeletal anatomy and genitalia, which have higher taxonomic value. A new species is described and a specific dichotomous key is presented. Photographs of habitus and pronota and illustrations of internal skeletal anatomy are included. Comparisons to other genera of the tribe through of cladistics analysis are made.