Tectocyphon microphallus, Zwick, Peter, 2015

Zwick, Peter, 2015, Australian Marsh Beetles (Coleoptera: Scirtidae). 8. The new genera Cygnocyphon, Eximiocyphon, Paracyphon, Leptocyphon, Tectocyphon, and additions to Contacyphon de Gozis, Nanocyphon Zwick and Eurycyphon Watts, Zootaxa 3981 (4), pp. 451-490 : 460-462

Tectocyphon microphallus , n. sp.

( Figs. 21 –31)

Type material. 1♂ holotype, 6♂ paratypes: 36.34S 148.46E Mt. Gingera ACT 1900m 16 Oct.79 Lawrence & Weir / under Eucalypt bark (all ANIC). 1♂ paratype: Hotham Heights [VIC] 1.900' 1.2.57 on snow (MV, T- 22025).

Additional material examined. 1♂ Kosciusko Nat. Pk Smiggin Holes NSW 1680m Dec.1986 pitfall traps Ken Green No.25 (genitalia slide only, body lost; ANIC).

Habitus. Oval, flat, BL 3.0– 3.4mm, BL/BW~1.65. In dorsal view, the body contour is continuous, with no gap between elytra and pronotum. Elytra anterolaterally with a shallow subhumeral depression ( Figs. 21–23 ).

Dorsal face brown, pronotum lighter than elytra, antennae dark brown to blackish, legs brown. The fine decumbent to semi-erect pilosity is pale. Punctures very fine on head, little larger on pronotum and scutellum, larger but still fine and dense on elytra. Punctures on elytra a little more than one diameter apart. Eyes large, lower edge about 1–2 facet rows above subgenal ridge. Antennae slender, long, reaching beyond hind coxae. Antennomeres 3–11 approximately cylindrical, ~3 times longer than wide, terminal antennomere longest.

Male. Segments 8 and 9 as for the genus (Figs. 27–30). Penis (Fig. 31) with drop-shaped pala whose lateral sclerites taper, ending as thin widely separate sclerites, the front of the pala is open. Caudally the pala narrows strongly and supports a minute triangular trigonium and very long slender parameroids. A weak median sclerite extends forward from the base of the trigonium, narrowing and tapering in front. The lateral sclerites of the pala continue backwards and support the long and slender parameroids along their medial edge. The apex is finger-like, blunt. On the outside the wide membranous flange of the parameroids meets the membranous medial face of the parameres.

The parameres originate as narrow arms from the transverse tegmen but become quickly plate-like (Fig. 31). Basal half of each paramere parallel, distal half triangular. Their medial edge is straight, the outer edge angular.

Near the angle stand some spinules, a few more occur at the narrow apex. Near its base each paramere bears a movable slender triangular sclerite with toothed edges.

Female. Unknown.

Note. The known distribution suggests the species may occur in additional high parts of the Dividing Range in Victoria and New South Wales.

Etymology. The name describes the minute trigonium and is a noun in apposition derived from Greek terms.

FIGURES 27–35. Tectocyphon spp., males. T. microphallus , n. sp.: 27, T8; 28, S8; 29, T9; 30, S9; 31, penis and tegmen, superimposed. T. hispidus , n. sp.: 32, T8 and S8, superimposed, with enlarged inset of distal portion of T8; 33, T9 and S9, superimposed; 34, tegmen and parameres; 35, penis, in oblique lateral position. 27–30, 32 and 33–35 to the same scales, respectively. pa, pala (or sclerite belonging to it); pd, parameroid; pe, paramere; te, tegmen; tr, trigonium.

Figures

FIGURES 21 – 26. Tectocyphon microphallus, n. gen., n. sp., male. 21 – 23, habitus; 24, head, ventral, labium and maxilla removed; 25, labium; 26, maxilla. 25, 26 to the same, 21 – 23 not to scale. ep, epipleura; es, episternum; gs, gular suture; sg, subgenal ridge.