Oniphenes Kirejtshuk, 2022

Kirejtshuk, Alexander G. & Kovalev, Alexey V., 2022, Monograph on the Cillaeinae (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) from the Australian Region with comments on the taxonomy of the subfamily, Zootaxa 5103 (1), pp. 1-133 : 117-119

48. Genus Oniphenes Kirejtshuk et Kovalev, gen. nov.

LSID urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:32C7ADA8-758E-40CB-ADE1-F20DFCA0C1BE

Type species: Oniphenes lobanovi sp. nov.

Notes. At the moment this new genus is represented only by new species here described from Australia. However, similar species remaining still undescribed have been collected in adjacent areas (mostly from Indonesian New Guinea) which could be regarded as potential congeners or members of related separate taxa. Some of these New Guinean species have some structural differences from the genus here described, particularly in the shape and convexity of the body, structure of the intermediate and posterior legs and antennae, although their ovipositor is quite similar to that in the Australian Oniphenes gen. nov.

Diagnosis. This genus is characterized by the elongate oval to subparallel-sided body, rather convex dorsally and moderately ventrally; dorsum sparsely and usually moderately finely punctured, and also with coarser punctures in more or less expressed elytral striae (at elytral sides striae and punctation becoming weaker); dorsum without trace of pubescence and cilia; underside with moderately sparse and moderately long, slightly conspicuous yellowish hairs; head with rather large eyes located slightly behind midlength, distinct “neck”; labrum transverse, with subtruncate to shallowly emarginate apex and divided by distinct median suture; distinctly outlined antennal grooves arcuately or S-likely convergent; pronotum suboval, with subrectilinear to shallowly emarginate anterior and slightly convex posterior edges and widely rounded sides forming arcuate anterior and posterior angles, sides gently sloping and (sub)explanate at edge; elytra longer than combined width, with subtruncate apices and sides (sub)explanate; abdominal laterosternites V and VI emarginate along inner side at base and somewhat widened posteriorly (base of laterosternites narrower than apex); somewhat medially convex prosternal process; moderately narrowly separated all pairs of coxae; procoxae clearly closed; posterior edge of metaventrite between coxae arcuately emarginate to angularly excised; tibiae subtriangular and rather wide, protibia with strong two preapical teeth, meso- and metatibiae with reduced upper border; all tarsi narrowly to moderately lobed; tarsal claws simple and long.

Comparison. Oniphenes gen. nov. is easily diagnosed after the above key to genera and subgenera of Australian cillaeines and it is very distinct from all genera of the subfamily of the Australian Region in many characters, including the rather convex body, suboval pronotum and strongly raised subapical teeth of protibiae. These characters are similar to those in the African Xanthopeplus , and also in the Neotropical Carpophilops and Halepopeplus , and also all these three genera share many other characters with Oniphenes gen. nov. Nevertheless, the latter differs from the first ( Xanthopeplus ) mainly in the subtruncate apex of labrum, medially convex (not subflatenned) prosternal process with arcuate apex and narrowly to moderately lobed tarsi; and from the second ( Carpophilops ) in the narrower and subparallel-sided body, arcuately or S-likely rather convergent antennal grooves (not rectilinearly and weakly convergent), usually more strong subapical teeth at outer angle of protibial, sexual dimorphism in pubescence of abdominal ventrites and structure of hypopygidium; and from the third ( Halepopeplus ) in the subtruncate apex of labrum, widely rounded and not far projecting apex of prosternal process, strong teeth raised only on the protibial (but not on meso- and metatibae), moderately narrowly separated procoxae (not strongly narrowly separated) and narrowly to moderately lobed tarsi. The comparable convex body with suboval pronotum of African Liparopeplus and South American Carpophilops is rather similar to that in Oniphenes gen. nov., although both African and American genera have the protibia without strong subapical teeth, and also the new genus also differs from Liparopeplus in the more parallel-sided body, widely rounded posterior angles of pronotum (without distinct tip), subtruncate elytral apices (not separately widely rounded forming a situral angle), prosternal process not curved along procoxae and rather widened before very wide apex (not moderately wide), moderately wide tibiae (not narrow), very narrowly separated metacoxae (not more widely separated than pro- and mesocoxae).

Etymology. The name of this genus is formed from two roots of cillaeine genera: “ oni ” ( Onicotis — Murray, 1864: “ονίκ ύ ς and ωτίς, eared like an ass”) and “ phenes ” ( Ithyphenes — Murray, 1864: “ ΙΘύς, obvious; ϕενω, I kill,—alluding to the projecting mandibles”). Gender masculine.

Description. Body small to comparatively medium-sized (2.8–3.4 mm), elongate oval to subparallel-sided body, rather convex dorsally and moderately ventrally. Dorsal integument smooth and shining, moderately finely and rather sparsely punctured, each elytron with five to nine striae with one row of dense and more or less coarse punctures, externally from striae punctation becoming diffused and obliterated. Dorsum without trace of pubescence and cilia; underside with moderately sparse and moderately long, slightly conspicuous yellowish hairs.

Head subflattened to weakly convex, strongly narrowed at base; eyes located slightly behind midlength; anterior edge of frons subtruncate; eyes moderately large, temples with or without projection behand eyes; antennal grooves distinctly outlined, arcuately or S-likely convergent, minimal distance between them smaller than width of mentum. Mandibles simple with outer edge gently curved along or externally dilated and curved to narrow apex with forming an anterior angular excision; apex simple or bidentate. Labrum transverse, with subtruncate to shallowly emarginate apex and divided by distinct median suture. Mentum comparatively short to moderately long, subpentagonal, arcuately widened anteriorly and slightly projecting anterior angles. Pregenal process at hypostomal sinus moderately wide and arcuately curved. Ultimate labial palpomere cup-shaped to subcylindrical and and about as long as thick. Ultimate maxillary palpomere subcylindrical and comparatively short. 11-segmented antennae about as long as distance between eyes and bearing compact 3-segmented club without any evident trace of sexual dimorphism, antennomeres 10 and 11 usually slightly isolated from antennomere 9.

Pronotum suboval, widest at middle to slightly before or behind it and arcuately narrowing anteriorly, gently and evenly convex, with subrectilinear anterior and posterior edges and widely rounded sides forming arcuate anterior and posterior angles, sides (sub)explanate; anterior and posterior edges sometimes narrowly bordered. Scutellar shield transverse, subtriangular to subpentagonal, subacute to subrounded at apex. Elytra longer than combined width, subparallel-sided to somewhat arcuate at sides and subtruncate at apices remaining last three abdominal segments completely uncovered, moderately narrowly to widely subexplanate at narrowly bordered sides. Abdominal laterosternites V and VI emarginate along inner side at base and only slightly widened posteriorly (base of lateroventrites about as wide as apex). Pygidium strongly transverse, more or less rounded to subtruncate or shallowly emarginate at male apex, and narrowly rounded at female apex.

Prosternal process medially convex, not curved along procoxae and strongly widened at widely rounded to subtruncate apex. Procoxae clearly closed. All pairs of coxae narrowly separated, distance between pro- and mesocoxae somewhat greater than that between metacoxae. Mesoventrite medially somewhat convex, at sides with distinct (sharply isolated) premesocoxal depressions for receipt of mesofemora. Metaventrite with distinct median suture, posterior edge of metaventrite between coxae angularly excised. Hypopygidium transverse and widely emarginate at apex in male and subtruncate at apex in female.

Legs comparatively short and moderately wide. Tibiae moderately wide and subtriangular, more or less rounded at outer apical angle; with two borders along meso-and metatibiae bearing dense and short setae and usually with few bigger and stout preapical spines; spurs moderately short and stout. Protibia with two strong subapical teeth with great interval between them. Tarsi with narrowly to modearely lobed tarsomeres 1-3 and claws simple.

Male anal sclerite moderately long and with widely rounded apex, without visible serration.Aedeagus moderately sclerotized, moderately short, penis trunk and tegmen different in structure. Ovipositor with comparatively wide inner and outer lobes gonocoxites, inner lobes well isolated, styli extremely short (slightly visible) and located at distance from apex.

Composition. The type species and two other congeners are here described, and also some other species of this new genus from Australia and at least New Guinea remain undescribed.

Notes on bionomy. The species of this genus seem to be mostly associated with decaying mater of plant origin and fungal fructifications in rainforest.

Distribution. Australia and New Guinea.

49. Key to species of the genus Oniphenes gen. nov. from Australia

1a. Body chestnut brown dorsally with yellowish spot at elytral shoulder; coloration of underside becoming lighter from lateral side to the middle; anterior part of head, antennal flagelli and legs reddish (lighter specimens with not clear dark coloration); body more robust with larger and more convex pronotum and more arcuate elytral sides; elytra with 8-9 clear striae;—aedeagus more than 2.0 × as long as wide; tegmen with median long apical process; penis trunk with lobes of apical orifice surpassing apex of penis trunk;

1a Remarks. Scape strongly swollen and not more than 1.3 × as long as thick; antennal grooves arcuately convergent with minimal distance about 0.3 × as great as width of mentum; abdominal laterosternites V and VI about 4.0 × as long as wide; mesometatibiae with raised spines in distal part along their outer edge;—antennal club compact and about 1.5 × as long as wide; temples not projecting behind eyes;—male anal sclerite rounded to subangular at apex. 3.4 mm. Figs 36 , A–I. Australia: QLD........................................................................... Oniphenes bicoloratus sp. nov.

1b. Body lighter—yellowish to subunicolorous reddish, or with darkened (infuscated) elytral distal part, and also with darkened base of head and abdominal apex; body slenderer or slightly convex with smaller and less convex pronotum and more subparallel-sided elytral sides; scape moderately swollen and at least 1.5 × as long as thick; elytra with five long or also one short prescutellar clear striae; — aedeagus much less than 2.0 × as long as wide; tegmen without median apical process; penis trunk with lobes of apical orifice not surpassing apex of penis trunk............................................. 2

2(1)a. Body subunicolorous yellowish to reddish, wider and less convex; mandibles externally dilated and forming an anterior angular excision before narrow apex; anterior edge of frons emarginate; elytra with five long and short prescutellar striae on disk and sides more widely explanate; dorsum between punctures subalutaceous; temples arcuate; abdominal laterosternites V and VI about 4.5 × as long as wide. antennal grooves with minimal distance about as great as mentum wide; male anal sclerite rounded to at slightly subemarginate apex; aedeagus more than 1.5 × as long as wide; penis trunk widely rounded at apex. 3.1-3.3 mm. Figs 38 , AH. Australia: QLD.......................................................... O. subunicolor sp. nov.

2(1)b. Body subunicolorous yellowish to reddish, narrower and more convex; mandibles externally not dilated and gently curved to narrow apex, without an anterior angular excision; anterior edge of frons subtruncate; elytra only with five long striae on disk and sides moderately subexplanate; dorsum between punctures completely smooth; temples somewhat angularly projecting externally behind eyes; abdominal laterosternites V and VI at least 5.0 × as long as wide; antennal grooves with minimal distance about 0.3 × as great as mentum wide; male anal sclerite widely rounded at posterior nargin; aedeagus more than 1.5 × as long as wide; penis trunk ridely rounded at apex; aedeagus less than 1.5 × as long as wide; penis trunk subangular at apex. 2.8–3.2 mm. Figs 37 , A–H. Australia: QLD................................................. O. lobanovi sp. nov.

Figures

FIGURE 36. Oniphenes bicoloratus gen. et sp. nov., orig. A–H: holotype, male and I: paratype, female from QLD (“… 3 km ENE of Mt. Tozer …”); A: body, dorsal; B: head, dorsal; C: head and thorax, ventral; D: lateral side of abdominal segments 5 and 6, dorsal; E: male anal sclerite, ventral; F: tegmen, ventral; G: penis trunk, dorsal; H: proximal part of inner sac with armature; I: ovipositor, ventral. Scale bars: a = 0.5 mm to Fig. A; b = 0.5 mm to Figs B–D; с = 0.25 mm to Figs E–I.

FIGURE 37. Oniphenes lobanovi gen. et sp. nov., orig. A–D: paratype, female from QLD (“… Cape Tribulation area, 21–28 Mar. 1984 …”), E–H: holotype, male from QLD (“Cairns”) and I: paratype, female from QLD (“… Cape Tribulation area, 1–11 May 1992 …”); A: body, dorsal; B: head, dorsal; C: head and thorax, ventral; D: lateral side of abdominal segments 5 and 6, dorsal; E: male anal sclerite and spiculum gastrale, ventral; F: tegmen, ventral; G: penis trunk, dorsal; H: proximal part of inner sac with armature; I: ovipositor, ventral. Scale bars: a = 0.5 mm to Fig. A; b = 0.5 mm to Figs B–D; с = 0.25 mm to Figs E–I.

FIGURE 38. Oniphenes subunicolor gen. et sp. nov., orig. A–H: holotype, male from QLD (“… Cape Tribulation area, 1–11 May 1992 …”) and I: paratype, female from QLD (“Bellenden Ker Range …”); A: body, dorsal; B: head, dorsal; C: head and thorax, ventral; D: lateral side of abdominal segments 5 and 6, dorsal; E: male anal sclerite and spiculum gastrale, ventral; F: tegmen, ventral; G: penis trunk, dorsal; H: ovipositor, ventral. Scale bars: a = 0.5 mm to Fig. A; b = 0.5 mm to Figs B–D; с = 0.25 mm to Figs E–I.