Heterothops
Stephens, 1829
Heterothops is a of () historically used as a polyphyletic 'taxonomic wastebasket' for in the subtribe Amblyopinina. Recent revisionary work has removed many species to other genera, leaving a smaller, more narrowly defined group of Nearctic and Neotropical species. The genus now represents a distinct lineage that also includes the related genera Ctenandropus and Amazonothops. Species occur in both extant faunas and as fossils in Dominican amber.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Heterothops: /ˌhɛtəˈroʊθɒps/
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Identification
Heterothops can be distinguished from the related Chiquiticus by: subconical with both ridge and postgenal ridge (Chiquiticus lacks the postgenal ridge); presence of supra-antennal punctures (absent in Chiquiticus); and with paired punctures on the series more closely spaced. Males possess black on both the first mesotarsomeres and mesotrochanters. Tergites VII and VIII bear broader, foliose in addition to the usual setae. In males, tergite X is to the tergal .
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Distribution
Nearctic and Neotropical regions; includes extant and extinct species preserved in Dominican amber.
Similar Taxa
- ChiquiticusHistorically confused with Heterothops; distinguished by lacking postgenal ridge and supra-antennal punctures, and by more widely spaced pronotal punctures. previously placed in Heterothops were moved to this new .
- CtenandropusRelated in the same recovered lineage as Heterothops; not a source of taxonomic confusion but phylogenetically associated.
- AmazonothopsRelated in the same recovered lineage as Heterothops; not a source of taxonomic confusion but phylogenetically associated.
Misconceptions
The was long used as a 'taxonomic wastebasket' for morphologically similar that did not belong to a coherent . Many species formerly assigned to Heterothops have been removed to other genera, particularly Chiquiticus.
More Details
Taxonomic history
Heterothops was historically a highly polyphyletic in the subtribe Amblyopinina. A 2024 revision erected the new genus Chiquiticus to accommodate removed from Heterothops, as these species did not belong to Heterothops or even to subtribe Amblyopinina. The remaining Heterothops species form a newly recovered lineage with Ctenandropus and Amazonothops.