Termitodiellus Nakane 1961: 26

Skelley, Paul E., 2007, Generic limits of the Rhyparini with respect to the genus Termitodius Wasmann, 1894 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae), Insecta Mundi 2007 (9), pp. 1-9 : 7

Termitodiellus Nakane 1961: 26

Type species. Termitodius esakii Nomura 1943 , by monotypy.

Diagnosis. Length approximately 3.0 mm. Body of typical rhyparine appearance with strong dorsal carinae and elytron with an apical bulb and trichomes. Head with clypeus not abruptly inflexed medially, submarginal lines and bead present in most, angulate medial tooth evident. Pronotum appearing somewhat flattened, lateral margin flared, usually distinctly lobed anteriorly; dorsal carinae sharply defined throughout length, some more prominent anteriorly, not bulb-like ( Fig. 6 ). Metafemur stout, weakly to distinctly club-like. Meso- and metatibia not elongate, angular in cross section, somewhat flattened and distinctly dilated toward apex. Mesotibia ( Termitodiellus - type) apically angulate, apical setal fringe broken ( Fig. 2 ), inner margin elongate beyond tarsal insertion, apical spine somewhat parallel to tibial axis and apically curved inward, apical spine narrowed or distinctly blade-like, spine more prominent in males, weakly developed in females. Elytron somewhat shortened, approximately 2.5 times longer than wide; not distinctly parallel-sided, evenly rounded to terminal bulb.

Distribution. Presently described species from Malesia (Sumatra, Borneo, Philippines, Sulawesi) and Micronesia.

Figures

Figure 5-7. Representative habitus images. 5) Aschnarhyparus peregrinus (Hinton), female from Costa Rica, length = 3.5 mm. 6) Termitodiellus luzonensis (Howden), male from Luzon, length = 3.2 mm. 7) Termitodius araujoi Reyes- Castillo and Martinez, male from Mexico, length = 3.8 mm.

Figure 1-4. Tibial types. 1) Rhyparus-type mesotibia, male Rhyparus mexicanus Cartwright and Woodruff. 2) Termitodiellus-type mesotibia, male Termitodiellus luzonensis (Howden). 3) Termitodius-type mesotibia, male Aschnarhyparus peregrinus (Hinton). 4) Termitodius-type mesotibia, male Termitodius araujoi Reyes-Castillo and Martinez. Line = 0.5 mm.