Phellinocis Lopes­Andrade & Lawrence

Lopes-Andrade, Cristiano & Lawrence, John F., 2005, Phellinocis, a new genus of Neotropical Ciidae (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea), Zootaxa 1034, pp. 43-60 : 46-48

Phellinocis Lopes­Andrade & Lawrence , gen. n.

( Figs 1–21 )

Type species. Phellinocis romualdoi sp. n.

Diagnosis

The genus may be distinguished by the combination of oblong, highly convex, subglabrous body ( Figs 1 , 6 , 17 ), strongly declined, convex to slightly concave and often fluted elytral apices ( Figs 3 , 12 , 19 , arrows), 8­ or 9­segmented antennae ( Fig. 9 , A–B), short, concave prosternum with laminate prosternal process ( Fig. 10 , arrow), and tibia with simple outer edge and two stout teeth at outer apical angle ( Fig. 11 , arrow) (see comments below).

Description

Length 1–2 mm. Body oblong, between 1.8 and 2.3 X as long as wide, strongly convex (GD/EW = 0.75–0.95), subglabrous, vestiture consisting of minute hairs not visible at lower magnifications. Antennae 8­ or 9­segmented ( Fig. 9 , A–B), with loose, 3­segmented club; each segment of the antennal club bearing four sensillifers formed by a group of long and fusiform, not well­organized sensilla ( Fig. 8 , arrow). Frontoclypeal region in males concave and shiny with anterior edge distinctly elevated to form two or four teeth or two plates ( Figs 2 , 7 , 18 ). Lateral pronotal carinae very narrow, not visible for their entire lengths from above; anterior pronotal angles rounded or slightly angulate, not produced forward. Anterior edge of pronotum in males produced to form short, emarginate plate, paired tubercles or paired diverging horns, the disc behind these more or less concave ( Figs 2 , 7 , 18 ); paired tubercles sometimes present in females. Scutellum well developed. Elytra steeply sloping laterally and posteriorly convex and almost vertical to slightly concave; often somewhat flared apically and with weak posterolateral carinae, forming pseudepipleura below and elytral declivity above and behind; longitudinal carinae absent; suture not apically deflexed; punctation dual, seriate or not. Procoxae transverse but somewhat conical and projecting, with distinct apical plate partly concealing base of trochanter; prosternum in front of coxae short and concave, on different plane than prosternal process which is laminate ( Fig. 10 , arrow); procoxal cavities narrowly open or narrowly closed behind. Mesoventrite slightly convex, simple, anterior edge on slightly different plane than metaventrite, with narrow prothoracic rest continuing on each side across metepisterna; mesoventral process incomplete, apically acute; mesocoxal cavities confluent. Metaventrite half as long at midline as greatest width; strongly convex without discrimen. Hind wing fully developed; apical field with two pigment patches, smaller one just beyond radial bar, larger one near apex; medial field with single vein and divided fleck (binding patch). Protibia with outer edge simple; outer apical angle with 2 stout teeth ( Fig. 11 , arrow); meso­ and metatibiae slightly expanded and finely spinose apically. Abdominal ventrite 1 in male with relatively small patch of glandular setae ( Figs 4 , 13, 14 , 20 , arrows). Eighth sternite broadly emarginate. Ninth segment U­shaped; each branch expanded outwardly at apex, forming a hook ( Fig. 16 , arrows). Aedeagus relatively small and simple in structure, generally not well pigmented. Tegmen as long as median lobe; papillae (sensilla basiconica) distributed mainly at their apices.

Etymology

The generic name is derived from Phellinus , the major genus of host fungi, (derived from the Greek word Phellos, bark, probably referring to the bark­like upper surfaces of the basidiocarps of most species), and Cis , the type genus of the family. Masculine.

Distribution

Neotropical region, from Costa Rica to Brazil.

Biology

All species have been taken in the basidiocarps of certain species of Hymenochaetaceae (Homobasidiomycetes: Aphyllophorales), especially members of the genus Phellinus . Adults bore into the hard and woody tissue (dimitic with heavily reinforced skeletal hyphae) and lay eggs in cavities lining their tunnels; both adults and larvae feed on hyphal tissue.

Larvae of P. e r w i n i are distinctive in having large, transversely ridged mandibular molae and a type of cribriform spiracle not yet known in this family. Tergum IX lacks the obvious paired urogomphi common in many Ciidae and has instead a slight concavity surrounded by 6 small teeth (two anterolateral, two posterolateral and two posterior). Transversely ridged mandibles have also been reported in larvae of Porculus vianai (Pic) ( Costa et al. 1988) and in the European Cis nitidus (Fabricius) ( Entwistle 1955) .

Comments

A concave or biconcave prosternum combined with a laminate prosternal process occurs in 14 described ciid genera, including Falsocis Pic (1916) , Porculus Lawrence (1987) , Acanthocis Miyatake (1954, 1955), Ceracis Mellié ( Lawrence 1967) , Odontocis Nakane & Nobuchi (1955) , Wagaicis Lohse (1964) , Paratrichapus Scott (1926) , Paraxestocis Miyatake (1954) , Rhopalodontus Mellié , Octotemnus Mellié , Xylographus Mellié , Hyalocis Kawanabe (1993) , Scolytocis Blair (1928) and Xylographella Miyatake (Kawanabe & Miyatake 1996) . The first three of these genera all differ from Phellinocis in having the outer tibial apex produced to form a single tooth and the antennae 10­segmented, while Falsocis and Acanthocis also have produced anterior pronotal angles and a vestiture of stout bristles, both lacking in Phellinocis . In the next five genera, the outer protibial apex is expanded, rounded and armed with socketed spines; in addition, Paraxestocis and Paratrichapus have 10­segmented antennae, the former has a strongly tumid and carinate prosternum and the latter is clothed with erect bristles. The last six genera differ from Phellinocis in having strongly projecting procoxae, which extend ventrally well below the prosternal process, and tibiae which bear socketed spines along the outer edge from the apical angle to about the basal third. Rhopalodontus and Octotemnus also differ in having the setal patch on the first ventrite partly concealed by a triangular flap. Scolytocis and Xylographella also share characters not found in any other ciid, such as the compact antennal club, the terminal segment of which bears more than four sensillifers, the elongate prementum and the shape of sternite IX, which is drawn out anteriorly to form a spiculum gastrale. Dichodontocis Kawanabe (1994) also has a laminate prosternal process and is the only other genus with two stout teeth at the outer apical angle of the protibia; however in that genus, the outer edge of the protibia is serrate, the prosternum is more or less elevated and tumid along the midline, the antennae are 10­segmented, and the body is clothed with erect hairs. Three additional genera have a relatively narrow (but not laminate) prosternal process; of these Euxestocis Miyatake (1954) and Neoennearthron Miyatake (1954) differ from Phellinocis in having produced anterior pronotal angles and serrate protibiae with one stout tooth at the outer apex, while Atlantocis Israelson (1985) has expanded and spinulose outer protibial apices, 10­segmented antennae and a vestiture of erect hairs or bristles.

In the current classification of the family, Phellinocis would be placed in the tribe Ciini of the subfamily Ciinae . It lacks strongly projecting procoxae and spinose tibiae that characterize both Orophiini ( Lawrence 1974) and Xylographellini ( Kawanabe & Miyatake 1996) and the distinctive type of antennal club and prementum found in the latter tribe.

Figures

FIGURE 16. Phellinocis romualdoi sp. nov., male genitalia showing eighth sternite (viii­S), ninth segment (ix), basal piece (bp), tegmen (teg) and median lobe (ml). Note enlarged, hooked apices of

FIGURES 1 – 4. Phellinocis erwini sp. nov., male. 1. Body, dorsal view. 2. Anterior part of pronotum and head, dorsal view. 3. Part of elytra (arrow), pterothorax and abdomen, ventral view. 4. Base of abdomen, ventral view, showing setal patch (arrow). Scale bars: 0.5 mm (Fig. 1); 0.1 mm (Figs. 2, 4); 0.3 mm (Fig. 3).

FIGURE 5. Phellinocis erwini sp. nov., male genitalia showing the ninth segment (ix), basal piece (bp), tegmen (teg) and median lobe (ml). Scale bar: 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 6 – 11. Phellinocis romualdoi sp. nov., male (if not specified). 6. Body, dorsal view. 7. Anterior part of pronotum and head, dorsal view. 8. Female antenna (arrow pointing to sensillifer on apical antennomere). 9. Antennae of male (A) and female (antennomeres 7 and 8 missing) (B). 10. Prosternum, showing the laminate prosternal process (arrow). 11. Protibia, showing two teeth at outer apex (arrow). Scale bars: 0.5 mm (Fig. 6); 0.1 mm (Fig. 7 – 11).

FIGURES 12 – 15. Phellinocis romualdoi sp. nov., male (if not specified). 12. Part of elytra (arrow) and abdomen, ventral view. 13. Base of abdomen, ventral view, showing setal patch (arrow). 14. Male setal patch (arrow). 15. Female setal patch (arrow). Scale bars: 0.3 mm (Fig. 12); 0.1 mm (Fig. 13); 0.5 mm (Figs. 14 – 15).

FIGURES 17 – 20. Phellinocis thayerae sp. nov., male. 17. Body, dorsal view. 18. Anterior part of pronotum and head, dorsal view. 19. Part of elytra (arrow) and abdomen, ventral view. 20. Base of abdomen, ventral view, showing setal patch (arrow). Scale bars: 0.5 mm (Fig. 17); 0.1 mm (Figs. 18, 20); 0.3 mm (Fig. 19).

FIGURE 21. Phellinocis thayerae sp. nov., male genitalia showing the ninth segment (ix), tegmen (teg) and median lobe (ml). Arrow pointing to apex of tegmen. Scale bar: 0.1 mm.