About the key

Liogenys Guérin-Méneville, the most speciose Neotropical Diplotaxini, occurs from Panama throughout most of South America to southern Argentina and Chile and comprises about 95 species (Cherman et al. 2019). During the taxonomic revision of this genus (2011-2019) 38 new species were found occurring throughout South America, out of which only 23 species (the Brazilian species) have been already published.

This key was built to solve the identification of this huge genus. Up to now, the key comprises only the Brazilian Liogenys species. Despite that, new articles are being prepared with new species of the entire genus, together with redescriptions and nomenclatural acts. The key is going to be updated after each new publication.

The current release (last version) of the key includes 49 Liogenys species, plus five terminals which correspond to the New World Diplotaxini genera: Diplotaxis Kirby, Homalochilus Blanchard, Pachrodema Blanchard, Pacuvia Curtis and Liogenys, according to Cherman et al. (2016) phylogeny. The genera were included firstly to help in distinguishing Liogenys from the other New World Diplotaxini, but also has a long-term goal, which is to include non-Liogenys species of Diplotaxini. The key is based on adults, males and females, and primary types were studied for all the species.

References

The key data-base was first-time released in Cherman MA, Mise KM, Morón MA, Vaz-de-Mello FZ, Almeida LM (2017) A taxonomic revision of Liogenys occurring in Brazil with an interactive key and remarks on New World Diplotaxini (Coleoptera, Melolonthidae). ZooKeys 699: 1-120. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.699.12031.

The second release is linked to Cherman, MA, Basilio, DS, Mise KM, Almeida LM (2019) Unraveling the puzzle of Liogenys biodiversity: fifteen new species, nomenclatural acts and new geographical records (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Insect Systematics & Evolution. 1-69 https://doi.org/10.1163/1876312X-00001040. The supplemental material contains a Changelog document (.txt) with all the modifications made from the first release.

Phylogeny of Diplotaxini at: Cherman, MA, Morón, MA and Almeida, LM. (2016), Phylogenetic relationships within Diplotaxini Kirby (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae: Melolonthinae) with emphasis on Liogenys Guérin‐Méneville. Systematic Entomology, 41: 744-770. doi:10.1111/syen.12188. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/syen.12188