Paratinoides Medvedev, 1964

Tshernyshev, Sergei E., 2016, A review of species of the genera Protapalochrus Erichson and Paratinoides L. Medvedev (Coleoptera, Malachiidae), Zootaxa 4139 (3), pp. 369-390 : 387

Paratinoides Medvedev, 1964

Type species: Paratinoides apterus Medvedev, 1964 fixed by monotypy.

Diagnosis. Small-size (c. 3.0– 3.3 mm) beetles with the body elongate, narrow, parallel-sided, slightly expanded posteriorly and staphylinoid-type, because of the uncovered by elytra abdomen. Head, pronotum, elytra, abdomen, intermediate and posterior femora, thorax, 6–11th antennomeres black-brown, mouthpart area, palpi, 1–5th basal segments of antennae, anterior legs and tibiae and tarsi in intermediate and posterior legs light-yellow. Antennae filiform, simple, expanding over the base of pronotum. Head not wider than as pronotum, flat, eyes simple, round, not large, slightly protruding. Pronotum elongate, evenly and strongly narrowed at base, almost completely straight anteriorly, and emarginate at base near scutellum, with evenly rounded angles and indistinctly marginate sides. Elytra extremely shortened, cover only thoracic segments and leave abdomen free, suboval, slightly expanded just behind the indistinct shoulders; apices evenly rounded, simple, with distinct margination. Surface of head, pronotum and elytra densely punctured, with distinct microsculpture, shining, covered with short double pubescence. Anterior tarsi with distinct transverse not large comb above the 2nd segments, legs simple, not swollen or modified, lacking appendages or hairs. Metathorax simple, not swollen and lacking appendage or hairs.

Pygidium elongate, undivided, evenly narrowed and rounded distally, ultimate abdominal ventrite narrow, transverse, bilaciniate, with simple evenly rounded apices, aedeagus almost completely straight, simple, with a specific strong and spiral-curved horn-like tube in endophallus and a group of small denticles in anterior part. Tegmen narrow, long, with thin and curved apices of parameres.

The species is similar to representatives of subfamily Carphurinae due to its “staphylinoid” body shape, but specific 2nd segment of filiform antennae together with tarsal comb allow to place the genus near Protapalochrus , species of which are also distributed in the same region. One of the most distinguishing characters is the strong and curved horn-like tube in the inner sac of the aedeagus.

Notes. The species is distributed in Central and North Asia, namely Kazakhstan, neighbouring regions of Russia and Mongolia.