The Brachypterous Species of Passalus (Pertinax) (Coleoptera: Passalidae), with the Description of a New Species from Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia

Abstract

Brachypterism is a common condition cited in passalid beetles, mainly associated to species with strictly montane distributions. In the New World Passalids, brachypterism has been reported especially in the tribe Proculini, for which almost all genera have brachypterous species; meanwhile, in Passalini, the other Netropical tribe, it has been cited only for the genus Passalus, mainly in the subgenus Passalus (Passalus). Here we present a commented list of the brachypterous species of the subgenus Passalus (Pertinax); we redescribed Passalus gravelyi Moreira, P. quitensis (Kaup), P. striatissimus Luederwaldt, and P. sulcifrons (Kuwert) and describe a new species from Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia.

Keywords: Bess beetles; Brachypterism; Passalids; Taxonomy.