Austrostenichnus caledonicus Franz

(Figs. 52–61)

Stenichnus (Austrostenichnus) caledonicus Franz, 1971: 45, Fig. 2.

Type material studied. Holotype: 3: four labels (Fig. 54): "Riviere Bleue / S-Neu-Kaledonien / lg.H.Franz 1970" and "Pa 54" on the reverse side [white, printed; reverse handwritten], " Stenichnus / ( Austrostenichnus) / caledonicus m. / det.H.Franz" [white, handwritten and printed], "3" [white with black margins, printed], " Typus " [red, handwritten] (NHMW). Paratypes (2 ƤƤ): same data as for the holotype except for yellowish " paratypus " labels (NHMW).

Additional material: 1, southern New Caledonia, Koghi Mts., 520 m, 25.10.2008, sifting leaf litter in forest, leg. M. Wanat (MNHW).

Diagnosis. This is the only known species of Austrostenichnus and can be identified on the basis of the generic characters and the aedeagus (Figs. 55–56).

Redescription. Body of male (Fig. 52) strongly convex, elongate and slender, with long appendages, BL 1.31 mm; glossy, distinctly bicolorous, pronotal disc and head dark brown, nearly black, base of pronotum, elytra, meso- and metaventrites and abdominal sternites reddish-brown, appendages yellowish-brown; vestiture yellowishbrown.

Head (Figs. 58–59) approximately subtriangular, broadest at eyes, HL 0.23 mm, HW 0.25 mm; tempora much shorter than eyes; vertex distinctly transverse and weakly, evenly convex, anteriorly confluent with frons; frons between eyes convex, between antennal insertions slightly but distinctly concave; supraantennal tubercles not marked; eyes large and strongly convex, slightly oval and oblique in relation to the long axis of the head. Punctures on head dorsum fine and sparse, inconspicuous; setae long, sparse, suberect. Antennae (Figs. 52–53) slender, with indistinct club composed of antennomeres IX–XI, AnL 0.68 mm; antennomeres I–IX strongly elongate, X about as long as broad; XI 1.8 × as long as broad.

Pronotum (Figs. 52–53) in dorsal view with large and subtrapezoidal discal part broadest near anterior 1/5–1/6 of PL and short posterior collar demarcated by distinct lateral constriction, PL 0.31 mm, PW 0.28 mm; anterior and lateral margins of discal part confluent and rounded; posterior margin arcuate; hind pronotal corners indistinctly marked, blunt and obtuse; posterior collar dorsally demarcated by deep, narrow and arcuate transverse groove connected at each end to small but distinct lateral ante-basal fovea. Punctures on pronotal disc fine and inconspicuous; setae long, sparse and suberect.

Elytra (Figs. 52–53) oval and more convex than pronotum, broadest between middle and anterior third, EL 0.78 mm, EW 0.48 mm, EI 1.63; humeral calli distinct, developed as elongate protuberances; elytral apices separately rounded. Punctures on elytral disc fine and inconspicuous; setae long, sparse and suberect to erect. Hind wings well-developed, twice as long as elytra.

Legs (Figs. 46–47) long and slender; all tibiae straight or nearly straight.

Aedeagus (Figs. 55–56) moderately elongate, AeL 0.20 mm; median lobe oval with paired ventral sclerites projecting distally; internal armature symmetrical, composed of elongate, moderately darkly sclerotized structures, with two large subtriangular plates crossing in subapical region; parameres free and slender, bearing short apical setae.

Female. Externally indistinguishable from male. BL 1.25–1.29 mm; HL 0.20–0.23 mm, HW 0.24–0.25 mm, AnL 0.65–0.68 mm; PL 0.31–0.33 mm, PW 0.25 mm; EL 0.73–0.75 mm, EW 0.48–0.50 mm, EI 1.50–1.53.

Distribution. Southern New Caledonia.