AUSTROCONOMORPHUS GEN. NOV.

(FIGS 3A–C, 4, 5)

Z o o b a n k r e g i s t r a t i o n: u r n: l s i d: z o o b a n k. org:act: CDE2B00E-240A-4482-B6A9-3632556C1BCC.

Type species: Austroconomorphus slipinskii sp. nov., by monotypy, here designated.

Diagnosis: Body (Fig. 3A–C) small-sized (c. 3.0– 3.5 mm), long oval, surface sparsely covered with short, fine setae, setae on elytra relatively long, setae not clustered. Head (Fig. 4A) rounded, frontoclypeal

KEY TO GENERA OF AUSTRALIAN MYCTERIDAE (ADULTS)

Numbers of described species given refer to the Australian fauna only.

1. Body long oval to pear-shaped, widest at posterior third, moderately convex to slightly flattened; cranial neck absent; pronotum subquadrate, with anterior margin slightly wider than or subequal to posterior margin; mesanepisterna meeting at midline………………...................................................………… Eurypinae ……..2

– Body slender, elongate, subparallel-sided, strongly dorsoventrally flattened; distinctly developed and exposed cranial neck present; pronotum cordate, with anterior margin distinctly wider than posterior margin; mesanepisterna widely separated…………………..........................………........…… Hemipeplinae .... ................................................................…................... Hemipeplus (one described species: H. australicus)

2. Body surface densely covered with distinctly clustered yellowish, long setae dorsally…………………………………………………………………………… Loboglossa (one described species: L. australica Champion, 1916)

– Body surface sparsely covered with regularly distributed small to minute setae dorsally………………………………....................................................................................................................3

3. Pronotum transverse, with posterior margin distinctly wider than anterior margin……… Austrophaeogala

– Pronotum subquadrate or rounded, with anterior margin subequal to or distinctly wider than posterior margin……………………....................................................................................................................................4

4. Body pear-shaped, widened posteriorly; pronotum subquadrate, with lateral sides distinctly widened anteriorly or parallel-sided in few species; sex patch usually present, absent in some species……………….........................................................................................… Trichosalpingus (14 described species)

– Body long oval, parallel-sided; pronotum distinctly rounded laterally; sex patch absent……………............ ............................................................................................................................................. Austroconomorphus region flattened to slightly convex, without distinct deep frontal furrows; compound eyes small, ratio of eye diameter to interocular space c. 1:2.3–3.0, without impressed ocular grooves or carinae, interfacetal setae extremely short, inconspicuous; apical maxillary palpomere (Fig. 4B) securiform; apical labial palpomere (Fig. 4C) oval, narrowing apicad; antennae (Fig. 4D) short, not extending to elytra, simple, antennomere V–X scaphiform, weakly clubbed, XI oval. Pronotum (Fig. 4E) subquadrate, distinctly wider than head, with sides rounded, disc without shallow, paired depressions, lateral pronotal carinae (Fig. 4F) absent; prosternum (Fig. 4G) with procoxal cavities closed externally, widely open internally. Elytra (Figs 3A, C, 4H) long oval, without apicoventral binding patches. Legs (Fig. 4I) with penultimate tarsomere expanded, not wider than length of distal tarsomere, claws simple, with basal swelling. Abdominal ventrite(s) of male (Fig. 5A) without sex patch.

Etymology: The genus name is composed of the Latin prefix Austro-, southern, derived from Australia, and the root - conomorphus, cone-shaped, derived from the related genus group Conomorphus (i.e. conomorphine group sensu Pollock, 2006). Gender: masculine.

Distribution: Presumably endemic to Australia.