A taxonomic monograph of the Middle American leaf-litter inhabiting weevil genus Theognete Champion (Coleoptera: Curculionidae; Molytinae; Lymantini)

The formerly monobasic genus Theognete Champion is revised. The two syntypes of Theognete laevis Champion are found to represent two species, one of which is described as T. championi Anderson, new species. Another 92 new species are also recognized. The 94 known species are grouped into 8 informal species groups, based largely on the structure of the thoracic sterna. These are (numbers of species in group and distribution for each species in parentheses): Theognete araneiformis species group (6)—T. araneiformis Anderson, new species (México, Puebla); T. gracilis Anderson, new species (México, Hidalgo); T. azteca Anderson, new species (México, Veracruz); T. striatifemur Anderson, new species (México, Tamaulipas); T. kovariki Anderson, new species (México, Tamaulipas); T. tuberosa Anderson, new species (México, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí); Theognete laevis species group (4)—T. laevis Champion (México, Veracruz); T. championi Anderson, new species Guatemala (Quezaltenango, San Marcos); T. janzeni Anderson, new species México (Oaxaca); T. cozari Anderson, new species (México, Chiapas); Theognete denticulata species group (5)—T. denticulata Anderson, new species (México, Puebla); T. caviventris Anderson, new species (México, Hidalgo, Puebla, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí); T. thibodeaui Anderson, new species (México, Veracruz); T. fulgida Anderson, new species (México, Hidalgo, San Luis Potosí); T. stefurinoi Anderson, new species (México, Oaxaca); Theognete semistriata species group (5)—T. semistriata Anderson, new species (México,Guerrero); T. akros Anderson, new species (México, Oaxaca); T. semiopaca Anderson, new species (México, Oaxaca); T. humilis Anderson, new species (México, Oaxaca); T. elongata Anderson, new species (México, Oaxaca); Theognete bothynometopon species group (10)—T. bothynometopon Anderson, new species (México, Oaxaca); T. giselae Anderson, new species (México, Oaxaca); T. carinata Anderson, new species (México, Guerrero); T. genieri Anderson, new species (Guatemala, Quezaltenango); T. plumosa Anderson, new species (México, Oaxaca); T. birdi Anderson, new species (México, Oaxaca); T. ashei Anderson, new species (Honduras, Santa Barbara); T. pragudemi Anderson, new species (El Salvador, Santa Ana; Honduras, Lempira); T. jeanae Anderson, new species (El Salvador, Santa Ana, Chalatenango; Honduras, Lempira); T. chiapaneca Anderson, new species (México, Chiapas); Theognete tzotzil species group (36)—T. tzotzil Anderson, new species (México, Chiapas); T. ludvigseni Anderson, new species (México, Oaxaca); T. howdenorum Anderson, new species (México, Oaxaca); T. lutulenta Anderson, new species (México, Oaxaca); T. campbelli Anderson, new species (México, Chiapas); T. zapatista Anderson, new species (México, Chiapas); T. braunae Anderson, new species (Guatemala, Baja Verapaz); T. lapouimetorum Anderson, new species (Guatemala, Zacapa); T. schusteri Anderson, new species (Guatemala, Sacatepequez); T. peckorum Anderson, new species (México (Oaxaca); T. montana Anderson, new species México (Chiapas); T. scopulus Anderson, new species México, Chiapas); T. clavisetosa Anderson, new species (México, Chiapas); T. huitepec Anderson, new species (México, Chiapas); T. backorum Anderson, new species (México, Chiapas); T. confusa Anderson, new species (México, Chiapas); T. balli Anderson, new species (México, Chiapas); T. lalondei Anderson, new species (Guatemala, Totonicapan); T. schaubeli Anderson, new species (México, Chiapas); T. sylvatica Anderson, new species (México, Chiapas); T. hortenseae Anderson, new species (México, Chiapas); T. gaia Anderson, new species (México, Veracruz); T. echinata Anderson, new species (México, Tamaulipas); T. lalannei Anderson, new species (Honduras, Cortes, Ocotepeque; El Salvador, Santa Ana, Chaltenango); T. cavei Anderson, new species (Honduras, Olancho); T. trusterae Anderson, new species (Honduras, Lempira); T. coleadesi Anderson, new species (Honduras, Santa Bárbara); T. jonesi Anderson, new species (México, Chiapas); T. maturini Anderson, new species (Honduras, Santa Bárbara, Yoro); T. cortesi Anderson, new species (México, Chiapas); T. maziaki Anderson, new species (México, Chiapas); T. barringerorum Anderson, new species (México, Chiapas); T. evelynae Anderson, new species (México, Chiapas); T. illuviosa Anderson, new species (México, Chiapas); T. weadockae Anderson, new species (México, Chiapas); T. galvezi Anderson, new species (México, Chiapas); Theognete distenta species group (18)—T. distenta Anderson, new species (México, Hidalgo); T. kaulbarsi Anderson, new species (México, Veracruz); T. baranowskii Anderson, new species (México, Oaxaca); T. globosa Anderson, new species (México, Oaxaca); T. fossor Anderson, new species (México, Oaxaca); T. terrestris Anderson, new species (México, Oaxaca); T. lalibertei Anderson, new species (México, Oaxaca); T. dansereaui Anderson, new species (México, Oaxaca); T. desautelsi Anderson,6 · Zootaxa 2458 © 2010 Magnolia Pressnew species (México, Oaxaca); T. newtoni Anderson, new species (México, Puebla); T. weiri Anderson, new species (México, Oaxaca); T. romanoi Anderson, new species (México, Oaxaca); T. broadheadae Anderson, new species (México, Oaxaca); T. chauliothorax Anderson, new species (México, Hidalgo, San Luis Potosí); T. boaseae Anderson, new species (Honduras, Comayagua); T. corderoi Anderson, new species (Honduras, Comayagua); T. adarmstrongae Anderson, new species (México, Chiapas); T. laurentae, new species (México, Querétaro); Theognete hesmos species group (10)—T. hesmos Anderson, new species (México, Hidalgo); T. minuta Anderson, new species (México, Hidalgo); T. harbini Anderson, new species (México, Hidalgo); T. reprela Anderson, new species (México, Veracruz); T. michaudi Anderson, new species (México, México); T. lakarms Anderson, new species (México, Veracruz); T. tomneyeae Anderson, new species (México, Oaxaca); T. cristata Anderson, new species (México, Oaxaca); T. grimblyae Anderson, new species (México, Querétaro); T. draco Anderson, new species (México, Oaxaca). Species groups are characterized and taxonomic composition and general distribution and ecological correlates summarized. Diagnoses and distributions are given for all species and ecological information is presented where available. Local endemism is remarkable throughout the genus, nearly all species known from one or only a limited number of proximal localities. Individual distribution maps are not presented but .kmz data files for use with GoogleEarth® are presented as hot links under the distribution for each species group. Immature stages, life history and food habits are not known for any of the species, although the larvae are presumed to feed in dead wood, as do other members of Lymantini and related tribes. The species are distributed as follows: México (78), Honduras (10), Guatemala (6), El Salvador (3). This study represents the results of over 20 years of intensive leaf litter collections made in México and northern Middle America.