Sicilicula J. Balfour-Browne

Perkins, Philip D., 2017, Hydraenidae of Madagascar (Insecta: Coleoptera), Zootaxa 4342 (1), pp. 1-264 : 201

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4342.1.1

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2ACD54D2-3487-432D-9323-EEC131FE2E64

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5323764

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/038587BB-E3CF-FF58-FF75-FAC9B84EFF7D

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Sicilicula J. Balfour-Browne
status

 

Sicilicula J. Balfour-Browne View in CoL

Sicilicula J. Balfour-Browne 1958: 136 View in CoL .

The genus Sicilicula Balfour-Browne View in CoL currently comprises eight Malagasy species and one previously described species from Réunion, S. borbonic a Balfour-Browne (1958). The type of the genus, S. teres View in CoL , is based on a single female; no new specimens of that species were seen during this study. S. teres View in CoL , a flightless species, has a distinctive habitus that differs from that of other females described herein ( Fig. 193).

The genus is clearly related to another member of the Prosthetopinae , the South African genus Parasthetops Perkins & Balfour-Browne (1994) . Sicilicula differs in having a more compact body form, a larger head, more strongly cordiform pronotum, and generally shorter elytra. In addition, there is unusual sexual dimorphism: females have wider elytra, sometimes having very wide explanate margins (e.g., Fig. 199 View FIGURE 199 ). Females also have dehiscent elytral apices, an unusual character for hydraenids. The aedeagi in Sicilicula have a much larger distal piece, compared to the main piece, than do members of Parasthetops . The long flexible flagellum present in some species of Parasthetops are not known in Sicilicula .

Members of Sicilicula are almost always collected in hygropetric microhabitats, such as seeps over rocks next to waterfalls, or rockpools near streams, waterfalls or seeps (e.g., Figs. 342–343 View FIGURES 342 – 343. 342 . Most records are from the Central Highlands, at elevations ranging from 1055 m to 2055 m. All species are very similar in color: black dorsally and ventrally, legs and maxillary palpi dark brown. Two species, S. teres and H. sexplanata are brachypterous, the other species have regular sized wings. In general, the pronotum of females is slightly more strongly cordiform than the pronotum of males.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Coleoptera

Family

Hydraenidae

Loc

Sicilicula J. Balfour-Browne

Perkins, Philip D. 2017
2017
Loc

Sicilicula

J. Balfour-Browne 1958: 136
1958
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