(!) Theatops Newport, 1844

Figs 33–37

Type species. Cryptops posticus Say, 1821 (by subsequent designation).

Diagnosis. Spiracles (figs 1AB in Vahtera et al. 2012b, fig. 5 F in Bonato et al. 2017) on macrosegments, LBS 7 with or without spiracles. Coxopleuron (Fig. 37) usually with a spine at the place of corresponding process. Prefemur and femur of the ultimate legs (Figs 33, 37) with or without spines; pretarsus not shorter than corresponding tarsus 2 (in T. posticus (Say, 1821) longer than the two tarsal articles together), circular in cross section (i.e. not blade-like ventrally).

Number of species. 6 (Bonato et al. 2016).

Remarks. Treated as a genus in Di et al. (2010: 51), Edgecombe & Bonato (2011: 395), Vahtera et al. (2012a: 5), Bonato et al. (2017: 1).

Edgecombe & Koch (2008: 894) described the pretarsus of maxillae 2 in both T. erythrocephalus (C.L. Koch, 1847) and T. posticus as “two curved processes, one above the other”. The most recent account on Theatops — Di et al. (2010) —contains no information on structure of maxillae 2. A re-studied adult (Rc 6489) of T. spinicaudus Wood, 1862 demonstrates not “two curved processes” but a pretarsus and a much shorter ventral projection (see also Diagnosis of Plutoniumidae above) whereas in two adults (Rc 6488, 6493) of T. posticus the ventral projection is nearly as long as the pretarsus.