Nelloptodes, Darby, 2019

Darby, Michael, 2019, Studies of Ptiliidae (Coleoptera) in the Spirit Collection of the Natural History Museum, London, 6: New species and records collected by W. C. Block in Kenya and Uganda, 1964 - 1965, Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine 155, pp. 239-257 : 247

Nelloptodes gen. n.

Type species Nelloptodes blocki gen. n. (gender masculine).

Remarks: Small, elongate, yellow species belonging to the section of the family that includes Ptinella , Pteryx , Pterycodes , Ptinellodes and ‘many undescribed forms’ (Dybas, 1978) exhibiting polymorphism including both normal and vestigial forms without eyes and wings. Nelloptodes species are most like Ptinellodes but distinguished from that genus by the female’s lack of internal abdominal claws.

Etymology: Derived from Ptinella and Ptinellodes both of which display features included in the new genus.

Description

Body elongate, shining, covered with fine yellow pubescence, slightly longer on the head than on the elytra. Antennomeres X–XI forming a loosely jointed club. Mentum anterior border strongly concave, with two long setae situated below the anterior corners. Prementum with ± 5 setae. Pronotum distinctly domed, broader than long, finely bordered, lateral margins evenly rounded to rounded hind angles, anterior margin narrower than posterior, both posterior and anterior margins slightly sinuous in dorsal view. Scutellum short, very broad anteriorly. Elytra almost quadrate, subtruncate apically, exposing 5 abdominal tergites, reticulate and shallowly foveolate, the setae arising from the barely concave posterior margins of the cells. Proventrum broad in front of procoxae, lacking reticulation medially, with a row of setae along the anterior margin interrupted medially, and of much smaller setae along the underside of the lateral margins. Mesoventrum without pubescence, strongly reticulate throughout, collar without a clearly defined posterior margin, humeri with a small tooth, keel less sharply defined than in Ptinella species, ending in a sharp point between the mesocoxae, mesocoxae contiguous. Metaventrum pubescent and reticulate, without evidence of episternal sutures (lines), metacoxae widely separated. Dimorphism present, the vestigial morph lacking wings and eyes appearing to be the dominant form; the normal morph with eyes and wings.