On Prionus (Prionellus) Casey, 1924 Prionellus Casey, 1924 is a junior homonym of Prionellus Kieffer, 1895 (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae). Thus, although we agree that Prionus (Prionellus) is a synonym of Prionus, as indicated by Linsley (1962), the name must be replaced. Linsley (1962) designated Prionus pocularis Dalman, 1817 as the type species of Prionus (Prionellus), and considered the genus as a synonym of Prionus (Prionus). Linsley (1962) gave no explanation as to the reason for the synonymy. The designation of Prionus pocularis as the type species of Prionus (Prionellus) was a mistake. Prionus pocularis was not included in Prionus (Prionellus) by Casey (1924): it was included in Prionus (Prionus). Thus, it cannot be the type species of the subgenus (ICZN, 1999: Article 67.2). To solve these nomenclatural issues, we designate: 1. Hypoprionus as a replacement name for Prionellus Casey, 1924, masculine gender. Etymology: Hypo, a prefix from Greek, meaning “sub”, “under”; relative to the “small” size of the species commented on by Casey (1924) in the description of Prionellus. 2. We choose as the type species of Prionus (Prionellus), and consequently for Hypoprionus nom. nov., Cerambyx laticollis Drury, 1773, the first species listed by Casey (1924) in his subgenus Prionus (Prionellus).

Published as part of Santos-Silva, Antonio, Nearns, Eugenio H. & Swift, Ian P., 2016, Revision of the American species of the genus Prionus Geoffroy, 1762 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Prioninae, Prionini), pp. 1-103 in Zootaxa 4134 (1) on pages 7-8, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4134.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/399754