Acantoxyura, PACE, 1987

Hanley, Rodney S., 2003, Generic revision of the staphylinid beetle tribe Hoplandriini (Insecta: Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 138 (1), pp. 83-140 : 134

GENUS ACANTOXYURA PACE, 1987

Acantoxyura Pace, 1987:194 . Hanley & Ashe, 1998:184. Hanley, 2002a:318. Hanley, in press b.

Type species: Acantoxyura armata Pace (1987) by original designation.

Abbreviated description: Length of adults 1.7–1.8 mm. Body parallel-sided. Head slightly longer than wide. Antenna with 11 antennomeres. Maxilla with length of lacinia subequal to length of galea, lacinia acute apically, teeth on adoral margin short, about 3 times longer than wide, and more or less widely placed, into two distinct regions; galea moderately narrow, narrower than lacinia at widest area, and truncate apically, membranous in apical 1/8, covered with few rows of short, fine hairs; maxillary palpi with 4 articles and a moderately defined pseudosegment, articles 2 and 3 with numerous long setae, articles 1, 4 and pseudosegment without setae. Labium with ligula about twice as long as wide, broadened apically with deeply forked apex, fork about 1/2 length of ligula; two long medial setae of prementum present, longer than ligula, insertion of setae almost adjacent; hypoglossal lobes moderate in length, reaching beyond base of ligula, with short, about 0.5 times width of lobe, comb-like straight setae along entire length of adoral margin. Labial palpi elongate, overall length 4–5 times longer than greatest width. Pronotum broadly oval, about 1.3 times wider than long. Elytra broad, together about 1.2 times wider than long; apicolateral angles sinuate. Legs with tarsal formula 4-5-5. Abdomen fusiform to parallel-sided, tapering apically to broadly pointed apex. Males variable with narrow posteromedian longitudinal carina or small denticles on tergum III (?), and numerous denticles on abdominal tergum VII. Aedeagus with bulb of median lobe elongate, shorter than tube, with distinct ventral projection; internal sac with numerous, small spinules. Spermatheca more or less coiled: basal bulb, simple and rounded at base; neck, significantly curved.

Comments: This abbreviated description for Acantoxyura was extracted from Pace (1987) only. Two species are included in this genus, A. armata Pace and A. spinifera Pace. No specimens representing this genus were available for examination.

Distribution: NEOTROPICAL REGION. Brazil (Espírito Santo); Guadeloupe Island (West Indies).