Krikkenjanius Rodrigues, Grossi, 2025

Rodrigues, Diego F., Grossi, Paschoal C. & Vaz-de-Mello, Fernando Z., 2025, Taxonomic revision of Cremastocheilini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae) from South America and an updated key for the genera of the New World, Journal of Natural History 59 (17 - 20), pp. 1063-1125 : 1098-1100

Genus Krikkenjanius Rodrigues, Grossi and Vaz-de-Mello gen. n.

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( Figures 1 (G), 21, 22)

Type species

Genuchinus brasiliensis Moser, 1910 , by monotypy.

Diagnosis

Krikkenjanius gen. n. is recognised by the following combination of characters: Clypeal projection is weakly bent upwards and arched ( Figure 21 (B)), with a line delimiting the clypeolateral declivity. The pronotum has wide, rounded sides centrally, with a posterolateral emargination, making the posterior portion narrower ( Figures 1 (G), 21 (C)). Its surface is irregular, ocellate-punctate, with setae in the centre of the punctures. The punctation is dense ocellate-punctate along the middle and near the margin, where the setae are more visible. Protibia has five teeth: one apical-lateral (enlarged with a lateral sulcus), two reduced apical-ventral (one near the apical spur), and two lateral-proximal ( Figure 21 (D)).

Description

Same as for the species, since it is monospecific.

Etymology

The name of the genus is a tribute of the memory of Jan Krikken, a great name in studying Cetoniinae around the world, and a special contributor to the knowledge of Neotropical Cremastocheilini , being a masculine noun in the nominative case.

Remarks

The generic classification of the species Genuchinus brasiliensis has been questioned by both Moser (1910) and by Krikken (1981) due to its unique characteristics. In both works, they even considered establishing a new genus for this species. In our review of the Cremastocheilini of South America, we observed ambiguity in some characters, which could support either retaining Krikkenjanius brasiliensis in Cyclidinus or transferring it to Cyclidiellus . However, due to unique characters observed (see the diagnosis of Krikkenjanius gen. n.) and to avoid unnecessary re-diagnosis of other well-established genera, we propose the description of a new genus here.

Figures

Figure 1. Pronotum shapes of Cremastocheilini genera from the Americas. (A) Centrochilus Krikken, 1976. (B) Cremastocheilus Knoch, 1801. (C) Cyclidiellus Krikken,1976. (D) Cyclidinus Westwood,1874. (E) Cyclidius MacLeay, 1838. (F) Genuchinus Westwood, 1874. (G) Krikkenjanius Rodrigues, Grossi and Vazde-Mello gen. n. (H) Lissomelas Bates, 1889. (I) Paracyclidius Howden, 1971. (J) Psilocnemis Burmeister, 1842. (K) Quititinus Rodrigues, Grossi and Vaz-de-Mello gen. n.

Figure 21. Krikkenjanius brasiliensis (Moser, 1910) comb. n. Holotype of Genuchinus brasiliensis Moser, 1910. Female at MFNB (Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Teresópolis). (A) Habitus, dorsal view. (B) Habitus, ventral view. (C) Pronotum, dorsal view. (D) Protibia, dorsal view. (E) Habitus, dorsolateral view. (F) Habitus, lateral view. (G) Labels. Scale bars = 1 mm.