A REVISION OF THE GENUS MIMOPEUS 
(TENEBRIONIDAE) 
J.C. WATT 
AUCKLAND INSTITUTE AND MUSEUM 
Abstract. This paper is the first revision of the genus Mimopeus (formerly 
Cilibe) to be published since the review by Gebien in his Katalog Tenebrioniden 
in 1938-42. Because of the considerable length of this manuscript it has been 
decided to publish it in two parts. This first part contains a description of 
taxonomic methods and techniques, a description of the genus Mimopeus, a key 
to species of Mimopeus and descriptions of nine new species. These are M. 
neglectus, M. turbotti, M. insularis, M. parvus, M. vallis, M. clarkei, M. 
parallelus, M. johnsi and M. convexus. The second part of the paper, which is to 
be published in the next issue of this journal, will include additional information 
on previously described species and a critical review of previously published 
data. 
This paper is based on a thesis submitted for the degree of MSc in the 
University of Auckland (Watt 1961), It covers the genus Mimopeus (= Cilibe). It 
deals only with adult beetles, but includes a description of the larva of Mimopeus 
elongatus. My occupation with revising the sub-family and tribal classification of 
Tenebrionidae on a world-wide basis (Watt 1974) has long delayed publication of 
this work. The original thesis of 1961 is substantially revised here as a result of 
further experience suggesting to me that the recognition of sub-species categories 
does not adequately reflect the patterns of geographical variation which exist in 
nature and thus overloads the literature with unwarranted subspecies names. 
All taxa of terrestrial organisms which have been adequately studied in New 
Zealand vary geographically. Mimopeus is no exception to this. The patterns of 
geographical variation revealed in this study are chiefly of continuous clinal 
variation and there are no discontinuities where objective boundaries could be 
drawn between subspecies. 
Some taxa recognised by Watt (1961) as subspecies are now treated as full 
species because the gaps between them and related taxa appear to be constant i.e. 
they are not bridged by continuous clinal variation. The patterns of geographical 
variation are frequently complex; perhaps because of this complexity many old 
names are now regarded as synonyms. 
A key to all N.Z. Tenebrionidae is in manuscript form for the Fauna of New 
Zealand series. Because of geographical variation it is usually possible, with careful 
study, to determine the geographical source of specimens of doubtful geographical 
origin. 
a ee ee 
Rec. Auckland Inst. Mus. 25: 95-146 19 December 1988 
