Styloleptus Dillon, 1956

Styloleptus Dillon, 1956: 158.

Remarks. According to Dillon (1956), the prosternal process in Styloleptus is “one-fourth to one-third as broad as a prosternal cavity.” In the original description of the genus, Dillon (1956) included the type species, Styloleptus biustus (LeConte, 1852), and Styloleptus minuens (Hamilton, 1896) (currently, = S. scurra (Chevrolat, 1862)). However, the narrowest area of the prosternal process in S. scurra is distinctly wider than one-third of the width of a procoxal cavity (see photograph in Devesa et al. 2019). Gilmour (1963a) included in Styloleptus: S. caymanensis (Fisher, 1948); S. lewisi (Fisher, 1948); S. parvulus (Gahan, 1895); S. thompsoni (Fisher, 1948); S. atrovittatus (Fisher, 1925); S. dozieri (Fisher, 1932); S. infuscatus (Fisher, 1932); S. laticollis (Fisher, 1925); S. maraicola (Fisher, 1942); S. pilosellus (Fisher, 1942); S. cubanus (Fisher, 1926) (described as L. biustus var. cubanus); S. scurra (Chevrolat, 1862); S. variabilis (Fisher, 1925); S. puertoricensis (Fisher, 1935); S. darlingtoni (Fisher, 1942); S. vanduzeei (Fisher, 1935); and S. planicollis (Fisher, 1935). Additionally, Gilmour (1963a) described S. nigrofasciatus and S. divisus, and described Antilleptostylus for A. nigricans (Fisher, 1935). Gilmour (1963b) described Caribbeana for C. hebes Gilmour, 1963. Many species included by Gilmour (1963a) are currently junior synonyms of other species of Styloleptus. Ivie (1985) synonymized Caribbeana with Styloleptus, and Micheli (2010) synonymized Antilleptostylus with Styloleptus. We agree with Micheli (2010), who reported that the width of the prosternal process cannot be used to define Styloleptus. In fact, it is distinctly wider than half the width of the procoxal cavity, at least in some species. Still, according to Dillon (1956): “Elytra densely punctate but punctures largely concealed by vestiture, with several prominent costae and usually with a number of fine elevated points or fine tubercles; basal gibbosity nearly wanting; apices obliquely truncate at suture.” However, the pubescence does not obscure the punctures in some species, at least on considerable areas of the elytra (e.g. S. posticalis (Gahan, 1895) and S. scurra); the elytral costae [carinae] are absent or nearly so in some species (e.g. S. lilliputanus (Thomson, 1865) and S. inermis (Fabricius, 1801)), and may or may not be distinct in the same species, as reported by Micheli (2010); and the small elytral tubercles (not the centrobasal crest) may be absent or nearly so (e.g. S. darlingtoni (Fisher, 1942)) —reported in the original description as “usually” present.

Dillon (1956) and Linsley & Chemsak (1995) described the sides of the prothorax respectively: “lateral tubercles broad, unarmed, imperceptibly [sic] merging with side margins anteriorly, strongly angularly rounded to the constricted base;” “sides with obtuse tumid tubercles just before basal impression.” Nonetheless, the posterior region of the lateral tubercles of the prothorax is distinctly angled in some species (e.g. S. atrovittatus and S. infuscatus), or even somewhat sinuous with a short, pointed apex (e.g. S. cubanus). Therefore, as in several genera of Acanthocinini, the current definitions are very fragile, and a comprehensive revision is needed to try to provide a reliable definition for Styloleptus. The new species described herein is tentatively included in Styloleptus due to its general similarity to other species currently included in it.