The species of Phaenomerus Schönherr (Coleoptera : Curculionidae : Zygopinae) of the Australian region

Abstract

Problems of defining the genus Phaenomerus Schönherr and the family group Campyloscelini to which it belongs are discussed. To the three previously described species of Phaenomerus from the Australian region are added 22 new species:P. ambonensis, P. cavipectus, P. contrarius, P. conturbator, P. excelsior, P. densleonis, P. fuliginosus, P. hornabrooki, P. kalamanus, P. laminifer, P. minutus, P. occultus, P. okapicus, P. peregrinator, P. pertenuis, P. riedeli, P. teretirostris, spp. nov., and three new subspecies: P. cavipectus insularis, P. peregrinator salomonicus, P. peregrinator terraereginae, subspp. nov. Lectotypes are designated for P. exilis Pascoe and P. lineatus Pascoe. A key to speciesgroup taxa is provided, together with figures of the male genitalia. A new structure, the flagellum guide, is described and figured.

The ecological relations existing between some Phaenomerus species and species of Cyphagogus (Curculionoidea : Brentidae), including saprophagy by the former and predation by the latter on ambrosia beetles (Curculionoidea : Platypodidae), are described.