Genus Phallocryptus Biraben 1951

Branchinella Smirnov 1948; Belk & Brtek 1995.

Phallocryptus Biraben 1951; Belk & Brtek 1995; Brtek 1995; Rogers 2003.

Diagnosis (After Rogers 2003)(Figure 1 E). Fully extended penes short, extending to base of second post­genital abdominal segment. Basal portion of penes rigid, may be tuberculate ventrally, and bearing a distal­medial patch of recurved spines. Distal eversible portion of penes soft, expanded in the distal third. Eversible portion of penes with medial surface bearing a single longitudinal row of papilliform spines, and ventral surface with a single longitudinal ridge bearing large papilliform spines. Dorsal surface of extended penes with small cluster of spines on distal fourth. Penal apex conical, directed medially, subtended by three large spines. Brood pouch sub­conic to pyriform, extending to base of second or third post­genital segment. Male abdomen spinose ventrolaterally. Male second antennae attached anteriorly to head, partially fused and projecting ventrally. Second antennal distal antennomere arcuate. “Antenna­like” appendages absent. Female second antennae lamellar, apices acute, with basal­medial margins projecting and partially connected. Resting eggs spherical, with shallow sub­circular to slit shaped impressions.

Rogers (2003) revised this genus, which is composed of three species distributed in the Americas, Africa, and western Eurasia.