Notaferrum, Gearner & Philips, 2021

Gearner, Olivia M. & Philips, T. Keith, 2021, Notaferrum n. gen. (Coleoptera: Ptinidae): the first known spider beetle associated with weaver ants, Zoosystema 43 (2), pp. 29-36 : 30-31

Genus Notaferrum n. gen.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A9D794F8-7079-4544-A08D-FCE368A035B5

TYPE SPECIES. — Ptinus natalensis Pic, 1906 by original designation.

ETYMOLOGY. — Notaferrum n. gen. is derived from the Greek nota for back and the Latin ferrum for blade in reference to the longitudinal blade-like ridges on the pronotum.

DIAGNOSIS. — This genus can be recognized by the pair of longitudinal blade-like ridges located medially on the pronotum as well as a transverse, flattened, and U-shape depression with sides diverging anteriorly at the basal 2/5 of the pronotum.

GENERIC DESCRIPTION

Body

Small, length approximately 3.4 mm, elongate.

Head

Eyes convex, ovoid, slightly projecting, visible dorsally; vertex flat at middle; antennal fossae deep and distinct medially and ventrally, antennae long, filiform, 11 antennomeres; interantennal space between antennal insertions narrow, with a longitudinal groove; clypeus triangular, concave; labrum appearing truncate, maxillary and labial palpomeres fusiform.

Pronotum

Two thin longitudinal ridges positioned on either side of midline; two lateral tubercles on either side of the pronotum, flanking a transverse groove, basally forming a large posterior flat U-shaped depression with sides diverging anteriorly; anterior margin with deep irregular punctures.

Elytra

With longitudinal rows of punctures; interpuncture rows of small setae; scattered scale-like setae.

Thoracic ventrites

Proventrite small, about as long as wide; anteriorly, ventrally expanded to partially cover mouthparts, proventral process extending beyond procoxae, expanded anteriorly, tip truncate; mesoventrite U-shaped, surrounding proventral process apex, much wider than long, metaventrite large, wider than mesoventrite.

Abdominal ventrites

First three ventrites large, each as long or longer than 4th and 5th combined, fourth very short, fifth smaller than first three but much longer than fourth. Sutures visible between all ventrites; fifth ventrite distinctly transversely concave.

Legs

Femora expanded apically, tibia similar in length to femora; first tarsomere largest; metacoxae with posterior extension lateral to the trochanter; pro-, mesocoxae conical shaped, moderately projecting, metacoxae transverse, extending laterally to elytral margin.

Sexual dimorphism

Male antennomeres 6-11 distinctly more elongate than those of the female. Eye size in both sexes approximately equal.