Neopicrotus Leschen, 1996

Gimmel, Matthew L. & Leschen, Richard A. B., 2022, Revision of the genera of Picrotini (Coleoptera: Cryptophagidae: Cryptophaginae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (Acta. Ent. Mus. Natl. Pragae) 62 (1), pp. 61-109 : 86-87

Neopicrotus Leschen, 1996

( Figs 29–32 )

Neopicrotus Leschen, 1996: 606 . Type species: Neopicrotus peckorum Leschen, 1996 , by original designation.

Diagnosis. This genus is easily distinguished by the body ( Figs 29–32 ) appearing shining and glabrous, with sparse, inconspicuous setae dorsally, the antennae inserted into deep concavities on frons with a narrow strip of cuticle (narrower than antennal club) in between, the small eyes with long tempora, antennomere 9 intermediate in width between antennomeres 8 and 10, and absence of postcoxal lines on abdominal ventrite 1.

Redescription. Length 1.05–1.60 mm. Body form ( Figs 29–32 ) elongate, shining dorsally, with short but dense decumbent setae dorsally; uni- or bicolored. Head with tempora prominent, length 1/3 length of eye or greater; vertex with broad temporal depression immediately anterior to ridge; band of reticulate sculpture present. Frontoclypeus not projecting laterally; raised portion of frons between antennal insertions strongly constricted, much narrower than antennal club. Transverse ridge above antennal insertions absent. Eye small, rounded, not contacting antennal cavity; interfacetal setae absent. Antennal club consisting of 3 antennomeres; antenna inserted into relatively large cavity; antennomere 9 smaller in width than antennomere 10, but greater in width than antennomere 8 (sometimes causing the club to appear to consist of only two antennomeres). Mandible with apex bifid, subapical serrations present. Maxillary palpomere 4 distinctly shorter or subequal to 3; palpomere 4 weakly to distinctly subulate. Gena without antennal groove; genal spines acute. Gular sutures complete or incomplete (not reaching occipital foramen). Pronotum not explanate, narrower than elytra and not constricted at base, widest at middle; anterior angles absent, not projecting anteriorly (not extending anterior to cervical foramen of prothorax), without a distinct flat glandular surface or platform; lateral carina complete, lacking teeth, crenulations, or setigerous tubercles, with lateral glabrous space absent, width of lateral bead wider than discal puncture and narrower than antennal funicle; disc without impressions; paramedial carinae and paralateral plicae absent; posterolateral angles obtuse. Prothoracic hypomeron fused to prosternum, some with a posterior shallow pocket or pit in the position of the base of the notosternal suture. Prosternum with anterior margin on same plane as disc; prosternal process with lateral beads absent, but with strongly convergent carinae near apex, ending in narrowly rounded point, process slightly expanded apically, narrowly rounded apically and crenulate with minute setae; procoxal cavity with or without anterolateral notch. Scutellar shield clearly visible and transverse, weakly triangular. Elytron with a minute humeral tooth; impressions absent; subapical gape present; punctation confused, dense and impressed; vestiture uniform, decumbent setae forming weakly undulate pattern, with postscutellar setae directed medioposteriorly and subapical setae directed lateroposteriorly. Hind wing absent. Mesoventrite with mesoventrital cavity bowl-shaped and flanked by sharp carinae. Mesanepisternal pit present and setose. Metaventrite without postcoxal lines; discrimen absent, posterior notch of metaventrite present. Metendosternite with anterior tendons widely separated or absent. Tarsi 5-5- 5 in female, 5-5- 4 in male; tarsi not slender, tarsomere 5 slightly to significantly wider than preceding tarsomeres in lateral view; pro- and mesotarsomere 4 with ventral setae, mesotarsomere 3 unlobed, with few setae, mesotarsomeres 1–4 of equal lengths, mesotarsomere 5 short, about as long as mesotarsomeres 1–3 combined. Abdominal ventrites free and without medial and lateral calli absent, intersegmental crenulations absent; ventrite 1 with intercoxal process narrowly rounded, lacking postcoxal lines; medio-basal thickenings of ventrites 3–5 absent; apex of ventrite 5 lacking crenulations. Abdominal spiracles on segment VII with openings present and not larger in diameter than spiracle VI, annulate, atrium rounded and saclike. Aedeagus with tegminal strut present and broad, tegminal arms fused without a distinct suture; parameres separate and articulated to phallobase, inner surface not concave, length about 3.0× longer than wide; apices trisetose; attachment point to phallobase constricted, interparameral process absent; basipenis about 7× longer than distipenis, without median carina; distipenis about as long as wide, outer rims smooth, lateral lobes reduced and widely separated, asymmetrical; internal sac with a pair of very short and thin endophallites.

Remarks. LൾඌർHൾඇ (1996) described this genus as having an antennal club with two antennomeres; however, in the context of this revision we consider the antennal club in this genus to be comprised of three antennomeres.

Biology. Specimens of these apterous species have been collected in leaf and log litter.

Distribution. Australia, Chile.

Included species (1+3). Neopicrotus peckorum Leschen, 1996 ; three undescribed species from Chile and Australia.

Figures

Figs 28–36. Habitus of species of Picrotini. 28 – Humerocryptus n. sp. 1 (New Zealand); 29 – Neopicrotus peckorum Leschen, 1996; 30 – Neopicrotus n. sp. 1 (Chile); 31 – Neopicrotus n. sp. 2 (Australia); 32 – Neopicrotus n. sp. 3 (Australia); 33 – Notocryptus australis (Redtenbacher, 1868); 34 – Notocryptus discoideus (Broun, 1893); 35 – Notocryptus distinctus (Broun, 1893); 36 – Notocryptus lindensis (Blackburn, 1891). Scale bars = 1 mm.