Platyphalacrus lawrencei Gimmel, 2013

Gimmel, Matthew L., 2013, <strong> Genus-level revision of the family Phalacridae (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea) </ strong>, Zootaxa 3605 (1), pp. 1-147 : 65

Platyphalacrus lawrencei Gimmel , sp. nov.

( Figs. 18 ; 39g –i )

Holotype. “ 33.51S 123.00E \ Thomas River \ 23 km NWbyW of \ Mt. Arid WA \ 4–7.xi.1977 \ J.F. Lawrence // J.F. Lawrence \ Lot No. 77-24 [number handwritten] // Male cones \ of \ Macrozamia [handwritten] // HOLOTYPE \ Platyphalacrus \ lawrencei Gimmel \ des. M.L. Gimmel 2011 [red label]” ( ANIC), point mounted.

Paratypes (3). Same data as holotype, with “ PARATYPE \ Platyphalacrus \ lawrencei Gimmel \ det. M.L. Gimmel 2011 [yellow label]” (1, USNM; 1, MLGC); “Lake Muir 60km \ SE Manjimup WA \ 6–10 Jul. 1980 \ S.&J. Peck SBP95 // berlesate \ rotted cones \ Macrozamia \ reidlei // PARATYPE \ Platyphalacrus \ lawrencei Gimmel \ det. M.L. Gimmel 2011 [yellow label]” (1, ANIC).

Description. Total length 2.7–2.9 mm; relatively elongate, nearly parallel-sided at middle one-third; dorsum abruptly flattened, sides of pronotum and (especially) elytra nearly vertical starting at about stria 7; lateral margins slightly explanate, especially posterior portion of elytra. Color testaceous to rufotestaceous throughout; without trace of diffraction grating, dorsal surface devoid of microsculpture. Antenna short, about as long as width of head; antennal club slightly more than half as long as funicle, weakly formed; antennomere XI short, nearly circular. Punctation of head extremely fine and dense; punctation of pronotum slighly coarser but less dense, with interspersed micropunctures; elytral punctation dense, even, slightly coarser than that of pronotum, becoming crescentiform laterally, appearing almost as transverse strigae at some angles; elytron with single engraved (sutural) stria, but with eight additional lightly impressed, punctate striae traceable nearly entire length of elytron. Prosternum somewhat setose medially, with pair of short, stout setae preapically on prosternal process. Mesoventrite punctate nearly throughout. Legs short, femora, tibia, and tarsus of all legs stout; tarsomeres 1–3 of all legs with dense pad of setae; metatarsus only slightly longer than mesotarsus. Protibia with two stout spines at outer apical angle. Metatarsomere I slightly shorter than II, about as long as III.

Tegmen of aedeagus with wide, spatulate dorsal strut; fused parameres with three pairs of lateral setae, proximal pair longest; penis slightly bisinuate at apex, with complex series of sclerites in internal sac. Female genitalia unstudied.

Diagnosis. This species may be recognized by the characters given in the generic diagnosis.

Distribution. Known only from southwestern Australia ( Fig. 44e ).

Etymology. This species is named in honor of Dr. John Lawrence of Gympie, Australia, who first brought to my attention and provided me with all known specimens of this distinctive new genus of Phalacridae . The epithet is a noun in the genitive case.

Figures

FIGURE 18. Platyphalacrus lawrencei, male. (a) Left mandible, dorsal; (b) left antenna (scale bar = 0.5 mm). (c) Left protibia and tarsus, dorsal; (d) right metatibia and tarsus, ventral (scale bar = 0.5 mm). (e) Hind wing (scale bar = 1.0 mm). (f) Meso- and metaventrite, ventral (scale bar = 1.0 mm). (g) Tegmen, ventral; (h) penis, ventral (scale bar = 0.5 mm).

FIGURE 39. Photographs. Megistopalpus simoni, lectotype: (a) dorsal; (b) view of antenna and maxillary palp. Phalacropsis dispar: (c) dorsal. Phalacrus rufoguttatus: (d) dorsal; (e) ventral. Austroporus sp.: (f) dorsal. Platyphalacrus lawrencei: (g) dorsal; (h) lateral; (f) ventral.

FIGURE 44. Collection localities. (a) Malagasmus thalesi distribution in Madagascar; (b) Malagophytus steineri distribution in Madagascar; (c) Antennogasmus cordatus distribution in southern Africa and Madagascar; (d) Paracylomus asiaticus distribution in Sri Lanka; (e) Platyphalacrus lawrencei distribution in Western Australia.