A contribution to the genera Plectonotum Gorham and Hyponotum Wittmer, with the description of sixteen new species from Peru (Coleoptera, Cantharidae)

. Sixteen species of Peruvian Dysmorphocerinae (Cantharidae) are described as new (regions in parenthesis): Hyponotum macrocephalum sp. nov. (Huanuco); H. succhabamba sp. nov. (Cajamarca); Plectonotum altomayo sp. nov. (Amazonas); P. amazonas sp. nov. (Amazonas); P. bicoloricolle sp. nov. (Huanuco); P. carpish sp. nov. (Huanuco); P. celendin sp. nov. (Cajamarca); P. costae sp. nov. (Cajamarca); P. huariaca sp. nov. (Pasco and Huanuco); P. huascaran sp. nov. (Ancash); P. huertoae sp. nov. (Cajamarca); P. leymebamba sp. nov. (Amazonas); P. luteipes sp. nov. (Amazonas); P. oxapampa sp. nov. (Pasco); P. rubrithorax sp. nov. (Huanuco); P. shipasbamba sp. nov. (Amazonas). A lectotype is designated for Plectonotum longissimum (Pic, 1927) for which a redescription is provided. Plectonotum ruficolle Wittmer, 1988, homonym of Plectonotum ruficolle Pic, 1926, is renamed as Plectonotum neoruficolle nom. nov. New keys are proposed in English and Spanish for the identification of the Peruvian species of the genus Plectonotum and the South American species of the genus Hyponotum Wittmer, together with macrophotographs of habitus, of pronotum, their


INTRODUCTION
The subfamily Dysmorphocerinae (Cantharidae) was introduced by Brancucci (1980) based, among other characters, on the mandibles apically toothed, the last maxillary palpomere usually not pointed, the male sternite IX visible and elongate and a peculiar genital morphology. The subfamily encompasses genera distributed in Neotropical region and also in southern Africa, Australia (including Tasmania), New Guinea and New Zealand. With about 250 known species, it remains a relative small group. A key to distinguish the Neotropical genera of the subfamily Dysmorphocerinae was given in a previous publication (Constantin, 2008).
Besides the initial descriptions by Gorham (1885Gorham ( , 1891 and some laconic others by Pic, most of the taxonomic work was produced by Wittmer, illustrated with meaningful drawings. In South America, the genus Plectonotum Gorham is the most species-rich, with nearly fifty valid species. A previous contribution to the Plectonotum of Ecuador revealed an important number of new species in the Andes mountains (Constantin, 2008(Constantin, , 2010. Similarly, new survey works in Peru brought to light fourteen new species of Plectonotum, here described. Besides, two new species of Hyponotum Wittmer were discovered in north Peru. The genus was previously known only from Chile, south of Santiago, and in Argentina southern Andes. Given the large number of isolated descriptions, a key to the South American species of the genus Hyponotum is herein proposed.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
The first specimens examined were collected during personal fieldworks. Comparison with type material and other specimens preserved in the museum of Paris (MNHN, collection of Maurice Pic), the museum of Basel (NHMB, collection of Walter Wittmer, including the collection of Richard Hicker) allowed to re-check most of the specific characters and to confirm several species as new to science. Additional specimens were borrowed from the museum of Lima (MUSM). Photographs of habitus were obtained with a digital reflex camera adapted on a Leica stereomicroscope MZ12.5 and the focus stacks assembled with Helicon Focus software. Microphotographs of genitalia (glued on the tip of pointed board) were taken with a compound microscope utilising a 10× ob-ISSN On-Line: 1807-0205 ISSN Printed: 0031-1049 ISNI: 0000-0004-0384-1825 -Lateral margins of the pronotum slightly rounded and convergent (Fig. 24). Pronotal bead apically narrow, basally wider. Males: antennae shorter than the elytra. Head 19. Pronotal disc convex, microreticulate, thinly and densely punctate (Fig. 41) Differential diagnosis: Plectonotum amazonas sp. nov., is similar to P. huascaran sp. nov., by habitus, colour pattern and pronotal shape. It differs from the latter in the bigger size, the strong pronotal punctations, the less regularly seriate elytral punctation and the aedeagus.
Etymology: Specific epithet is related to the regional name of the type locality. Noun in apposition. Description: Holotype. Length 3.9 mm. Head, prothorax, elytra, abdomen, antennae and legs black. Mandibles brownish yellow. Head 0.77 times as wide as the pronotum. Clypeus feebly prominent, rounded. Eyes short, bulging, the interocular space 0.62 times as wide as the head. Frons concave between the antennal sockets, flat behind with two small oblique ridges. Cephalic surface smooth, strongly punctate, the punctations as wide as the intervals, with yellowish setae. Antennae 0.8 times as long as the body, the antennomeres subparallel sided, alutaceous, covered with short erected brownish setae. Pronotum ( Fig. 25) 1.5 times wider than long, slightly transversally convex. Front edge arched and raised; basal edges weakly arched, bordered by a shallow groove; lateral edges straight, converging frontwards with a long, narrow bead and a small emargination in front of the obtuse angled basal corners. Pronotal surface smooth, strongly punctate, the punctations twice as wide as the intervals, covered with rather long yellowish setae. Elytra 3 times longer than their combined width at the base, not costate, with a subseriate punctation, with punctations twice wider than the intervals, seriately disposed on the four internal lines, more irregular externally, covered with long yellowish setae obliquely backwards directed. Abdomen: Tergite IX with apical edge triangular, thinly incised in the middle; sternite IX wider than long, the apical edge triangularly arched. Aedeagus: tegmen with apex of the lateral lobes with convex internal callus, apically rounded and covered with long bristles; apico-ventral apophyses narrow and recurved; lateral sclerites narrow with sharp tooth at mid-length; tip of the median lobe with a narrow triangular projection. than long, transversally convex. Front edge arched, rear edge angular, lateral edge rounded with a narrow bead and a small emargination in front of the basal corners. Pronotal surface shiny, thinly punctate, with punctations 1.5 times smaller than intervals. Elytra 2.7 times longer than combined width at the base, markedly and irregularly punctate, covered with long, thin, recumbent yellow setae. Aedeagus: tegmen with lateral lobes strongly reduced and notched posteriorly, dorsally extended; the pair of apico-ventral apophyses dorsally recurved as also the long lateral sclerites; median lobe broad and short.  Description: Holotype. Length 3.8 mm. Head, pronotum and elytra brown, the lateral margins and the basal edge of pronotum brownish yellow. Antennae brown, the first two antenomeres yellow. Legs brownish yellow. Abdomen brown. Head 0.77 times as wide as pronotum, the clypeus short and rounded. Eyes short, strongly convex, bulging, the interocular space greater than half the width of the head. Frons slightly depressed behind the antennal sockets, flattened between the eyes. Temples strongly narrowing backwards. Cephalic surface smooth, without visible punctation and sparse adpressed thin yellowish setae. Antennae nearly as long as the body, the first two antennomeres smooth, the following parallel sided, slightly warty, covered with brown setae. Pronotum 1.64 times wider than long, transversally convex. Front edge right, rear edge feebly arched, lateral edge straight and narrowing frontwards with a narrow bead and a small emargination in front of the obtuse basal corners. Pronotal surface shiny, thinly punctate and shallowly wrinkled. Elytra 3.1 times longer than combined width at the base, markedly and irregularly punctate with transverse wrinkles, covered with dense, long (0.1-0.13 mm), recumbent yellow setae. Tarsi elongate, the metatarsus as long as the three-quarters of metatibia, the first tarsomere as long as the three following together. Sternite VIII long, apically rounded. Aedeagus: tegmen with lateral lobes reduced and notched posteriorly, the apico-ventral apophysis ventrally recurved; lateral sclerites and median lobe narrow. Differential diagnosis: Plectonotum carpish sp. nov., is similar to the south Ecuadorian species P. incisum Constantin, 2008 by the habitus, colour pattern and pronotal shape. It differs from the latter in the smaller size, the pronotum narrowing frontward and the aedeagus shape.

Dimensions
Etymology: Specific epithet is related to the name of the Carpish pass, a remarkable hotspot of biodiversity between Huanuco and Tingo Maria. Noun in apposition.
Natural history: Collected beating the foliage of the trees, mainly large Asteraceae, along the ancient road. Description: Holotype ♂. Length 3.0 mm. Head, prothorax, elytra and abdomen black. Antennae dark brown, the first two antennomeres reddish brown. Legs brown, the basal half of femora and the apical half of tibiae rufous. Head 0.75 times as wide as the pronotum, the clypeus protruding and medially notched. Eyes rather short, bulging, the interocular space 0.64 times as wide as the head. Frons flattened between the eyes. Temples short, narrowing backwards. Cephalic surface bright, thinly punctate, with yellowish setae. Antennae three quarters as long as the body, the first two antennomeres smooth, the following slightly triangular, dull, covered with short rufous setae. Pronotum 1.5 times wider than long, strongly convex, considerably wider at mid-length than both elytra. Front border arched, lined by a concave margin with a raised edge, rear edge feebly bi-sinuate, lateral edge convex with a long shiny bead and a short emargination in front of the obtuse basal corners. Pronotal surface shiny, strongly punctate, with punctations as wide as the intervals. Elytra 2.6 times longer than combined width at the base, strongly and irregularly punctate, covered with long, thin, recumbent pale-yellow setae. Aedeagus: teg-men with apico-ventral edge of the lateral lobes without median apophysis; apex of the lateral lobes short, triangular, the rear face with two brush-like groups of short setae; median lobe dorsally recurved, apically broad and notched; lateral sclerites broad, with rounded tips. Differential diagnosis: Plectonotum celendin sp. nov., is similar to P. altomayo sp. nov., by the pronotal bead and elytral punctation. It differs from the latter in the smaller size, the wider pronotum, the irregularly aligned elytral punctations and the aedeagus with lateral lobes apically pubescent.

Dimensions
Etymology: Specific epithet is related to the provincial name of a remarkable station between Celendin and Leymebamba. Noun in apposition. Description: Holotype. Length 3.7 mm. Head, pronotum and elytra black. Antennae black, the ventral face of the second antennomere orange-yellow. Legs black, the apical half of tibiae and tarsi brown. Abdomen brown. Head 0.77 times as wide as pronotum, the clypeus feebly arched. Eyes short, bulging, the interocular space 0.66 times as wide as the head. Frons feebly convex between the eyes. Temples short and convex. Cephalic surface smooth, markedly punctate, with thin whitish setae. Antennae shorter than the body, the first antennomere smooth, the following parallel sided, slightly dull, covered with thin fulvous setae. Pronotum 1.5 times wider than long, longitudinally and transversally convex. Front edge feebly arched; front corners bevelled; lateral edge rounded with a convex bead, wider at mid-length and narrowing frontwards and backwards and a notch in front of the basal corners; basal edge feebly bi-sinuous, strongly punctate. Pronotal surface shiny, strongly punctate on the disc, more thinly near the sides with punctations 0.66 times as wide as intervals. Elytra 2.55 times longer than combined width at the base, markedly punctate, the punctations irregularly seriate, covered with long, thin, recumbent whitish setae. Aedeagus: tegmen with apico-ventral edges reduced and extended dorsally by a long, slender apophysis; lateral sclerites with a long tooth at mid-length, their tips folded ventrally; median lobe with thin tip. Differential diagnosis: Plectonotum costae sp. nov., is similar to P. amazonas sp. nov., by the size and body colour, but differs in the lateral bead, convex and dilated in its centre, the shorter antennae and the aedeagus with the latero-apical parts of tegmen projecting dorsally, and a slender and acute apophysis.

Dimensions
Etymology: Respectfully dedicated to honor Doutora Cleide Costa, prominent specialist of the immatures and adults of the Coleoptera Elateroidea, and also for her major investment in the training of a new generation of entomologists.  (Gemminger).
Differential diagnosis: Plectonotum huariaca sp. nov., is similar to the Ecuadorian species P. nigricorne Constantin, 2008 by the habitus, colour pattern and pronotal shape. It differs from the latter in the shape of the aedeagus and the peculiar apterism of the females.

Etymology:
The specific epithet is the locality name, which could mean "locality with warm air", or as a homage to the General Inca Inti-Waraca. Noun in apposition. Description: Holotype. Length 3.2 mm. Head, pronotum and elytra black. Antennae black, the ventral face of the first two antennomeres brownish yellow. Mandibles yellow with brown tip. Abdomen brown. Head 0.76 times as wide as pronotum. Eyes small, bulging. Frons concave between the antennal sockets, flat behind, the vertex slightly convex. Temples as long as the eyes, slightly convex. Cephalic surface smooth, thinly punctate, covered with thin yellowish setae, directed toward the base of the eyes. Antennae slender, the first antennomere elongate, two and a quarter times longer than wide, II short, III slightly wider apically and two and a half times longer than wide, the following subparallel sided. Pronotum 1.37 times wider than long. Apical and basal edges weakly arched, both thinly bordered, lateral edges straight in the middle part with a narrow bead, apical corner obliquely bevelled, basal corner shortly right angled. Disc convex, bright, markedly punctate, covered with recumbent yellowish setae. Elytra 2.6 times longer than their combined width at the base and 0.9 times as wide as pronotum, not costate, roughly punctated, the punctation twice wider than their intervals, seriately disposed on the basal half, more irregularly apically, covered with thin whitish setae, obliquely directed backwards. Elytral apices rounded continuously together with the lateral margin. Legs simple, tarsi rather elongate, the metatarsi as long as the two thirds of metatibiae, the claws thin, without basal denticles. Abdominal sternite VIII wide and triangular, the apical edge arched and truncate. Aedeagus: tegmen 2.6 times longer than wide, apices of lateral lobes broadly rounded, apico-ventral apophysis thin, narrow; lateral sclerites triangular-shaped, narrow; median lobe short, with recurved tip. Paratypes ♀: Differ from the males by the smaller eyes, shorter antennae, pronotum more strongly narrowed towards the apex, and elytra 1.36 times broader apically than basally. Sternite VIII short and wide, the apical edge deeply incised in the middle. Dimensions of a medium sized specimen ♀. TL = 3.5 mm; AL = 2.2 mm; HW = 0.7 mm; IOW = 0.49 mm; OL = 0.18 mm; IAW = 0.21 mm; PL = 0.68 mm; PW = 1.08 mm; EL = 2.6 mm; EW = 0.98 mm. Paratypes ♀: length 3.1-4.1 mm, mean 3.5 mm.

Dimensions
Differential diagnosis: Plectonotum huascaran sp. nov., resembles to the Ecuadorian species P. nigricorne Constantin, 2008, and P. huariaca sp. nov., by the habitus, colour pattern and pronotal shape. It differs from the latter by the bigger size, the more seriate elytral punctation, the the characters of the aedeagus, and the females with fully developed wings.
Etymology: Specific epithet is related to the name of the National Park Huascaran on the Cordillera Blanca. Noun in apposition.
Natural history: Collected beating the foliage of the trees along the access road to the mountains lakes.
Plectonotum huertoae sp. nov. (Figs. 10, 33, 65-66, 102, 119 Temples short and right. Cephalic surface shiny, strongly punctate, the punctation one and a half as wide as the intervals, with sparse yellowish setae. Pronotum 1.42 times wider than long, thinly bordered all around, the lateral sides with a convex, narrow bead, the apical corners shortly bevelled and concave, the basal corners obtuse angled, not protruding. Pronotal surface irregular, shiny, strongly punctate on the disc and smaller punctations on the sides. Elytra distinctly elongate, 3.4 times longer than wide basally, with trace of a single narrow costa, strongly and irregularly punctate, the punctations shallowly wrinkled, as wide as three times their intervals. Sternite VIII densely micropunctate, elongate and apically rounded. Aedeagus: tegmen with apices of lateral lobes strongly emarginated, apical angles laterally as long as wide; lateral sclerites apically wide with a preapical denticle. Differential diagnosis: Plectonotum huertoae sp. nov., is similar to the Peruvian species P. longissimum (Pic, 1927) by the elongate elytra, and differs of the latter by the smaller size, shiny surface, stronger and less dense pronotal punctation, and different aedeagus shape. Description: Holotype. Length 4.0 mm. Head black, the clypeus and the genae orange yellow in front of the antennal sockets. Antennae black, the first two antennomeres with orange yellow ventral side. Mandibles yellow. Labial and maxillary palpi black, their first joint yellow. Prothorax, elytra, abdomen and legs black. Head 0.76 times as wide as pronotum, the clypeus triangularly protruding. Eyes developed, bulging, the interocular space 0.6 times as wide as the head. Frons broad, flattened between the eyes with a median longitudinal depression and two small oblique bumps behind the antennal sockets. Temples short, narrowing backwards. Cephalic surface smooth, very thinly punctate, with thin whitish setae. Antennae 0.8 times as long as the body, the first two antennomeres smooth, the following parallel sided, dull, covered with erected brownish setae. Pronotum 1.47 times wider than long, feebly transversally convex. Front edge slightly arched, rear edge angular, lateral edge moderately narrowing frontwards, rounded with a long narrow bead and a short emargination in front of the basal corners. Pronotal surface shiny, thinly punctate, the punctations twice smaller than the intervals. Elytra 2.8 times longer than combined width at the base, the punctations shallow, rugulose and irregularly disposed, covered with long, thin, obliquely erected pale yellow setae. Aedeagus: tegmen with apex of the lateral lobes parallel sided in dorsal view, forming a rectangular lamina with dense and very long apical setae in lateral view; apico-ventral apophysis slender, their tips with a minute hook; lateral sclerites narrow, straight, the tooth at mid-length minute; median lobe with a narrow styliform projection.

Variability:
The two female paratypes have yellow genae and reddish-brown clypeus.
Differential diagnosis: Plectonotum leymebamba sp. nov., resembles P. oxapampa sp. nov., and P. bicoloricolle sp. nov., by the pronotal bead. It differs from these two other species by the mostly black colour pattern, thicker antennae, subseriate elytral punctation and the aedeagus shape.
Etymology: Specific name refers to Leymebamba village, close to the type-locality. Noun in apposition.  Constantin, R.: The genera Plectonotum and Hyponotum from Peru (Coleoptera, Cantharidae) Pap. Avulsos Zool., 2020;v.60.special-issue: e202060(s.i.).34 15/27 pressed on the midline and with two oblique ridges behind the antennal sockets. Mandibles slender, with short apical denticle and slightly crenulate inner edge. Temples short, strongly narrowing backwards. Cephalic surface smooth, feebly shiny, thinly punctate, with recumbent yellowish setae. Antennae as long as the body, the first two antennomeres smooth, the following parallel sided, covered with semi-erected brown setae. Pronotum 1.5 times wider than long, transversally convex with a small discal depression. Front edge straight, rear edge feebly arched, lateral edge slightly converging towards the front with a short shiny bead and an emargination in front of the rectangular basal corners. Pronotal surface shiny, thinly punctate, the punctation 1.5 times smaller than the intervals. Elytra 3 times longer than combined width at the base, markedly rugulose punctate, covered with long, recumbent yellow setae. Abdomen with tergite IX apically triangular and medially notched; sternite IX as long as wide, the apical edge rounded. Aedeagus: tegmen with the apex of the lateral lobes bearing many long setae on posterior side; apico-ventral apophysis dorsally recurved as also the long lateral sclerites; lateral sclerites slender, with an obtuse tooth at mid-length, ventrally recurved at their tip; median lobe tapered. Differential diagnosis: Plectonotum luteipes sp. nov., is similar to P. inca Wittmer, 1988, by the similar habitus, colour pattern and pronotal shape. It differs from the latter by the longer pronotal bead, the darker legs and the different aedeagus shape.

Etymology:
The specific epithet refers to the peculiar colour pattern of the legs.
Natural history: Collected beating flowering shrubs of the steep slopes.
Plectonotum oxapampa sp. nov. (Figs. 17, 40, 79-80, 109, 119 Description: Holotype. Length 3.5 mm. Head yellow in front of the base of the antennal sockets, black behind. Pronotum, elytra and abdomen black. Pro-, meso-and metasternum yellow. Antennae black, the ventral face of the first three antennomeres yellow. Maxillary palpi brown, the first joint yellow. Legs yellow, the apex of protibiae, the apical half of mesotibiae, the apical two thirds of metatibiae and the tarsi brown. Head 0.83 times as wide as pronotum, short. Clypeus not protruding. Eyes developed, convex, bulging. Frons concave between the antennal sockets, slightly elevated just behind. Temples straight, short. Cephalic surface bright, thinly punctate on the frons and the vertex, not punctate near the eyes, with a pubescence of thin yellow setae. Antennae as long as the body, the first two antennomeres smooth, the following parallel sided, feebly warty, with brown setae. Pronotum 1.37 times wider than long, feebly convex transversally. Front edge right, rear edge arched and laterally sinuous, lateral edge rounded with the front margin, the bead long and narrow. Pronotal surface shiny, slightly bumped at the base, the punctation thin, sparse, the punctations twice smaller than the interval. Elytra 2.9 times longer than combined width at the base, the punctation rugulose, irregularly disposed and wrinkled, covered with long yellow setae. Aedeagus: tegmen short, with apico-ventral apophysis short and a pair of additional internal foliaceous lamellae; lateral sclerites basally broad and dorsally recurved; median lobe thick and short. Differential diagnosis: Plectonotum oxapampa sp. nov., is similar to P. inca Wittmer, 1988. It differs from the latter in the singular colour scheme of the head, and the peculiar appendages of the male tegmen.

Etymology:
The specific epithet is related to the provincial name of the type locality. Noun in apposition. Description: Holotype. Length 3.5 mm. Head black, the clypeus yellow. Pronotum orange yellow. Elytra chocolate-brown. Antennae black, the first two antennomeres yellow, the third brownish yellow. Legs orange yellow, the apical half of tibiae and the tarsi brown. Abdomen brown. Head 0.86 times as wide as pronotum, short, the clypeus not protruding. Eyes remarkably developed, broad, bulging, the interocular space only as wide as one third of head width. Frons concave between the antennal sockets. Temples short. Cephalic surface smooth, not punctate, with sparse thin yellowish setae. Antennae longer than the body, the first two antennomeres smooth, the second very minute, the following parallel sided, warty, bearing numerous erect brown setae as long as antennomere width. Pronotum 1.6 times wider than long, with angular apical edge, arched and laterally sinuous basal edge, the lateral edge with a narrow bead and an emargination in front of the basal corners. Pronotal surface shiny, without visible punctation. Elytra 2.4 times longer than combined width at the base, very thinly punctate, irregularly disposed, covered with long, thin, yellow setae. Aedeagus: tegmen with apices of lateral lobes straight and dorsally emarginated; lateral sclerites long and slender; median lobe very short. Differential diagnosis: Plectonotum rubrithorax sp. nov., is similar to the Peruvian species P. neoruficolle nom. nov., by the similar habitus and colour pattern. It differs from the latter by the concave frons, broader eyes, longer antennae, narrower pronotal bead and aedeagus shape.

Etymology:
The specific epithet refers to the peculiar pronotal colouration.
Natural history: Collected beating shrubs and trees on the edge of a small wood.
Plectonotum shipasbamba sp. nov. (Figs. 20, 43, 85-86, 112, 119 Description: Holotype. Length 4.0 mm. Head black, the clypeus, genae and frons to the middle of the antennal sockets bright yellow. Prothorax, elytra, abdomen and legs black. Antennae black, the first two antennomeres rufous with orange yellow ventral side. Head 0.8 times as wide as pronotum, the clypeus triangularly extended. Eyes developed, bulging, the interocular space 0.58 times as wide as the head. Frons broad, flattened between the eyes with a shallow median longitudinal depression and two short oblique bumps behind the antennal sockets. Temples short, narrowing backwards. Cephalic surface smooth, densely punctate, the punctation as wide as the intervals, covered with thin pale yellowish setae. Antennae 0.82 times as long as the body, the first two antennomeres markedly punctate, the following parallel sided, dull, covered with fulvous setae. Pronotum 1.5 times wider than long, feebly longitudinally and transversally convex. Front edge slightly arched; lateral edge convex, narrowing frontwards, rounded with a bead constricted apically and a short emargination in front of the basal corners. Pronotal surface shiny, densely and distinctly punctate, the punctations slightly smaller than the intervals. Elytra 2.7 times longer than combined width at the base, the punctations strong and disposed along subregular series, irregularly disposed on the apical quarter. Elytral pubescence of long, thin, obliquely erected pale-yellow setae. Aedeagus: tegmen with apex of the lateral lobes convergent in dorsal view, forming a rhomboidal lamina with apical setae in lateral view; apico-ventral apophysis slender, with long tapered tips; lateral sclerites short, with a raised tooth at mid-length; median lobe with a narrow styliform projection.   Pap. Avulsos Zool., 2020;v.60.special-issue: e202060(s.i.). 34 19/27 marked and disposed in subregular series except on the apex, and pronotal lateral edges regularly convex.

Etymology:
The specific name refers to Shipasbamba village, close to the type-locality. Noun in apposition.
Natural history: Collected beating tree foliage on the hedge of an earth road to an ancient mine.

The genus Hyponotum Wittmer, 1949
The genus Hyponotum Wittmer, 1949 was erected as distinct from the genus Plectonotum in the reduced or absent pronotal bead, and in the simple pygidium, without apico-lateral protuberances. Wittmer designated Plectonotum albocinctum Pic, 1926 as the type species of Hyponotum, transferred P. grandicolle Pic, 1928, P. ruficolle Pic, 1926, P. violaceipenne Pic, 1928, and P. kuscheli Wittmer, 1945 to Hyponotum and described Hyponotum mimicum. Later Wittmer (1950Wittmer ( , 1951Wittmer ( , 1957 described eight new species belonging to this genus and transferred others from Plectonotum. Currently, it includes 21 species (Delkeskamp, 1977;. The genus has never benefited from any revision. The following key is a first attempt toward an identification key, based on types and other material preserved in the collections of Wittmer (NHMB), Pic (MNHN) and some personal ones.
This genus is not really homogeneous and the species can be separated into informal groups when a particular character is considered: a first group of species, already recognized by Wittmer, includes three species with a rough head surface, with wide areolar punctation; a group with a smooth and raised periphery of the pronotum; a group with modifications of the antennomeres of the males; other species with a lateral bead of the pronotum reduced to a small tuberosity of the anterior angles or without any bead. The distribution of this genus was known only from Chile and Argentina. Recent surveys bring to light two new species from central and north Peru, described below.
Howden/ Holotypus/ Plectonotum howdeni Wittmer, det. W. Wittmer". The locality can be placed in Loreto department, ca. 03°54′S, 70°31′W. This single specimen was dissected and illustrated in the original publication. Antennae are missing beyond the two first antennomeres.
Further illustration is presented here, after cleaning and re-mounting. Frons feebly depressed between the eyes, with two small shallow oblique retro-antennal dimples. Cephalic surface dull, with marked punctation, the punctation as wide as their intervals, covered with thin yellowish, sparse setae. Temples short, narrowed basally. Antennae slender, longer than four fifths of body length. Pronotum 1.33 times wider than long. Anterior edge right, basal edge weakly arched, side edges rounded, more narrowing anteriorly than posteriorly, front and rear angles obtuse. Disc wide, moderately convex, separated from the border by a marked furrow with about fifty deep punctations. Lateral borders basally wider and more explanate than the front and rear borders. Elytra 2.55 times longer than their combined width at the base, not costate, subseriately and strongly punctate, the punctations twice wider than their intervals, covered with sparse, long (0.1 mm), stiff, yellowish setae, obliquely backwards directed. Legs simple, tarsi rather elongate, the metatarsi about three quarters of metatibial length, the claws thin, without basal denticles. Abdominal sternite VIII subquadrate, the apical edge truncate, laterally rounded. Aedeagus: tegmen elongate, apically wider, the apico-ventral edge with two long, narrow processes. Lateral sclerites slender, not denticulate. Median lobe with narrow tip.
Differential diagnosis: Hyponotum succhabamba sp. nov., is similar to the Chilean H. philippii Gemminger, 1870 by the size and body colour pattern and differs from the latter by the subseriately and coarsely punctate elytra, covered with semi-erected, either short or long, whitish setae and by the pronotal margins entirely furrowed.

General remarks
The discovery of several new species within the genus Plectonotum in Peru confirms a high diversity expect-ed for the genus, similarly to that observed in Ecuador. Besides the common variability of genital traits within the family Cantharidae, a striking character is the variation of the lateral beads of the pronotum, mostly identical in both sexes and very feebly variable within the members of a population and, on the contrary, showing subtle variation in shape through Andean localities.
One group of species includes Plectonotum howdeni Wittmer and P. neoruficolle nom. nov., both with broad pronotal bead, and is recorded in low altitude Amazonian region and with relatively wide distribution. A second species group comprises many Plectonotum species with narrow pronotal bead, occurring in the Andes of north Peru, especially around Cajamarca where each station revealed a different species.
These beetles live among the low humid vegetation and may be collected by beating the herbaceous vegetation or the lower branches of shrubs on the beating tray in shadowed places. Though this paper significantly increases the number of species, the Plectonotum of Peru are still feebly sampled and many other species are expected from further sampling efforts. The discovery of two species of the genus Hyponotum in northern and central Peru highlights a gap in their distribution, as the many species in Chile are hardly known further north than Santiago de Chile. Further surveys will help to better define the distribution of those two genera.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank Thierry Deuve, Azadeh Taghavian, of the Muséum national d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris; Matthias Borer, Eva Sprecher-Uebersax, Isabelle Zürcher of the Naturhistorisches Museum, Basel; Diana Silva, Mabel Alvarado, Luis Figueroa of the Museo de Historia Natural de la Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima (MUSM), for the large access to the collections under their care and for the loan of type material and other specimens. Special thanks are due to the whole staff of the MUSM for various help to museum access, permits applications and advice for field researches. Also to Leonard Huamán Cuespán of Tingo Maria, for assistance to survey work. Fieldwork was conducted with Peru research permit № 0122-2017-DGGSPFFS. I am indebted to my colleagues Gabriel Biffi and Michael Geiser for their critical readings and suggestions that significantly improved on the original text of the manuscript.