Novoclaviger Wasmann, 1894

Hlavác, Peter, 2007, Revision of the subtribe Clavigerodina and an annotated catalogue of South African Clavigeritae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae), African Invertebrates 48 (2), pp. 65-92 : 71-72

Genus Novoclaviger Wasmann, 1894

Novoclaviger: Wasmann 1894: 214 ; Raffray 1897: 119.

Fustigerodes Reitter, 1884 : Raffray 1897: 117; 1908: 438 (synonymy of Novoclaviger ); Wasmann 1898: 96; 1925: 235.

Fustigerodes subgen. Novoclaviger Wasmann : Wasmann 1897 a: 202; Jeannel 1964: 207 (as a subgenus of Fustigerodes , redescription, list of species with localities).

Diagnosis: Head longer than wide, antennae 4-segmented, apical antennomere very long, more than 3.5 times longer than wide, antennomere III about as long as II; head and pronotum rugose; pronotum with median antebasal and lateral foveae; composite tergum with large basal impression and more or less developed process separating it from paratergites, paratergites lacking trichomes.

Description: Length 1.56–2.71 mm, head longer than wide, maximum width across eyes with prominent, more or less acute frontal rostrum, antennomeres I–III small, apical antennomere very long, much longer that I–III combined, cylindrical, subcylindrical or conical; antennomere III parallel or weakly thickened distally; pronotum almost globular, densely and roughly punctured, basal fovea more or less clearly defined but always present, longitudinal sulcus from smooth and well-defined to almost absent; elytra usually smooth ( N. reticulatus is an exception), longer than wide, posterior, external angles truncate; triangular tooth of mesofemora large to small, occupying part or almost half of femoral length, mesotibiae with an obtuse, large to small, slender spine located close to or more distantly from apex.

Sexual dimorphism: Females usually smaller, lacking spines on mid femora and tibiae.

Comparison: Novoclaviger is most closely related to Fustigerodes from Madagascar and to Articerodes Raffray, 1890 from Africa and the Palaearctic region up to Japan. It differs from both by the composite tergum with a lateral fringe of the basal impression more or less separated by a prolonged process, by the four-segmented antennae, and by lacking trichomes on the first and second visible paratergites.

Distribution: South Africa, Mozambique (?).

Host ants: Rhoptromyrmex transversinodis Mayr, 1901 ; Crematogaster (Crematogaster) peringueyi ; Crematogaster (Decacrema) liengmei Forel, 1894 ; Tetramorium (Xiphomyrmex) weitzeckeri Emery, 1895 ; Lepisiota capensis (Mayr, 1862) .