Nothocyphon sarcophilus, Zwick, Peter, 2015

Zwick, Peter, 2015, Australian Marsh Beetles (Coleoptera: Scirtidae). 7. Genus Nothocyphon, new genus, Zootaxa 3981 (3), pp. 301-359 : 346-347

Nothocyphon sarcophilus , n. sp.

(Figs. 121–123)

Type material: 1♂ holotype: SW TAS, Lower Gordon R., 42.56S 145.50E, 42.54S 145.54E, Howard, Hill \ H.E.C. Survey 12R 600–1000 Feb. 1978 beating \ 10 ( ANIC).

Habitus. BL 2.4 mm, BL/BW ~1.7, elongate oval, similar to N. thylacinus .

Male. Segments 8 (Figs. 121, 122) and 9 (Fig. 123) as described for the genus. Penis (Fig. 123) parallel-sided, with rounded pala. The short trigonium inserts near the basal third. The contour of the trigonium resembles an inverted heart, its sides are thickened, the bulges bear huge teeth along the medial edge. The straight parameroid is much longer than the trigonium, the long bare apex bears externally a toothed sclerotized lobe pointing cephalad. In dorsoventral view the tips of the parameroid and of the paramere overlap. The paramere is short, slender and heavily toothed along the outside and distally. The tegmen is a thin sclerite arch connecting the parameres.

Female. Unknown.

Etymology. The trigonium reminded me of a strongly toothed lower jaw of a predator. This suggested the name: Sarcophilus , the Tasmanian Devil, the largest extant carnivore in Tasmania.

FIGURES 115–123. Nothocyphon thylacinus -group, males. N. thylacinus : 115, T8; 116, S8; 117, T9; 118, penis, dorsal; 119, trigonium, ventral; 120, tegmen and parameres.— N. sarcophilus : 121, T8, with details of grouped microtrichia on plate; 122, S8; 123, segment 9, penis and tegmen with parameres, superimposed, ventral view. 115–117, 118–120, 121–123 to the same scales, respectively.