Neosternus Dai & Zhao

Dai, Cong-Chao & Zhao, Mei-Jun, 2013, Genus Microsternus Lewis (1887) from China, with description of a new genus Neosternus from Asia (Coleoptera, Erotylidae, Dacnini), ZooKeys 340, pp. 79-106 : 92-94

Genus Neosternus Dai & Zhao gen. n. Figs 34-37, 38-39, 43-44, 48-49, 53-54, 55-58, 65-68, 69-72, 76

Type species.

Microsternus higonius Lewis, 1887, here designated.

Description.

Body small, elongate oval (Figs 34-37, 76), with legs short and robust, the tarsi cylindrical, 5-jointed, the four basal joints short, nearly equal in size and not at all dilated, the last joint long. Antennae not very long, the latter with a broad 3-jointed club. Eyes coarsely facetted. Maxillary and labial terminal palpomeres (Figs 43, 44) acuminate, sensory area restricted to apex. Pronotum (Figs 48, 49) arched, widest at base; narrowed from base to apex, with a deep sulcus along each side, which is broadly margined and the bordering gradually widened anteriorly, which formed thicken lines in lateral view (Figs 53, 54); disk coarsely and sparsely punctured, except the impunctate medio-basal area, which is limited by an arched transverse row of coarse punctures. Prosternum (Figs 38, 39) with median area including its process elevated in an elongate triangular plane, which is distinctly bordered by a ridge on both sides and shortly rounded-subtruncate in front. Mesosternum almost concealed by prosternal process. Metasternum with a pair of mesocoxal lines strongly divergent posteriorly. Abdomen without metacoxal lines on basal visible sternite. Elytra strongly convex.

Distribution.

China, Japan.

Diagnosis.

This new genus can be distinguished from Microsternus by body elongate oval, head without the pit posterior to the postmandibular lobes, pronotum with a deep sulcus along each side, which is broadly margined in lateral view, male genitalia with flagellum bearing a arched mass on apical quarter (Figs 55-58). Microsternus body elongate, head with the pit posterior to the postmandibular lobes, pronotum without a deep sulcus along each side and narrowly margined in lateral view, male genitalia with flagellum bearing a straight mass on apical quarter (Figs 59-64).

Etymology.

As a uniquely new group within Dacnini , the generic name is derived from Microsternus , it is appropriate to call the genus "New sternus", and to abbreviate and combine the roots into a single word. The gender is masculine.

Key to species of genus Neosternus