Austrocyphon neptunus, Zwick, Peter, 2013

Zwick, Peter, 2013, Australian Marsh Beetles (Coleoptera: Scirtidae) 4. Two new genera, Austrocyphon and Tasmanocyphon, Zootaxa 3706 (1), pp. 1-74 : 61-62

Austrocyphon neptunus , sp. n.

( Figs. 200–203 )

Type material. QLD: Holotype ♂, Thornton peak 1100–1200m, via Daintree, N. QLD. 24–27 Sept 1984 G.B. & S.R.Monteith ( QMSB, T169588). Paratypes: 1♂, NE.Qld. Thornton peak 11km NE Daintree, 1100–1200m, 1 Nov 1983, Monteith, Yeates & Thompson / QM Berlesate No. 605 16.10S, 145.22E, rainforest, 1100m, Moss on rocks & trees ( QMSB, T169589); 2♂, 5–8m [iles]. Mt Lewis Rd. off Mossman-Mt. Molloy Rd. N.Qld. 22 Apr.1967 D.H.Colless ( ANIC).

Habitus. Regularly oval, stout, BL 2.0 mm, BL/BW ~1.45. Light brown, occiput darker brown. Pilosity semierect, yellow.

Male. Plate of T8 shorter than the apodemes, wide, with caudal setae plus a pecten. S8 a rather wide short Yshaped structure, barely scleroitized, no setae seen (not shown in figure).

T9 with very long caudally convergent apodemes supporting a completely soft, unpigmented plate. S9 large with some caudal setae, convex, forming a deep spoon-like body with a distal notch filled by a membrane. When flattened in a microscope preparation the median membrane between the lateral lobes is torn.

Penis with unusually strong sclerites surrounding the anteriorly truncate long pala. Transverse bridge behind midlength. Trigonium tridentate, the lateral teeth curved mediad. Parameroid frame narrow, with a caudo-median nipple. The flange of the fused parameroids is not easily seen unless it is extended in preparations when it is very obvious because it is rather solid and pigmented (left half of Fig. 202 ).

Parameres with long unpaired base forking into two slender caudally tapering parameres, apices with attached membranes, details not recognized.

Female. Unknown.

Note. The tridentate trigonium and the undeveloped T9 are unique in the genus, there is no apparent close relative.

Etymology. Named after Neptunus , the god of flowing water in ancient Italy. Subsequently, the Romans equated Neptunus with Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. The shape of the trigonium reminds of his tridentate harpoon.

Figures

FIGURES 200 – 203. Austrocyphon neptunus sp. n., male. 200, T 8; 201, T 9; 202, penis, flange of dorsal parameroidal sclerite as it appears when flattened in a preparation in left half of figure, and in normal condition in the right half of figure; 203, S 9 and tegmen with parameres, superimposed. All to the same scale.