Genus Protinodes Sharp, 1888

Protinodes Sharp, 1888: 377 (original description; type species: Protinodes puncticollis Sharp, 1888); Fenyes, 1918: 72 (diagnosis, list of species); Bernhauer & Scheerpeltz, 1926: 522 (catalogue).

Diagnosis. Body (Fig. 1) broad. Labrum transverse, apically truncate. Mandibles almost symmetric, thick dorsoventrally, minutely bifid at apex. Maxilla (Fig. 2): palpus with apex of segment IV sub-membranous, pseudosegment obscure; lacinia with six spines. Labium (Fig. 3): prementum with 4 real pores and several pseudo pores, no setal pore; premental apodeme with lateral lobe elongate, with a short medial projection; palpus with segments I and II completely fused; segment III with pseudosegment; ligula broad, completely fused with hypopharynx. Mesoventrite with process elongate, carinate near apex. Tarsal formula: 4-4-4. Median lobe of aedeagus (Fig. 4) without athetine bridge; paramere of aedeagus (Fig. 5) with apical lobe huge, serrate; velum elongate, pubescent apically.

Comments. This genus has been placed in the tribe Hygronomini probably due to its 4-4-4 tarsal formula. The tribe Himalusini now contains three genera Protinodes, Himalusa and Sinanarchusa. Differential diagnosis of each genus is shown in Table 1.

Type material. Holotype, male, “ Protinodes / puncticollis / Type D.S./Tokio. Japan // Type [RRL]//Tokio./ 25.IX.- 27.IX.81.// Japan./G. Lewis.//Sharp Coll./1905-313.” (maxilla, labium, abdominal segments VIII-X and aedeagus are dissected and mounted by MM) (BL, ≈ 2.2; PL, 0.41; PW, 0.76; HTL, 0.38) (BMNH).

Diagnosis. Body (Fig. 1) stout, slightly glossy. Head semicircular; clypeus rounded apically; surface densely, coarsely punctured, covered with white setae; eyes prominent. Pronotum transverse; ratio, 1.85; surface densely covered with large punctures, but with a pair of glabrous areas, covered with rather thick, short, white setae. Elytra wider than pronotum, surface with punctures smaller and sparser than on pronotum. Abdomen with tergites III-VI densely punctured. Median lobe of aedeagus (Fig. 4) with apical lobe strongly curved.

Comments. This species was described based on a specimen collected in Tokio [Tôkyô], but no further specimens have been found.