Afrotyphaeola, 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 : 206-208

Afrotyphaeola gen. n.

( Figs 2A , 4A, 4 D, 5K–L, 13A–L)

Type species. A. natalensis sp. n.

Diagnosis. This genus is similar to Typhaea and Typhaeola in having laterally closed mesocoxal cavities (mesepimeron not reaching the coxal cavity), antennomeres 9 and 10 more or less transverse and shorter than 11 and the base of the pronotum about as wide as the distance across the elytral humeri. It differs from Typhaea in having the elytral punctation single and non-seriate, the apical maxillary palpomere more or less fusiform, the metaventrite shortened and the hindwing reduced, and from Typhaeola in having the pronotum widest posteriorly, lateral pronotal carinae simple, posterior pronotal angles right, elytra with lateral edges concealed from above and apices rounded, and protarsomere 1 in the male not expanded. The first abdominal ventrite in the male also differs from that in Typhaeola in having paired fields of micropores ( Fig. 4A ), rather than paired patches of setigerous spicules accompanied by glandular pores ( Fig. 4C ).

Description. Total length 1.60–1.80 mm. Body ( Fig. 2A ) about 1.83–1.91 times as long as wide, moderately convex. Head ( Figs 13A–B ) slightly declined, about 1.2 times as long as wide, not constricted posteriorly; posterior portion of head capsule without median endocarina, with large, shallow concavity on each side of midline. Eyes slightly vertically oval, with longest diameter about 0.3 times as long as greatest head width, moderately protuberant, coarsely facetted with interfacetal setae about as long as eye facet. Antennal insertions barely concealed from above by weak frontal ridges. Frontoclypeal suture distinctly impressed and straight; clypeus about 0.45 times as long as wide; anterior edge broadly rounded. Labrum about half as long as wide; anterior edge broadly subtruncate. Antennae ( Fig. 13E ) 11-segmented with distinct, 3-segmented club; scape not longer than pedicel; antennomeres 3–7 at least slightly longer than wide, but becoming shorter and broader apically, 8 about as long as wide; 9–11 of equal width; sensory areas on 9 and 10 occupying apical fourth, that on 11 apical third. Mandibles about 1.25 times as long as wide, strongly but evenly curved apically, with two acute apical teeth aligned perpendicular to plane of movement. Maxilla with galea expanded, broadly rounded and setose and lacinia reduced, slender and apically subacute; apical maxillary palpomere slightly expanded and obliquely truncate apically. Mentum about 0.6 times as long as wide, with sides subparallel and apex truncate; ligula truncate; apical labial palpomere cylindrical. Corpotentorium weakly arched, without anterior median process. Cervical sclerites small and slender.

Pronotum ( Fig. 13C ) about 0.55–0.62 times as long as wide, widest at base, which is not narrower than elytral bases; sides weakly rounded; lateral carinae complete and simple; anterior angles not produced forward, posterior angles right, slightly overlapping elytral humeri; anterior edge with fine bead; posterior edge weakly trisinuate with fine bead; disc moderately convex with paired small, circular sub-basal pits. Prosternum ( Figs 13F, I ) 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 in lateral view, apex subtruncate in ventral view. Notosternal suture complete; hypomeron bearing a slender curved fovea near the posterior end of the suture ( Figs 13F, I ). Procoxae with secondary mesal condyle; trochantin concealed and fused to notum. Procoxal cavities slightly transverse, with two narrow notches at each anterolateral corner; externally broadly open (postcoxal process short and subacute); internally barely open.

Scutellar shield ( Fig. 13L ) strongly transverse; sides diverging posteriorly; posterior edge subtruncate. Elytra about 1.32–1.38 times as long as combined width and 2.48–2.77 times as long as pronotum; punctation dual, with nude and setigerous punctures, and confused; epipleuron narrow and incomplete; internal surface of each elytron with elongate, subsutural, binding patch at apical third and two sublateral binding patches at anterior fourth and about middle. Mesoventrite ( Fig. 13D ) separated by complete sutures from mesanepisterna, with slender, median subtriangular prosternal rest produced posteriorly to form short carina. Mesocoxae with very slightly exposed trochantins. Mesocoxal cavities separated by distance about 0.14 times as great as shortest diameter of one cavity; closed laterally by meeting of meso- and metaventrites ( Fig. 13G ). Mesometaventral junction simple, with ventrites barely meeting. Metaventrite ( Fig. 13D ) moderately convex; shortest distance between mesocoxal cavity and metacoxcal cavity subequal to length of abdominal ventrite 1 at same point; discrimen about 0.3 times as long as ventrite. Exposed portion of metanepisternum about 4 times as long as wide; metepimeron visible. Metacoxae narrowly separated, not extending laterally to meet elytra. Metendosternite with short, broad stalk, long lateral arms, weakly developed laminae and anterior tendons located on arms at about apical third. Hind wing about 3.5 times as long as wide, widest just beyond middle; apical field and radial cell absent; cross-veins, oblique linear sclerite, R-M loop, RP and medial spur absent or vaguely indicated; medial field very slender basally, with a single long vein, expanded apically with an enlarged binding patch; anal lobe absent. Trochanterofemoral joint moderately oblique. Tibiae slender with small, simple spurs ( Figs 13J–K ); tarsi 4-4- 4 in female and 3-4- 4 in male.

Abdomen ( Fig. 13H ) with ventrite 1 about 1.2 times as long as 2, with acute intercoxal process; ventrite 1 in male with paired linear pore fields ( Figs 4A , D); ventrite 5 strongly transverse and broadly rounded at apex. Abdominal tergites III–VI relatively lightly sclerotized, V and VI each with pair of wing-folding spicule patches; tergite VII more heavily sclerotized, about 0.66 times as long as wide and broadly rounded at apex. Sternite VIII in male with short anterior strut (spiculum relictum), truncate or slightly emarginate at apex; tergite VIII lightly sclerotized and broadly rounded. Segment IX in male with long, slender, slightly curved spiculum gastrale and lightly sclerotized laterotergites; segment X membranous. Aedeagus ( Fig. 5 K) about 3.6 times as long as wide; phallobase about 1.15 times as long as parameres, each of which is broadest at base, gradually narrowed apically and acute and ventrally curved at apex. Penis ( Fig. 5 L) about 0.88 times as long as phallobase and parameres combined, acute at apex, with basal struts about 0.33 times as long as body of penis. Sternite VIII in female with long, fixed, slender, anterior strut (spiculum ventrale). Ovipositor about 1.67 times as long as wide, lightly sclerotized. Proctiger about as long as wide with distinct baculi. Paraprocts about 0.75 times as long as gonocoxites, with distinct longitudinal baculi. Each coxite transversely divided into three lobes: a short proximal lobe about as long as wide, with a curved transverse baculum, a very short, strongly transverse lobe, and a distal lobe, about twice as long as wide, narrowing apically and bearing long, slender, subcylindrical gonostyli at apex.

Etymology. From “Afro” indicating the occurrence of the genus in Africa and the mycetophagid genus Typhaeola , which this genus superficially resembles. Gender is feminine.

Distribution. Natal, South Africa.

Included species: A. natalensis 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 4 A – C, right half of abdominal ventrite 1: A, Afrotyphaeola natalensis sp. n. with linear pore field; B, Nototriphyllus araucania sp. n., with C-shaped pore field; C, Typhaeola maculata Perris, with pores at setal bases. FIGURES 4 D – F, all five abdominal ventrites of same three species. Figure 4 G, Nototriphyllus araucania sp. n., hind wing. All figures © CSIRO Australia.

FIGURES 13 A – L, Afrotyphaeola natalensis sp. n., ♀: A, head, dorsal; B, head, ventral; C, prothorax, dorsal; D, pterothorax, ventral with right mesocoxa removed; E, antenna; F, prothorax, ventral; G, left mesocoxa, showing lateral closure of cavity by mesoventrite and metaventrite; H, abdomen, ventral; I, right procoxal cavity; J, mesotibial apex and mesotarsus; K, protibial apex and protarsus, L, scutellar shield. 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.