Nothocyphon vandiemeni, Zwick, Peter, 2015

Zwick, Peter, 2015, Australian Marsh Beetles (Coleoptera: Scirtidae). 7. Genus Nothocyphon, new genus, Zootaxa 3981 (3), pp. 301-359 : 326

Nothocyphon vandiemeni , n. sp.

( Figs. 57−61 )

Type material: 1♂ holotype, 3♂ paratypes: [ TAS] 17 km W Maydena 28/1/00, C.H.S.Watts ( SAMA).

Additional paratypes: 2♂: Cradle Mtn. Tasmania Carter & Lea ( SAMA). 1♂: 41.50S 148.03E TAS Pelion Gap, 2 km ENE Mt. Ossa, 1200m, 30 Nov.1990 – 8 Jan.1991, E.Nielsen, E.Edwards malaise #6; 1♀: 41.50S 148.03E TAS Pelion Hut 3 km S Mt.Oakleigh, 860m, 5-10 Feb.1990, I.D.Naumann, rainforest; 2♂: Cradle Mtn Tasmania J. Armstrong; 1♂: Strahan Tasmania J.Armstrong [as paratype of an undescribed new species]; 5♂, 2♀: 42.10S 146.07E 4 km SSE of Mt. Rufus 800m TAS 26–28 Jan 1980 Lawrence & Weir (all ANIC).

Additional material examined: 2♂ taken together with the holotype can be identified with difficulty because of an unsuitable medium used during previous mounting ( SAMA).

Habitus. BL 2.2−2.7mm. BL/BW ~1.7. Elongate, elytra almost parallel. Dark brown to black, front corners and a narrow seam along sides of pronotum reddish, tibiae and tarsi also reddish, antennae infuscate. Distal flagellar segments cylindrical, a little more than twice as long as wide. Punctures on head granular, rough, on pronotum finer and sparse, elytra with dense and much larger normal punctures.

Male. Segment 8 as described for the genus, unmodified, apodemes of T9 with basal transverse connection, S9 caudally pilose, shallowly bilobed, base indistinct ( Figs. 57, 58 ). Penis slender, pala elongate, parallel-sided, front truncate, trigonium long and conical, ventrally beset with sharp hooklets, parameroids a little longer, tongueshaped, wide near midlength but tapering caudally, medial edge straight, outer edge angular. Tegmen a thin sclerite arch connecting the parameres which are flat triangular plates laterally armed with some sharp teeth. Near the mediobasal corner of the triangle inserts a slender conical flap, with slender teeth, mainly along the outside. At rest, the flaps are directed caudad ( Figs. 59, 60 ), but point forward from the base of the fully everted genitalia.

Female. The exposed sternites are unmodified. The rods of S8 are parallel and in front connected by a short transverse bar. T8 and ovipositor unmodified. The prehensor ( Fig. 61 ) consists of a wide bare caudally truncate sclerite loop which narrows anteriorly where it reaches the gonoduct. It bears a single row of large bursellar pores ( Libonatti & Ruta 2013), the bursella itself is bare. Opposite the loop lie two elongate plates which narrow caudally. Anterolaterally their surface has large, forward pointing scales.

Note. The beetles are very dark. The externally indistinguishable sexes were taken together at two sites. However, in the same area occur additional similar species, e.g., N. lanceolatus which may also be almost black but is distinguished by its unicolourous pronotum and (in direct comparison) slightly stouter antennae.

Etymology. Named after Anton van Diemen, name patron of van Diemens Land, the former name of Tasmania where the species is endemic.

Figures

FIGURES 57 – 61. Nothocyphon auritus - group, N. vandiemeni. Male: 57, T 8 and S 8; 58, T 9 and S 9; 59, penis, tegmen and parameres, superimposed; 60, tegmen with parameres. Female: 61, prehensor. 57, 58 and 59 − 61 to the same scales, respectively.