Status of Securiops.

Kaltenbach et al. (2023) treated Securiops as a genus but not as a subgenus, reporting the following its characters as generic ones: ́(1) labium with strongly reduced glossae, enlarged paraglossae, and very broad, hatchet-like palps; (2) tergalii I–IV with two lamellae; (3) legs elongate, with relatively few short setae on dorsal and ventral margins; (4) claws very elongate, without denticles; and (5) lateral margins of posterior abdominal segments with sharp spines». Actually, only the first of these characters constitutes autapomorphy of the subgenus Securiops, while the characters (2)–(5) are diagnostic for the taxon Cloeon /fg1, to which the subgenus Securiops belongs. The regular lateral row of greatly enlarged spines on distal part of cercus (Figs 71–72, 105, 124–125) is the most important diagnostic character of Procloeon s. l., to which the subgenus Securiops belongs.

Distribution. Paleotropical (Afrotropical and Oriental Regions).

Species composition. Afrotropical species: Procloeon (Securiops) falcatum (Crass 1947) comb. n.; P. (S.) macafertiorum (Lugo-Ortiz in Lugo-Ortiz & McCafferty 1996); P. (S.) mandrare (Jacobus, McCafferty & Gattolliat 2006) comb. n.; P. (S.) megapalpus (Jacobus, McCafferty & Gattolliat 2006) comb. n.; P. (S.) mutadens (Jacobus, McCafferty & Gattolliat 2006) comb. n.. Oriental species: Procloeon (Securiops) primasia (Kaltenbach et al. 2023) comb. n.

Key to larvae (the number in parentheses refers to the antithesis)

1(4) Hind protoptera present (Figs 29, 67) (can be poorly visible, since cuticle of hind protopteron is colorless)............... 2

2(3) Abdominal terga IV–X with numerous scales (Figs 55–56); terga IV and VII without medial longitudinal stripe (Fig. 26)........................................................................................... P. (S.) falcatum

3(2) All abdominal terga without scales, with numerous denticles (Fig. 74); terga IV–V and VII–IX with contrasting medial longitudinal stripe on light background (Figs 66, 69)........................................ P. (S.) macafertiorum

4(1) Hind protoptera absent (Fig. 108, 111) or represented by short vestiges (Fig. 102).

5(6) Spines on lateral side of cercus sharply differentiated: in proximal portion of cercus all spines stout, conic and not longer than next cercomere; in distal portion of cercus all spines delicate, widened from base, as long as 2–3 next cercomeres (Figs 124–125). Tergalii with apex stretched and pointed, resembling linden leaf (Figs 18–24)................. P. (S.) primasia

6(5) Spines on lateral side of cercus gradually change from shorter in proximal part of cercus to longer in its distal part (Fig. 105). Tergalii with apex rounded (Gillies 1988: figs 14–19)..................................................................................................... P. (S.) mutadens; possibly, also (S.) mandrare and P. (S.) megapalpus.