Holopeplus gundlachi (Grouvelle, 1878)

Kc, Sajan & Pollock, Darren A., 2025, Review of the Hemipeplinae (Coleoptera: Mycteridae) fauna of the world with descriptions of twenty-nine new species, Zootaxa 5574 (1), pp. 1-140 : 15-16

Holopeplus gundlachi (Grouvelle, 1878)

(Figs 2, 61)

FIGURE 2. Holopeplus gundlachi (Grouvelle, 1878) . A. Dorsal habitus (with scale bar); B. Dorsal head and prothorax; C. Lateral view of head and prothorax; D. Male genitalia dorsal view with spiculum gastrale; E. Tegmen dorsal view (with scale bar); F. Tegmen lateral view with one paramere removed.

Hemipeplus gundlachi Grouvelle, 1878a : xliv, 1878b: 267, pl. 8, Fig. 11.— Hetschko 1930: 90; Scott 1933: 611; Blackwelder 1945: 423; Kamiya 1963: 14; Pollock 1999: 56, Figs 1A , 4A.

Holopeplus cubensis Arrow, 1930: 230 , Fig. 2.— Scott 1933: 611; Blackwelder 1945: 423; Kamiya 1963: 14; Pollock 1999: 56. Junior synonym of Holopeplus gundlachi (= Hemipeplus gundlachi ) as per Scott (1933).

Type Material. Hemipeplus gundlachi , Holotype, sex unknown, in MNHN (Grouvelle Collection); not studied, see Grouvelle (1878a, b) for details. Holopeplus cubensis Arrow : 2 specimens (1 specimen, parts only), sex unknown, on same card, labeled: ‘[round label with red margin] Type / Holquin, Cuba, Sharp Coll. 1905-313 / Holopeplus cubensis , type arrow / identical with type of Hemipeplus gundlachi Grouvelle 1878 —Types compared March 1934 —H.S.’, in BMNH.

Other Material Examined. CUBA. Cienfuegos. Cayamas, 3.6, E.A. Schwarz, ( DAPC, 1♂) . Guantanamo. El Yunque , in/around campismo popular, 20°20.4’N, 74°32.9’W ca. 40 masl, 10–13.vi.2012, M. Fikáček leg., at light in the campismo popular, ( NMP6 V, 1♂) (Fig. 2) .

Diagnosis. Holopeplus gundlachi is distinguished by its elongate head and pronotum, characterized by a convex anterior pronotal margin. Holopeplus gundlachi has the following diagnostic features: temples absent to moderately present in some specimens; antennomeres mostly subfiliform; eyes small (slightly shorter than scape), moderately wide and moderately convex; head elongate; pronotum elongate; anterior half slightly wider than posterior half; anterolateral angles indistinct, rounded; pronotal pad distinct and shelf-like; posterolateral angles obtuse, rounded; pronotal lobe short with median notch; scutellar shield transverse, subpentagonal, about twice as wide as long; color rufotestaceous, head and pronotum darker; distribution: Bahamas, Cuba.

Male Genitalia (Figs 2D–F). (Tegmen length = 0.48 mm (n = 2)) Lobe of basale short and wide; shoulders of basale obtusely angled without much slant; suture between apicale and basale prominent and raised; parameres elongate with inner margins arcuate; penis broadly widened basally with notch near the base.

Variation. The examined specimen from Guantánamo ( Cuba) has slight temples but no differences in genitalia were found.

Remarks. This is the only known species of Holopeplus .

Geographical Distribution (Fig. 61). Greater Antilles ( Bahamas and Cuba).

Figures

FIGURE 1. A. Measurements taken of Hemipeplinae specimens. GHW = greatest head width; HL= head length; GPW = greatest pronotum width; PL = pronotum length; GEW = greatest combined elytral width; EL = elytral length; B. Dorsal habitus of Hemipeplus microphthalmus, showing important anatomical features; C. Ventral habitus of Hemipeplus microphthalmus, showing important anatomical features; D. Male genitalia of Hemipeplus africanus, showing important anatomical features.