Mycolybas is a small genus of pleasing fungus beetles (family Erotylidae). They occur in the Neotropics from Honduras to northern Argentina.
Somewhat difficult to distinguish from their close relative Mycotretus, Mycolybas can be told apart from that genus by a combination of a pentagonal mentum, more bulging "shoulders", and a characteristic layout of the flagellar head of the male genitalia. At least the two type species can also be distinguished by the lacinia of their maxilla: in Mycotretus lesueuri these have two small curved teeth at the tip, which are absent in Mycolybas lucidus. Whether this distinction also holds true for the other species of Mycolybas – especially after the recent re-ordering of taxa – is not yet known.Delkeskamp, Kurt (1962): Die afrikanischen Arten der Tritomini und von 3 Gattungen der Triplacini (Col. Erotylidae). 31. Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Erotyliden. ["The African species of Tritomini, and on 3 genera of Triplacini. 31st contribution to the knowledge of erotylids." Article in German.] Dt. entomol. Z. N.F. 9(1/2): 66-125.
Species As of 2023, the following species are placed here: Mycolybas antesignatus (Mader, 1942) Mycolybas atribruneicrus Lopes, 2006 Mycolybas bicolorcrus Lopes, 2006 Mycolybas coccineipennis (Motschulsky, 1858) Mycolybas lucidus (Lacordaire, 1842) (= M.cruentatus, M.egae, M.melanocorynus) Mycolybas rufipennis Guérin, 1956 Mycolybas sanguinosus (Motschulsky, 1858)
It is possible that undescribed Mycolybas species exist. A review of the UPN collection found an apparent Mycolybas specimen from Tolima Department in central Colombia which did not seem to match the species known from the region.Torres-Pachón, Mónica; Gasca-Álvarez,; Héctor Jaime; Bustos-Martínez, Miller Felipe; Skelley, Paul E. & García-Sarmiento, Martha J. (2026): Erotylinae (Coleoptera: Erotylidae) de la colección entomológica del Museo de Historia Natural de la Universidad Pedagógica Nacional. ["Erotylinae (Coleoptera: Erotylidae) housed in Natural History Museum Entomological Collection of Universidad Pedagógica Nacional." Spanish with English abstract.] Revista UDCA Actualidad & Divulgación Científica 29(1): e3002.
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