Abstract
The Afrotropical genus Brachylepis Kolbe, 1894 (Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Leucopholini) was established for Coniopholis elephas Gerstaecker, 1867 from Kenya. Subsequently, Brenske (1898) described Brachylepis bennigseni from Tanzania (Pare Mountains), and Lacroix (2009) described B. werneri from Ethiopia (Negele Borana) and synonymised B. bennigseni with B. elephas. Thus, the genus contains only two species. From the closely related Afrotropical leucopholine genera (e.g., Eulepida Kolbe, 1894, Eulepidopsis Burgeon, 1946, Cochliotis Kolbe, 1894) it differs in having nine antennomeres, the terminal maxillary palpomere expanded near midlength, and an incomplete metatibial carina (Lacroix 2009, 2010).
References
Lacroix, M. (2009) Révision du genre Brachylepis Kolbe (Coleoptera, Melolonthidae, Leucopholini). Coléoptères, 15, 153–168.
Lacroix, M. (2010) Melolonthinae afrotropicaux (Scarabaeoidea, Melolonthidae). Genera et catalogue commenté. Editions Marc Lacroix, Paris, 277 pp., 192 pls.