Nothocyphon biserratus, Zwick, Peter, 2015

Zwick, Peter, 2015, Australian Marsh Beetles (Coleoptera: Scirtidae). 7. Genus Nothocyphon, new genus, Zootaxa 3981 (3), pp. 301-359 : 321

Nothocyphon biserratus , n. sp.

( Fig. 48 )

Type material: 1♂ holotype: Hazelbrook [~ 33.23°S, 150.43°'E] N.S.W. Mrs L.Smith ( ANIC); 1 ♂ paratype: Sydney Lea ( SAMA).

Habitus. Elongate oval, BL 2.1−2.4mm, BL/BW ~1.55. Entirely light brown. Surface sculpture and pilosity as in the congeners. Antennae short and stout, flagellar segments only about 1.5 times longer than wide at apex.

Male. Segments 8 and 9 typical of the group. Penis long and slender, trigonium apically wider than in the congeners, a little scooped, the raised margins with faint scaly marks. Parameroids similar to the related species. Some transparent sclerotized projection stands perpendicular to the penis axis immediately in front of the origin of parameroids and trigonium. It was somehow connected to the parameres, details not recognized. The anterior part of the pala is narrow, folded. The tegmen is a thin arched sclerite supporting the parameres. Each is a large membranous folded structure with a slender relatively short sclerite dorsally and a wider one with a long tongueshaped apex on the ventral side. Both sclerites bear numerous sharp teeth along the outer edge.

Female. Unknown.

Note. The peculiar ventral process of the penis appears to be homologous to less obvious structures in N. taeniatus . There is not enough material to study details. Presently N. biserratus marks the northern border of the group range.

Etymology. The adjectival name biserratus (Latin, with two saws) describes the two long rows of regular teeth on each paramere.

Figures

FIGURES 48 – 51. Nothocyphon lanceolatus - group, males. N. biserratus: 48, penis and parameres. — N. nungatta, holotype: 49, penis, parameres and S 9, superimposed, with enlarged details of armature on parameres. — N. taeniatus: 50, terminalia of paratype, ventral; 51, segment 9 and genitalia of holotype, superimposed. All to the same scale, except the insets in 49 which are to a different scale, the same for both. Apodemes of S 9 shown in black, sclerotized medio-ventral lobe of paramere (mv) stippled. Additional abbreviations: c, a lateral crest delimiting the window; dl, dorsolateral lobe of paramere; lp, lateral process; mp, medial process; p, projection from the window; w, window-like opening in front of the trigonium base.