Description of Sharon gen. nov. for the Chilean species Asaphes amoenus Philippi, 1861 (Coleoptera: Elateridae)

Sharon gen. nov. is here described to include Asaphes? amoenus Philippi, 1861 comb. nov. from Chile. A redescription of the species is based on the female holotype and material from different geographic locations. Candèze (1891) placed Asaphes amoenus and Parasaphes elegans in the suprageneric group Asaphites. We discuss differences between Sharon gen. nov. and Hemicrepidius Germar, 1839, where Asaphes amoenus was later placed by Blackwelder (1944). Based on morphological characters, Sharon gen. nov. appears to be related to Parasaphes Candèze, 1881, Wynarka Calder, 1986, and Tasmanelater Calder, 1996, all from Australia, suggesting Gondwanan relationships.