Genus Apterocuris Jacobson, 1901 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in the Subfamily Chrysomelinae with Description of a New Species and Remarks on Significance of Preimaginal Characters

Abstract

For Apterocuris Jacobson, 1901, formerly considered a monotypic genus endemic to South Siberia, a second congener is described from the Central Sikhote-Alin' Mountains in the Far East of Russia. Apterocuris brinevi sp. n. differs from A. sibirica Jacobson, 1901 in the rather convex body, shining smooth dorsum, absence of rectangular projecting basilateral angles of elytra, and only two or three distinct striae of elytral punctures. For Apterocuris sibirica, the pupa is first described, imago redescribed, and the revised distribution is mapped. The place of Apterocuris in the tribe Chrysomelini is discussed and its similarity to the genus Sclerophaedon Weise, 1882 considered. Both genera have pupae with two urogomphi that should place them into the subtribe Entomoscelina, but their adults with open anterior coxal cavities do not fit the subtribe diagnosis. Therefore, re-establishment of the subtribe Sclerophaedonina Steinhausen, 1996 is proposed to place the genera Sclerophaedon, Apterocuris, Colaphellus Weise, 1916 and Colaspidema Laporte, 1833. A triple key to the genera of the tribe Chrysomelini based on the combination of larval, pupal and imaginal characters is presented.