Alaptus Westwood

Huber, John T., Read, Jennifer D. & Triapitsyn, Serguei V., 2007, Paranaphoidea Girault 1913, Zootaxa 1596, pp. 1-111 : 20-21

Genus Alaptus Westwood ( Figs. 7–13 )

Alaptus Westwood, 1839: 79 . Type species: Alaptus minimus Westwood , by monotypy.

Parvulinus Mercet, 1912: 332 . Type species: Parvulinus auranti Mercet , by monotypy. Synonymy by Girault (1913 [127]: 221).

Metalaptus Malenotti, 1917: 339 . Type species: Metalaptus torquatus Malenotti , by monotypy. Synonymy by Girault (1913 [165]: 109).

Diagnosis. Alaptus belongs to the Alaptus group of genera. It is distinguished from other genera in the group as follows: female funicle 5-segmented ( Fig. 8 ) but, exceptionally, a minute additional segment may occur; fore wing with posterior margin behind venation usually deeply and abruptly excised ( Fig. 7 ) and its hind margin usually straight so the fore wing beyond basal excision widens evenly and continuously towards wing apex. Fore leg as in Fig. 13 . Male flagellum 8-segmented ( Fig. 12 ) and genitalia as in Figs. 10, 11 .

The apparently wingless A. apterus may be an artifact. Neither of the two known specimens has wings but it is possible they were broken off and lost before slide mounting (none was found on the Girault slide). Alaptus is

most likely to be confused with Dicopomorpha , whose species have the funicle 7-segmented and the fore wing posterior margin slightly curved apically.

Body length. 228–445 µm.

Distribution. Worldwide.

Hosts. Unknown for Australian species. Elsewhere reported from Psocoptera and perhaps Coccoidea. The records from Coccoidea need confirmation.

Important references. Girault (1908 [51]), Soyka (1939), Hincks (1959).

Australian species (15 + 4 subspecies): A. ah Girault, 1930 [432]: 2; Dahms, 1983: 26 (types). TL: Qld, Indooroopilly. A. animus Girault, 1913 [165]: 109; Girault, 1914 [219]: 110 (redescription); Dahms, 1983: 43. TL: Qld, Nel-

son [= Gordonvale]. A. apterus Girault, 1920 [353]: 98; Dahms, 1983: 47 (types). TL: NSW, Brooklyn (Hawksbury River). A. aureus Girault, 1920 [353]: 99; Dahms, 1983: 77 (types). TL: Qld, Nelson [= Gordonvale]. A. bidentatus aethiops Girault, 1938 [452]: 395; Dahms, 1983: 135 (types). TL: Vic., Canterbury. A. bidentatus Girault, 1938 [452]: 395; Dahms, 1983: 135 (types). TL: Qld, Indooroopilly. A. bidentatus schilleri Girault, 1938 [452]: 395; Dahms, 1983: 135 (types). TL: Vic., Canterbury. A. globosicornis Girault, 1908 [51]: 188; Girault, 1913 [135]: 10 (distribution). TL: USA, FL, Orlando. A. globosicornis australiensis Girault, 1912 [120]: 124; Girault, 1915 [228]: 169 (occurrence); Girault, 1916

[274]: 207 (correction); Dahms, 1984: 652 (types). TL: Qld, Nelson [= Gordonvale]. A. immaturus Perkins, 1905: 197 ; Perkins, 1910: 661 (host); Girault, 1913 [135]: 9 (distribution); Girault,

1914 [219]: 111 (comparison with maccabei ). TL: Qld, Bundaberg. A. inciliatus Girault, 1930 [432]: 2; Dahms, 1984: 714 (types). TL: Qld, Roma. A. maccabei Girault, 1913 [165]: 109; Girault, 1914 [219]: 111 (description); Dahms, 1984: 779 (types). TL:

Qld, Nelson [= Gordonvale]. A. muelleri Girault, 1912 [120]: 122, 127; Dahms, 1984: 834 (types). TL: WA, Swan River. A. newtoni aurizona Girault, 1938 [452]: 395; Dahms, 1986: 326 (types). TL: Qld, Ashgrove. A. newtoni Girault, 1912 [120]: 125, 127; Dahms, 1986: 325 (types). TL: Qld, Nelson [= Gordonvale]. A. oh Girault, 1930 [432]: 3; Dahms, 1986: 368 (types). TL: Qld, Indooroopilly. A. pusillus Girault, 1938 [452]: 395; Blackbourn, 1935: 213 (photograph); Dahms, 1986: 431 (types). TL:

Vic., Canterbury. A. quadratus Girault, 1929 [429]: 3; Dahms, 1986: 452 (types). TL: Qld, Taringa. A. reticulatipennis Girault, 1935 [445]: 4; Dahms, 1986: 474 (types). TL: Vic., Canterbury.

Figures

FIGURES 7–13. Alaptus spp. Female (Qld, Heathlands, 11.45°S 142.35°E, 26.i–29.ii.1992, P. Feehney) 7, fore- and hind wings; 8, antenna; 9, body. Male (ACT, Blundells Creek, 3 km E. Piccadilly Circus, 850m, 35.22S 148.50E, xii.1984, Weir, Lawrence, Johnson) 10, genitalia dorsal. Male (Qld, 12 km SSE. Heathlands, 11.52°S 142.38°E, 22.iii– 25.iv.1992, T. Mcleod) 11, genitalia lateral; 12, antenna; 13, fore leg.