Zeclaviger, Lawrence, John F., Escalona, Hermes E., Leschen, Richard A. B. & Ślipiński, Adam, 2014

Lawrence, John F., Escalona, Hermes E., Leschen, Richard A. B. & Ślipiński, Adam, 2014, Review of the genera of Mycetophagidae (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea) with descriptions of new genera and a world generic key, Zootaxa 3826 (1), pp. 195-229 : 204-205

Zeclaviger gen. n.

( Figs 2 H, 3C, 3E, 5F–H, 5O)

Type species. Z. explanatus sp. n.

Diagnosis. This genus differs from all other mycetophagids in the distinctive body shape, with the sides of both pronotum and elytra distinctly curved and not parallel ( Fig. 5 O), the base of the pronotum distinctly narrower than the distance across the elytral humeri, the upper surfaces densely clothed with long, suberect hairs, and antennomeres 9 and 10 each elongate and distinctly longer than antennomere 11 (2H). It differs from most Mycetophaginae and resembles Typhaea , Typhaeola and Afrotyphaeola in having laterally closed mesocoxal cavities (with mesepimeron separated from cavity by the meeting of mesoventrite and metaventrite); it may be distinguished from those genera, however, by the features listed above, as well as the carinate mesoventrite and restricted New Zealand distribution.

Description. Total length 1.5–1.8 mm. Body ( Fig. 5 O) about 1.75–2.05 times as long as wide, moderately convex. Head slightly declined, about 0.80 times as long as wide, not constricted posteriorly; posterior portion of head capsule without median endocarina but with large, shallow concavity on each side of midline. Eyes moderately well developed and protuberant, circular, coarsely facetted. Antennal insertions barely concealed from above by weak frontal ridges; subantennal grooves weak, short, not extending behind eyes. Frontoclypeal suture distinctly impressed, straight; clypeus about half as long as wide at base; sides converging anteriorly; anterior edge subtruncate. Labrum less than half as long as wide; sides strongly curved; anterior edge broadly rounded. Antennae ( Figs 2 H, 5O) 11-segmented with distinct, 3-segmented antennal club; scape slightly longer and wider than pedicel; antennomeres 1–5 longer than wide, 6 as long as wide, 7 and 8 transverse, 9 and 10 distinctly elongate, slightly expanded apically with sensory areas at apex only; 11 about three-fourths as long as 10, about as long as wide and broadly rounded at apex, with sensory area occupying apical half. Mandibles about 1.5 times as long as wide, strongly but evenly curved apically, with two apical, acute teeth, differing slightly in length and aligned perpendicular to plane of movement of mandible; cutting edge on right mandible with slight tooth; molae strongly asymmetrical, transversely ridged; prostheca extensive and setose. Maxilla with galea not expanded, broadly rounded and setose; lacinia very short, slender and apically subacute, without uncus; apical maxillary palpomere fusiform, widest at middle and narrowly rounded at apex. Mentum strongly transverse, with straight sides expanded apically and apex very weakly rounded; ligula strongly transverse, truncate; labial palps short, broad and apparently 1-segmented. Submentum fused to pregular area. Gular sutures short and anteriorly converging. Corpotentorium very fine, doubly arched; anterior tentorial arms almost meeting at midline. Cervical sclerites small and slender.

Pronotum about 0.45–0.59 times as long as wide, widest at about middle, distinctly narrower at base than combined elytral bases; sides curved; anterior edge truncate, not margined; lateral carinae complete, narrowly margined, minutely crenulate; anterior angles not produced forward, posterior angles more or less right; posterior edge very weakly trisinuate; disc moderately convex with small paired basal pits. Prosternum in front of coxae slightly longer than mid length of coxal cavity, strongly convex, without median pubescent fovea in male; anterior edge truncate. Prosternal process slightly expanded apically, slightly curved dorsally behind coxae, slightly overlapping mesoventrite; apex subtruncate in ventral view. Notosternal suture incomplete. Procoxae not projecting below prosternum, without long concealed lateral extension. Trochantins concealed and fused to notum. Procoxal cavities slightly transverse, without narrow lateral extensions; externally broadly open (postcoxal process short and narrowly rounded); internally barely open, the sternal and notal bridges almost meeting.

Scutellar shield well developed, not abruptly elevated, about half as long as wide; sides apically diverging; posterior edge truncate. Elytra about 1.43–1.64 times as long as combined width and 3.55–4.45 times as long as pronotum, irregularly punctate; epipleuron very narrow and incomplete; internal surface with sutural, subapical binding patch and two sublateral binding patches at anterior fourth and at middle. Mesoventrite separated by complete sutures from mesanepisterna, with slender, median prosternal rest extending posteriorly to about middle of ventrite as median carina ( Fig. 3 C). Mesocoxae slightly, obliquely, transverse and weakly projecting, with concealed trochantins. Mesocoxal cavities at middle separated by about half the shortest diameter of one cavity; closed laterally by meeting of meso- and metaventrite. Mesometaventral junction apparently simple, with ventrites slightly overlapping. Metaventrite slightly convex; discrimen about 0.6 times as long as ventrite excluding anterior process. Exposed portion of metanepisternum about 3.3 times as long as wide; metepimeron visible. Metacoxae narrowly separated, not extending laterally to meet elytra. Metendosternite with moderately long, broad stalk, long lateral arms, well-developed laminae and anterior tendons located on arms at about middle. Hind wing almost 3 times as long as wide; apical field about 0.7 times total wing length, with two vaguely indicated radial extensions; radial cell without base; cross-veins r3 and r4 absent but longitudinally oblique rod-like sclerite present; basal portion of RP short; radiomedial loop acute; medial spur straight and oblique, not reaching wing margin; medial field with three free veins, a subcircular, undivided medial binding patch and no wedge cell; medial embayment very weak; anal lobe highly reduced and anal embayment shallow. Trochanterofemoral joint strongly oblique with femur narrowly reaching coxa. Legs long and slender; tibiae with small, simple spurs; tarsi almost as long as tibiae, 4-4- 4 in female and 3-4- 4 in male; tarsomere 1 distinctly longer than 2; pretarsal claws each with sharp tooth at about middle.

Abdomen slightly shorter than wide; ventrite 1 slightly longer than 2, with acute intercoxal process; ventrite 1 in male with short, linear pore field ( Fig. 3 E) at each anterolateral corner; ventrite 5 strongly transverse and broadly rounded at apex. Abdominal tergites III–VI relatively lightly sclerotized, each with pair of large, circular wingfolding spicule patches; tergite VII more heavily sclerotized, about two-thirds as long as wide and broadly rounded at apex. Sternite VIII in male with moderately long anterior strut (spiculum relictum), subtruncate at apex; tergite VIII lightly sclerotized with small emargination at apex. Segment IX in male ( Fig. 5H ) with moderately broad subgenital plate, abruptly narrowing anteriorly to form a short, straight spiculum gastrale; laterotergites IX lightly sclerotized, setose and subacute at apex; segment X membranous. Aedeagus ( Fig. 5F ) with articulated parameres apparently free almost to base; phallobase slightly longer than parameres, which are broad at base but narrowed to subacute, slightly ventrally curved apex. Penis ( Fig. 5G ) slightly shorter than phallobase and parameres combined, with basal struts about half as long as body of penis. Sternite VIII in female with long, fixed, slender, straight anterior strut (spiculum ventrale). Ovipositor slightly longer than wide, lightly sclerotized. Proctiger short with distinct baculi. Paraprocts subequal in length to gonocoxites, with distinct longitudinal baculi. Each coxite undivided, narrowing apically and bearing long, slender, subcylindrical gonostyli slightly before apex.

Etymology. From “ze”, referring to New Zealand, and Latin clava, “ club”, and – ger, Latin suffix meaning to bear or carry. Gender masculine.

Distribution. New Zealand: North Island.

Included species: Zeclaviger explanatus sp. n.

Figures

FIGURES 2 A – B, habitus, dorsal: A, Afrotyphaeola natalensis sp. n., length 1.6 mm; B, Thrimolus minutus Casey, length 1.2 mm. FIGURES 2 C – D, Litargus balteatus LeConte, prothoraces: C, dorsal, showing paired slit-like impressions; D, posterior, showing notal attachments of posterior apodemes and cryptopleura. Figure 2 E, Neotriphyllus confusus (Horn), head, dorsal. FIGURES 2 F – H, antennal apex: F, Neotriphyllus confusus (Horn); G, Pseudotriphyllus suturalis Reitter; H, Zeclaviger explanatus sp. n. Figure 2 I, Litargops sp. (Australia: ACT: Picadilly Circus, Brindabella Range), protibial apex. FIGURES 2 J – K, Litargus balteatus LeConte: J, labium; K, maxilla. All figures © CSIRO Australia.

FIGURES 5 A – H, mycetophagid male genitalia: A – B, Nototriphyllus araucania sp. n.: A, basale (phallobase) and apicale (partly fused parameres); B, penis; C – E, Neotriphyllus confusus (Horn): C, basale and apicale; D, penis; E, segments IX and X with long spiculum gastrale; F – H, Zeclaviger explanatus sp. n.: F, basale and apicale; G, penis; H, segments IX and X with short spiculum gastrale. FIGURES 5 I – J, habitus, dorsal: I, Nototriphyllus hispidellus (Broun), length 1.9 mm, © Landcare New Zealand; J, Filicivora chilensis (Philippi & Philippi), length 5.3 mm, © CSIRO Australia. FIGURES 5 K – L, Afrotyphaeola natalensis sp. n.: K, basale and apicale; L, penis. FIGURES 5 M – O, habitus: M, Neotriphyllus confusus (Horn), length 3.4 mm, © Landcare New Zealand; N, Nototriphyllus araucania sp. n., length 2.8 mm, © CSIRO Australia; O, Zeclaviger explanatus sp. n., length 1.6 mm, © Landcare New Zealand.

FIGURES 3 A – B, portion of elytral surface: A, Typhaea stercorea (Linnaeus); B, Nototriphyllus araucania sp. n. Figure 3 C, Zeclaviger explanatus sp. n., pterothorax, ventral, with right metanepisternum and right metacoxa and hind leg removed. Figure 3 D, Nototriphyllus araucania sp. n., prothorax, dorsal, with both coxae removed. Figure 3 E, Zeclaviger explanatus sp. n., left halves of abdominal ventrites 1 and 2, showing pore field in anterolateral corner of ventrite 1. All figures © CSIRO Australia.