The rare genus Myoplatypus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Platypodinae): three new species, new reports, and first records for South America

We describe three new species of Myoplatypus Wood, 1993: from Peru, Myoplatypus petrovi Kirkendall new species; from Honduras, M. quadricornis Kirkendall new species; from Nicaragua (M. nicaraguensis Kirkendall new species). We transfer Platypus biprorus Blandford, 1896 and Platypus sicarius Wood, 1971 into Myoplatypus, and we synonymize Platypus querceus Wood, 1971 with M. biprorus. The net result of these actions is a genus comprising nine tropical and one temperate American species. Males of all species are illustrated by photographs and a key to all species is provided. The collections reported here include the first South American records of Myoplatypus, a genus hitherto known only from North and Central America. Most Myoplatypus species are known from just one or a few collections and none of the tropical species are very widespread; only five tropical species have any known hosts (Quercus [Fagaceae] for three of them). The paucity of specimens could be because of peculiarities of biology that lead to them being under-collected (such as restriction to high elevations), but it also could be that they are narrow endemics, in which case these pinhole borer species deserve conservation attention.

Automated summary

Three new species of Myoplatypus are described in this article, along with the transfer and synonymization of several other species. Male specimens of all species are illustrated, and a key to all species is provided. The discovery of these new species expands our knowledge of Myoplatypus, especially with the first records of the genus in South America. Due to their limited distribution and scarcity, conservation attention may be needed for these pinhole borer species.