Systematic revision and cladistic analysis of the neotropical genera Mitragenius Solier, Auladera Solier and Patagonogenius gen. n. (Coleoptera : Tenebrionidae)

The genera Mitragenius, Auladera and Patagonogenius gen. n. (Pimeliinae: Ny cteliini), distributed in Argentina and central Chile, are revised and a cl adistic analysis including 20 species is conducted. The cladistic sequence revealed that former Mitragenius is polyphyletic, requiring removal of seve n species to a new genus, described herein as Patagonogenius. Mitragenius c omprises nine species: M. tristis Kulzer, M. costatus Kulzer, M. araneiform is Curtis, M. coarcticollis Fairmaire, M. nudus Berg, M. hirtulus Kulzer, M . planicollis sp. n., M. obscuratus Pena and M. dejeanii Solier. Auladera i ncludes four species: A. crenicosta (Guerin), A. andicola (Lacordaire), A. rugicollis (Philippi & Philippi) stat, rev. and A. atronitens Kulzer. Patag onogenius comprises seven species: P. breviangulus (Kulzer) comb. n., P. ge ntilii (Pena) comb. n., P. quadricollis (Fairmaire) comb. n. (type species) , P. collaris (Kulzer) comb. n., P. acutangulus (Kulzer) comb. n., P. kulze ri (Marcuzzi) comb, n. and P. elegans (Pena) comb. n. Mitragenius pusillus Marcuzzi is synonymized with Patagonogenius collaris (Kulzer) and Auladera andicola rugicollis (Philippi & Philippi) is elevated to species status. Th e paper includes a cladogram, a discussion of the phylogeny of the three ge nera, redescriptions or descriptions of the three genera and of their 20 sp ecies, four dichotomous keys, habitus photographs, drawings of genitalic fe atures and distribution maps.