Nothocyphon wattsi, Zwick, Peter, 2015

Zwick, Peter, 2015, Australian Marsh Beetles (Coleoptera: Scirtidae). 7. Genus Nothocyphon, new genus, Zootaxa 3981 (3), pp. 301-359 : 329-331

Nothocyphon wattsi , n. sp.

( Figs. 69−76 )

Type material: 1♂ holotype: [ VIC] Melbourne, pond in Botanic Gardens, ~1957 C.H.S.Watts ( SAMA); 3♂, 6♀ paratypes with the same data ( SAMA). Additional paratypes: 3♂, 3♀: VIC Sassafras D.A.Duckhouse 06/60 C.H.S.Watts; 4♂: VIC Sassafras Dandenongs D.A.Duckhouse. 08/62 C.H.S.Watts (all SAMA). 1♂, 1♀: Olinda Victoria F.E.Wilson 30.11.29 \ in cop.; 1♂: 37.43S 145.42E VIC Cement Creek 625m N of Warburton 814 27.Jan– 11.Feb.1987 A.Newton & M.Thayer \ Euc. regnans Notho.cunn. FMHD #87-232 flight interception (Window) trap ( ANIC).

Additional material examined: 6♂, 4♀: Melbourne, pond in Botanic Gardens, ~1957 C.H.S.Watts; 1♀: VIC Sassafras D.A.Duckhouse 06/60 C.H.S.Watts; 1♀: VIC Sassafras Dandenongs D.A.Duckhouse. 08/62 C.H.S.Watts (all SAMA).

Habitus. BL 2.5−2.9mm, BL/BL ~1.6. A stout oval beetle, its pigmentation varies from brown with reddish seams of pronotum, reddish scutellum and sutural interval to entirely almost black. Antennae short, base unmodified, flagellar segments just twice as long as wide, terminal segment more elongate, almost cylindrical.

Male ( Figs. 69−75 ). Segments 8 and 9 as for the genus. The penis is slender, subparallel but has an exceptionally wide front part of pala which is in situ curved up towards the tegmen. The parameroids insert near the caudal third of the penis, their sclerotized tongue-shaped apices curve mediad. On the outside, the parameroids are membranous and intimately connected to the closely appressed caudal lobe of the paramere. The trigonium is in dorsal view a triangle with apical teeth. In oblique view it looks rather massive, with many apical teeth. In ventral view, the trigonium is partly concealed by two slender sclerotized tubes originating from a common median base on the penis just basally from the trigonium. Each tube is covered with numerous sharp teeth ( Fig. 74 ).

Membranes tightly connect the outer face of the parameroids with the parameres which originate from a strong basal tegmen across the pala. Near the base of each paramere articulates a triangular sclerite with a subterminal median patch of slender spines pointing caudad. Ventrally the paramere bears a sausage-shaped spiny swelling which is directed cephalad and forms a spiny bulb under the triangular appendage. The membranous distal part of the paramere is frazzled, with numerous superfine colourless filaments.

A hyaline tube armed with very fine spinules and some longitudinally striate weak sclerotization resembles an endophallus but is actually part of the vas deferens ( Fig. 75 ). It is located in front of the penis, at a considerable distance, but was sometimes extracted with it during dissection.

Female. T8 and ovipositor unmodified. The rods of S8 are apically widened and connected by a transverse bracket which is wider than the space between the two rods further caudally (not shown). The prehensor ( Fig. 76 ) is equipped with a trapezoidal sclerite from which rises a slender tube, extending forward into the lumen. Opposite this structure and a little further in front is the sinuous thickened front edge of a sclerite loop whose thinning sides extend cephalad and are accompanied by dense spinule bands. The bursellar pores are minute discs with radial plicae.

Note. The articulated triangle on the paramere and the connection between parameres and the membranous outer face of the parameroids are characteristic of the auritus -group. N. auritus shares inwardly directed tips of the parameroids. By the shape of the pala N. scutiger is most similar.

Etymology. Dedicated to Chris Watts, Adelaide, successful student of Australian marsh beetles who provided most of the present beetles. Some of them he collected himself and recognized that they are „close to lindensis “.

Figures

FIGURES 69 – 76. Nothocyphon auritus - group, N. wattsi. Male: 69, T 8, with enlarged inset of grouped microtrichia; 70, S 8; 71, T 9 and S 9, superimposed; 72, penis, tegmen and parameres superimposed, dorsal view; 73, left half of same in ventral view; 74, oblique ventrolateral view of penis apex; 75, armed section of vas deferens. Female: 76, prehensor. 69 − 71 and 72, 73 to the same scales, respectively. 75 not to scale.