SOCOTRAPHANES - A NEW ENDEMIC GENUS OF DARKLING BEETLES (COLEOPTERA: TENEBRIONIDAE) FROM SOCOTRA ISLAND

A new tenebrionid genus Socotraphanes gen. nov. and two new species S. krali sp. nov. and S. dementor sp. nov. (Tenebrionidae: Helopini) are described from Socotra Island (Yemen). The genus differs from all Old World Helopini by hidden frontoclypeo-labral membrane, which originates under the inner side (not from the anterior edge) of frontoclypeus. The same character is known only within xeromorphic species of American Helops Fabricius, 1775 and Neohelops Dajoz, 2001. Socotraphanes gen. nov. belongs to the subtribe Helopina based on the structure of male genitalia and can be compared with the genus Neohelops (USA, Texas), with which it shares hidden frontoclypeo-labral membrane, not expressed vertical edge at elytral base and very short metaventrite, but it differs from Neohelops by the absence of large teeth on mesocoxae and absence of deep strial fovea. Both species of the new genus have 'helopioid' structure of female genital tubes with multiply branched spermatheca, weakly sclerotized apical part of vagina and unusual short accessory gland, which flows to the apical part of vagina through the short and wide one-way valve.