Eocorythoderus incredibilis new genus and new species.
Top, Adult beetle being carried by a worker termite
Abstract
Eocorythoderus incredibilis, a new genus and new species, of Corythoderini is described. This new species was found in fungus gardens of Macrotermes gilvus (Hagen, 1858) in Angkor Wat, Cambodia. The new taxon is a flightless, microphthalmic species and the first corythoderine associated with Macrotermes Holmgren, 1910. The beetles were observed being carried by worker termites. Eocorythoderus is probably closely related to the genera Corythoderus Klug, 1845 and Paracorythoderus Wasmann, 1918 (also Corythoderini). Some character states shared with the distantly-related termitophilous scarab genus Termitotrox Reichensperger, 1915 (Termitotrogini) are noted, and proposed as convergent.
Key words: Termitophile, fungus garden, Odontotermes, Oriental region, convergence
Eocorythoderus new genus
Type species. Eocorythoderus incredibilis new species, here designated.
Etymology. A combination of Eos, the Greek goddess of the dawn, and Corythoderus, the type genus of
Corythoderini, in reference to the new taxon having the eastern-most distribution of the genera in the tribe. Gender: masculine.
Maruyama, Munetoshi. 2012. A new genus and species of flightless, microphthalmic Corythoderini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae) from Cambodia, associated with Macrotermes termites. Zootaxa. (3555): 83-88.
