Aenictoides, Assing, 2016

Assing, Volker, 2016, On some Lomechusini of the Palaearctic and Oriental regions (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 66 (1), pp. 13-111 : 108

Aenictoides gen. nov.

( Figs 190–196, 466–471)

Type species: Aenictoides derivata sp. n.

Etymology: The generic name (gender: feminine) alludes to the conspicuous habitus strongly resembling its hypothesized host ants of the genus Aenictus SHUCKARD, 1840 .

Description: Habitus highly derived, conspicuously myrmecoid, slender. Head ( Figs 190–191) dorsally with conspicuous impressions, latero-dorsally strongly bulging and with dense and pronounced puncturoid microsculpture (i.e., extremely dense non-setiferous micropunctation); between antennal insertions with a pair of pronounced oblique keels; whole ventral surface with dense puncturoid microsculpture. Antenna ( Fig. 192) strongly modified, with extremely enlarged and dorso-apically deeply excavate antennomere I ( Figs 191–192); antennomeres II and III strongly dilated apically, wedge-shaped; antennomere II strongly depressed; antennomere III distinctly flattened, antennomeres IV–X gradually becoming less depressed and more oval in cross-section. Maxilla ( Fig. 466) with long galea; maxillary palpus four-jointed, with distinctly flattened palpomeres II and III, palpomere III approximately 2.5 times as long as broad. Labium ( Fig. 467) with short, broad, and weakly bifid ligula. Mentum anteriorly nearly truncate. Mandibles only with the basal tooth, without additional molar teeth, apically curved and acute.

Pronotum ( Figs 190–191) slender, dorsally with pronounced, deep and broad median impression extending along its full length, laterally with pronounced bulging elevations; median impression with coarse puncturelike impressions with puncturoid microsculpture, these impressions separated from each other by narrow sharp ridges; laterally with less coarse puncture-like impressions with dense puncturoid microsculpture. Prosternum with dense puncturoid microsculpture, with a short longitudinal median carina reaching neither anterior nor posterior margins and with a long transverse carina.

Elytra ( Figs 190–191) of subquadrate shape and with coarse puncture-like impressions with puncturoid microsculpture. Mesoventrite ( Fig. 193) short, somewhat bulging anterior to mesocoxal cavities, without distinct median process, and with dense puncturoid microsculpture. Metaventrite ( Fig. 193) with puncturoid microsculpture only in impressions and in mesocoxal cavities, otherwise glossy; glossy portion nearly completely and broadly separating mesocoxal cavities. Legs slender; mesofemora moderately, metafemora strongly club-shaped (i.e., subapically distinctly dilated) ( Figs 194–195); metatrochanter ( Fig. 196) strongly developed.

Abdomen ( Figs 194–196) of conspicuously myrmecoid shape, with segments III and IV shaped like a petiole and postpetiole and with segments V–VIII together shaped like a gaster of an aenictine ant worker; all segments without distinct paratergites; whole surface of segment III and tergite IV with puncturoid microsculpture; sternite IV glossy; tergite V with puncturoid microsculpture, sternite V with coarse punctation and glossy; tergite VI with dense puncturoid microsculpture anteriorly, on remainder of surface with less dense microsculpture and with coarse punctures; sternite VI glossy and with coarse punctures; tergite VII with dense puncturoid microsculpture and coarse punctation; sternite VII glossy, except for the macropunctures; tergite VIII and sternite VIII with large puncture-like impressions with dense puncturoid microsculpture, these impressions separated by a network of narrow ridges.

♂: median lobe of aedeagus ( Figs 468–469) slender, weakly sclerotized, and without sclerotized structures; paramere ( Figs 470–471) broad and with small apical lobe.

Comparative notes: Based on the long galea, the new genus belongs to the Lomechusini . According to Maruyama (pers. comm.), Aenictoides may be allied to the lomechusine genus Malaybergius KISTNER, 1993 , from which it differs by numerous characters, particularly the much more myrmecoid habitus (especially the derived shape of the abdomen), the completely different morphology of the antennae, the conspicuous puncturoid microsculpture on various parts of the body, the derived punctation of the whole body, the pronounced impressions and lateral elevations on the head and pronotum, the shape of the ligula, the morphology of the ventral aspect of the thorax, and the club-shaped meso- and metafemora.