The first Strigocis Dury (Coleoptera, Ciidae) from the southern Neotropical region and a provisional key to world species.

Abstract Strigocis vicosensis Lopes-Andrade, sp. n. is described based on specimens from a single locality (type locality: Viçosa, state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil), being the southernmost record of a Strigocis Dury species. Diagnostic to this new species are the dorsal vestiture consisting of stout yellowish bristles, pronotal punctures separated from each other by at least 0.75× puncture-width and sutural flange of elytra not diverging near apex. Males have both frontoclypeal ridge and anterior pronotal margin produced forward and emarginated at middle forming two small subtriangular plates, and a small abdominal sex patch. Among the New World Strigocis, it most resembles Strigocis bilimeki (Reitter), of which images of male terminalia, as far as ventral and dorsal SEM images of males are also provided. The morphological limits of Strigocis are briefly discussed and redefined, and a provisional key to the world species is provided.


Introduction
Strigocis Dury (Coleoptera: Ciidae: Ciinae) comprises fi ve described species (sensu Lawrence 1971): S. bicornis (Mellié) from central and southern Europe, S. bilimeki (Reitter) from Mexico and probably occurring in southern Arizona, S. opacicollis Dury and S. opalescens (Casey) from eastern North America and Mexico, and S. tokunagai (Nobuchi) from Hokkaido, Japan. Th erefore, the known species occur in the Nearctic, northern Neotropical and Palearctic regions.
In the latter decade, small series of a new Strigocis were collect at Viçosa, in the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. In spite of the great collection eff ort in several states of Brazil, the species was not found in any other locality. Here, I describe it as Strigocis vicosensis sp. n., compare to the other described Strigocis and provide a provisional key to the world species of the genus.

Material and methods
Measurements, fi nal comparisons and description of general external morphology were made under a Zeiss Stemi 2000 stereomicroscope with a scale ocular. Digital photographs of the holotype were taken with a Canon S70 adapted to a Leica MZ16 stereomicroscope, and fi nal images (Figs 1-3) were generated by combining 20 to 40 photographs in diff erent focus using the image stacking freeware CombineZM (Hadley 2006). Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images of male paratypes of S. vicosensis sp. n. and males of S. bilimeki were obtained using a LEO 1430VP. Specimens were analyzed under variable pressure (SEM-VP) using a backscattered electrons detector, without prior dehydration or gold covering. Th e holotype (Figs 1-3) was not dissected. Th ree male paratypes of the new species and fi ve males S. bilimeki were dissected for slide preparation and photographing of terminalia (one of each species shown in Figs 7 and 10, after dissection). Besides these, males of S. bicornis, S. opacicollis and S. opalescens were also dissected for examining their terminalia. Permanent slide preparations were made using a water-soluble mounting media called "Downs' gel" (polyvinyl lactophenol), prepared by mixing 56% saturated aqueous solution of polyvinil alcohol, 22% phenolic acid and 22% lactic acid. Detailed information on its preparation and use are provided by Downs (1943) and Salmon (1947). Examination and photography of slide preparations were made under a Zeiss Axioskop 40 compound microscope equipped with a Canon A640 digital camera.
Terms for external morphology and male terminalia of ciids are explained and discussed by Lopes-Andrade and Lawrence (2005) and Lopes-Andrade (2008). Th e new species described here was compared to named specimens of all the described Strigocis, except for S. tokunagai. In the latter case, however, a drawing of an adult male was provided in the original description (Nobuchi 1960).
Ten males (including the holotype) and ten females were measured. Range, mean and standard deviation are given for measurements and ratios. Measurements of antennomeres were taken from the holotype. Th e following abbreviations are used for measurements and ratios: CL, length of the antennal club; EL, elytral length (median length from base of scutellum to elytral apex); EW, greatest elytral width; FL, length of the antennal funicle; GD, greatest depth of the body; PL, pronotal length along midline; PW, greatest pronotal width; TL, total length (EL+PL; head not included).
Th e ratio GD/EW was taken as an indication of degree of convexity; TL/EW indicates degree of body elongation. Th e description is based on the holotype, which is a fully pigmented male. Diff erences among paratypes are given in the section on "Variation", together with standard measurements and ratios of the type series.
Th e following acronyms are used in this paper: Etymology. Th e specifi c epithet is an adjective referring to the terra typica of the species.
Diagnosis. Dorsal vestiture consisting of stout yellowish bristles, pronotal punctures coarse and separated from each other by 0.75× to 1× puncture-width, and sutural fl ange of elytra not diverging near apex. Males have both frontoclypeal ridge and anterior pronotal margin produced forward and emarginated at middle forming two small subtriangular plates (Figs 1,2,4,5). Additionally, the abdominal sex patch of males is small, with around one-fi fth the length of the fi rst abdominal ventrite at the longitudinal midline.
Description. Male holotype (Figs 1-3), measurements in mm: TL 1.70; PL 0.55; PW 0.68; EL 1.15; EW 0.73; GD 0.55. Ratios: PL/PW 0.81; EL/EW 1.59; EL/PL 2.09; GD/EW 0.76; TL/EW 2.34. Body elongate, moderately convex; dorsal and ventral surfaces mostly unicolored, almost black, with reddish brown appendages; dorsal vestiture consisting of stout suberect or decumbent yellowish bristles; ventral vestiture consisting of slender decumbent yellowish setae. Head barely seen from above; dorsal surface concave, glabrous; punctation sparse, consisting of course shallow punctures; frontoclypeal ridge slightly raised and produced, its anterior margin with an emargination at middle forming two short subtriangular plates with relatively rounded apices. Eyes coarsely facetted, each one bearing more than 60 ommattidia; greatest eye width 0.10 mm. Antenna (left antenna measured; FL 0.10 mm; CL 0.16 mm; CL/FL 1.63) with length of antennomeres (in mm) as follows: 0.06; 0.05; 0.04; 0.02; 0.01; 0.01; 0.01; 0.05; 0.05; 0.06; sensillifers of the antennal club whitish, conspicuous (seen in magnifi cation of 50×). Pronotum densely punctate, the punctures being coarse and separated from each other by 0.75× to one puncture-width; in between punctures somewhat microreticulate; the stout bristles of the pronotal disc are decumbent, so attached to the surface that they resemble small scales and are more easily visible in lateral view; anterior portion produced forward and almost concealing the head when seen from above; anterior margin bearing an emargination at middle, forming two small subtriangular plates that are slightly larger than those of the head (Figs 1-2, 4-5); anterolateral angles (corners) produced forward and rounded; lateral margins slightly crenulate, almost straight, barely visible from above except for their posterior portions. Scutellum very small, so close to the elytra that makes it barely discernible; posterior margin broadly rounded, so that the entire structure resembles a half-circle; surface bearing small punctures very close to each other, giving a creasy appearance to its surface; basal width 0.07 mm. Hind wings fully developed (macropterous species). Elytra with lateral margins subparallel at basal half, then gradually converging to the apex; punctation single and confused, the punctures being coarser than those on pronotum and closer to each other; bristles similar to those on pronotum, but suberect and a little bit bigger; in between punctures smooth and shiny; sutural fl ange not diverging near apex (slightly divergent when examined in SEM; see Fig. 6, arrows). Ventral sclerites with most of their surfaces fi nely granulate. Hypomera unpunctate and bearing a few sparse slender setae. Prosternum biconcave and distinctly tumid at the longitudinal midline, carinate. Each protibial with its outer apical angle expanded forming a small acute tooth; apex bearing a row of spines closest to the inner apical angle. Metaventrite with a  few very shallow and coarse punctures, barely discernible; discrimen with one-third the length of the ventrite at the longitudinal midline. Abdominal ventrites bearing several slender setae; fi rst abdominal ventrite twice as long as the second, bearing a small oval margined sex patch, with near one-fi fth the length of the ventrite at the longitudinal midline.
Females. Head with frontoclypeal ridge just slightly sinuous. Anterior margin of pronotum broadly rounded. Vertex of head with sparse suberect stout bristles. First abdominal ventrite devoid of sex patch.
Variation. Males, measurements in mm (n = 10, including the holotype): TL 1.33-1.75 (1.59 ± 0.14); PL 0.50-0.70 (0.60 ± 0.07); PW 0.55-0.75 (0.66 ± 0.06); EL 0.80-1.15 (0.98 ± 0.10); EW 0.63-0.78 (0.70 ± 0.05); GD 0.50-0.60 (0.54 ± 0.04). Ratios: PL/PW 0.81-1.00 (0.92 ± 0.06); EL/EW 1.27-1.59 (1.40 ± 0.09); EL/ PL 1.43-2.09 (1.64 ± 0.21); GD/EW 0.73-0.83 (0.77 ± 0.03); TL/EW 2.12-2.34 (2.26 ± 0.08). A few males were almost devoid of secondary sexual characters on fron- Host fungus. Possibly a single species of an undetermined Phellinus Quél. (Hymenochaetaceae). It's important to emphasize that only adult ciids were found and they were not observed breeding in the collected basidiomes. Natural history. All the known specimens were collected in open areas of the Federal University of Viçosa's campus. It was not found in either forested or urban areas of Viçosa, although ciids were continuously collected there from September 1998 until recently. Adults could not be maintained in laboratory for much longer, which suggests that it colonizes and consumes the basidiomes just after sporulation and before basidiomes' decaying. Another possibility is that the Phellinus sp. is not a host for S. vicosensis sp. n., and adults were incidentally collected in the fungus. Th e latter explanation is supported by the fact that all the other Strigocis species are known to feed on fungi in the Trametes host-use group and were never found in association with fungi of the Phellinus host-use group (Orledge and Reynolds 2005). Xylographus gibbus Mellié were found in basidiomes possibly conspecifi c to the ones inhabited by S. vicosensis sp. n., in the same open areas. However, these two ciid species have not been collected together.
Comparative notes. Among the examined Strigocis, the most similar to S. vicosensis sp. n. is the Mexican S. bilimeki. Th e latter species has pronotal and elytral punctation comparatively denser, subtriangular plates of the frontoclypeal ridge in males usually with acute apices and anterior pronotal margin with a short and relatively narrow lamina bearing a small emargination at middle (Fig. 8). Additionally, in S. bilimeki the male sex patch in the fi rst abdominal ventrite is very large (Fig. 9, arrow), its diameter being at least 0.55× the length of the sclerite at its longitudinal midline. Male terminalia of both species are similar in form, mainly in the subcylindrical membranous penis (Figs 7, 10) and the shape of the posterior portion of tegmen. However, the whole aedeagus of S. bilimeki (Fig. 10) has around 0.8× the length of the one of S. vicosensis sp. n., a proportionally smaller basal piece (Fig. 10, dashed lines) and is less sclerotized. Moreover, the posterior margin of the eighth sternite has a broad U-shape emargination (Fig. 10) similar to that of S. bicornis, S. opacicollis and S. opalescens. Strigocis opalescens has a vestiture of minute setae barely visible even in high magnifi cations (50×), sparse pronotal and elytral punctation, and broad lateral margins of pronotum forming a raised lip. Th e tegmen of its male terminalia is subquadrate, with a deep U-shaped emargination at middle delimiting two lateral lobes, each lobe bearing a small emargination at apex. Strigocis bicornis is a small blackish species with shallow pronotal and elytral punctation, irregular elytral surface with in between punctures fi nely granulate, and dorsal vestiture of fi ne setae. Its tegmen is elongate, with a rounded posterior margin bearing a very narrow V-shape emargination at middle. It is similar to the examined named specimens of S. opacicollis, in which the elytral margins are not so parallel and elytral punctation is coarser and denser. Additionally, the tegmen in S. opacicollis is quite diff erent, with an almost straight posterior margin bearing a small U-shaped emargination at middle. I could not examine any named specimen of S. tokunagai, but data and drawing provided by Nobuchi (1960) show that it is similar to S. vicosensis sp. n. in the vestiture of yellowish bristles, pronotal and elytral punctation. However, the abdominal sex patch of S. tokunagai is described as being large.

Discussion
Th e debate on the morphological limits, and consequently on the species that belong or not to Strigocis, is far from being concluded. In its original description, Dury (1917) has not included any other species besides the type-species, S. opacicollis. Strigocis bicornis and S. bilimeki were originally assigned to Cis Latreille, S. opalescens to Xestocis Casey, and S. tokunagai to Ropalodontus Mellié in their original descriptions. Lawrence (1965) tentatively included S. bicornis and S. tokunagai in Sulcacis Dury possibly due to their spinose protibial apex. Finally, Lawrence (1971) transferred all the four species to Strigocis and provided a . Th e greatest taxonomic problem of the genus, which possibly has led to such instability in literature, is the absence of exclusive characters for defi ning the taxon. Lawrence (1971) proposed the spinose protibal apex and the diverging sutural fl ange of elytral apex as diagnostic to Strigocis. At that time, only species of Strigocis and Orthocis Casey were known to have the latter feature. Diagnostic to Orthocis were the rounded protibial apex, devoid of spines, and absence of secondary sexual modifi cations besides the male sex patch of several species. However, the diverging sutural fl ange of elytral apex was not observed in S. vicosensis sp. n., and it was already observed in Ennearthron pruinosulus (Perris), Wagaicis wagae (Wankowicz) and Odontocis denticollis Nakane and Nobuchi (Lopes-Andrade pers. obs.). Th e spinose protibial apex is also not exclusive to Strigocis, and it may vary among species in a single genus, like in Cis. Several species of Cis have pronotal and frontoclypeal modifi cations and body form similar to those of Strigocis, as well as spinose protibial apex in which the spines are concealed by long setae. Th ese are the cases for Cis graecus Schilsky and species of the Cis bilamellatus group (sensu Lopes-Andrade et al. 2009), for instance. In the case of the abovementioned Cis species, they are distinguishable from Strigocis by their dual elytral punctation.
It is early to take the decision of synonymizing Strigocis to Cis before a careful taxonomic revision of both groups. Moreover, Cis is certainly not a clade (Buder et al. 2008) and remains as the most speciose and morphologically diversifi ed genus of Ciidae, with around 375 described species. Although the matter on the limits of Strigocis remains far from being satisfactorily resolved, I prefer to re-evaluate the diagnostic characters of the genus, as follows: (i) protibial apex bearing a row of spines, sometimes concealed by adjacent long setae; (ii) prosternum always biconcave, slightly tumid to carinate; (iii) elytra with both vestiture and punctation single; (iv) frontoclypeal ridge and anterior margin of pronotum in males usually emarginated at middle; (v) sutural fl ange of the elytral apex diverging near apex in most species (except in S. vicosensis sp. n.); (vi) ovipositor with gonostyli well-developed. Th e latter feature separates Strigocis from Sulcacis, in which the gonostyli, as far as the whole terminalia, are reduced (Lawrence and Lopes-Andrade 2010).