Diastatotropis Lacordaire, 1866

Trýzna, Miloš & Baňař, Petr, 2022, Diastatotropis arofaniana sp. nov. from eastern Madagascar, a new species close to D. rubra Frieser, with a redescription of the type of the latter, and notes on morphology (Coleoptera: Anthribidae), Zootaxa 5120 (1), pp. 30-52 : 31-32

Diastatotropis Lacordaire, 1866

( Figs 1–8 )

Type species: Diastatotropis tigrina Lacordaire, 1866

Placement. Anthribinae : incertae sedis. The genus Diastatotropis is placed in A world catalogue of families and genera of Curculionoidea ( Alonso-Zarazaga & Lyal 1999) in the tribe Cappadocini Alonso-Zarazaga & Lyal, 1999 , a tribe established in this work. However, Lyal & Alonso-Zarazaga (2006) later transferred this genus to Anthribinae incertae sedis. With respect to the differing views on the concept of tribes of the family Anthribidae , we provisionally keep this genus as incertae sedis; a more detailed concept of tribal arrangement will be published in further studies.

Recognition. Body oval to elongate. Rostrum extended apically, with one central longitudinal carina or without this carina (in the case of D. nitidipennis Waterhouse, 1882 and D. planifrons Waterhouse, 1882 ), and two lateral carinae, or lateral carinae absent (as in D. rubra and D. arofaniana ). Eyes spherical or elliptical, not emarginate. Antennae of males usually reaching posterior margin of pronotum or beyond, antennae of females shorter, not reaching posterior margin of pronotum. Funicle thin, then antennal club 3-segmented (most species) or 4-segmented (in D. rubra ), or antennomeres continuously extended (e.g. in D. arofaniana ). Dorsal transverse carina of pronotum distinct and antebasal, pronotal declivity wide. Medium- or large-sized species, from 6 mm (small specimens of D. rubricollis ( Fairmaire, 1892) , D. arofaniana ) to more than 18 mm ( D. olivaceus Waterhouse, 1877 ).

Terminalia. Male and female genitalia compared to overall size of body conspicuously small. Female genitalia: ovipositor short and wide, hemisternites strikingly short and delicate, without toothed plates, with only small preapical stylus. Lateral and median rods very short, median rod reaching to ca. half of the length of lateral rod. Transverse bar invisible.

Remarks on terminalia of the type species D. tigrina . Male: Aedeagus smaller, pedon and tectum wide, apodemes moderately curved.Apex of pedon completely straight, apex of tectum narrowly rounded ( Fig. 2 ). Tegmen ( Fig. 3 ) relatively robust and long, tegminal plate rather narrow, its sides bent, apex of tegmen with long, distinct setae. Basal piece with two conspicuous spurs oriented posteriorly.

Female: Pygidium ( Fig. 4 ) broad, roughly sclerotized. Sternite VIII ( Fig. 5 ) with bisinuate anterior margin and strongly sclerotized apodeme. Tergite VIII ( Fig. 6 ) sub-rectangular with slightly convex anterior margin. Ovipositor ( Fig. 7 ) wide and short, its lateral rods diverging. Hemisternites ( Fig. 8 ) unarmed, simple, without toothed plates. Each hemisternite with very short subapical stylus, and with small chitinous protrusion looking like a simple tooth on its inner side ( Fig. 8 , see arrows). Bursa copulatrix large, not studied in detail [damaged in studied female].

Figures

FIGURES 1–3. Diastatotropis tigrina Lacordaire, 1866, Moramanga env., male; 1, dorsal habitus; 2, aedeagus in dorsal view; 3, tegmen in ventral view. Scale bars in mm.

FIGURES 4–8. Diastatotropis tigrina Lacordaire, 1866, Moramanga env., female terminalia; 4, pygidium; 5, sternite VIII; 6, tergite VIII; 7, ovipositor in ventral view; 8, apex of ovipositor in ventral view (arrows indicate sclerotized parts). Scale bars in mm.