Eocorythoderus, Maruyama, Munetoshi, 2012

Maruyama, Munetoshi, 2012, A new genus and species of flightless, microphthalmic Corythoderini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae) from Cambodia, associated with Macrotermes termites, Zootaxa 3555, pp. 83-88 : 84

Eocorythoderus new genus

( Figs. 1–7 )

Type species. Eocorythoderus incredibilis new species, here designated.

Etymology. A combination of Eos , the Greek goddess of the dawn, and Corythoderus , the type genus of Corythoderini, in reference to the new taxon having the eastern-most distribution of the genera in the tribe. Gender: masculine.

Diagnosis. The combination of the following character states diagnose Eocorythoderus : (1) body distinctly panduriform; (2) clypeal margin rounded; (3) eyes small, dorsally invisible; (4) pronotum with a pair of shallow depressions medially, (5) pronotum without median sulcus; (6) pronotum without trichome; (7) elytron with base of first and second intervals strongly elevated, to form a large median dorsal projection ( Fig. 2 : arrow); (8) elytron with basal knob-shaped protrusion; (9) elytron with 5 striae; (10) mesocoxal cavities widely separated; (11) mesolegs distinctly longer than others; (12, 13) mesofemora and metafemora broad, oval; (14, 15) mesotibiae and metatibiae narrowed apically.

Description. Body ( Figs. 1–7 ) short, distinctly panduriform. Head ( Figs. 1–3 ) slightly convex above; clypeus with gently broadened lateral margins; anterior margin rounded, slightly reflexed along anterior margin; eyes ( Fig. 4 ) small, dorsally invisible. Pronotum ( Figs. 1–3 ) strongly convex above, much higher than length; posterior impression shallow, short, extending from middle to base of median lobe; with a pair or shallow depressions medially; median lobe triangular, with dense setiferous punctures except for mesal area. Elytra ( Figs. 1, 2 ) short, oval, strongly convex dorsally, but lower than pronotum; disc with 5 striae; each elytron with large basal elevation on intervals I and II to form median projection, which is densely covered with small trichomes at apex; base of intervals III-V with two rather low tubercles to form basal knob-shaped protrusion. Mesoventrite ( Fig. 4 ) with intercoxal area broad, distinctly margined laterally. Metaventrite ( Fig. 4 ) short, much shorter than mesoventrite. Proleg ( Fig. 4 ) short; femur oblong oval; tibia short, bidentate near apex; tarsus slightly dilated apicad. Mesoleg ( Fig. 4 ) stout, long, longer than metaleg; femur oval, broad, flattened, with posterior sulcus to hold tibia; tibia dilated apicad; tarsus narrowed apicad. Metaleg ( Fig. 4 ) similar in shape to mesoleg, but shorter; femur slightly constricted near base. Pygidium ( Fig. 4 ) with a pair of shallow depressions (perhaps this character is sexual dimorphic).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Eocorythoderus incredibilis new genus and new species. 1, Holotype, dorsal view. 2, Paratype, lateral view. 3, Paratype, anterior view. 4, Paratype, ventral view.

FIGURES 5 – 7. Eocorythoderus incredibilis new genus and new species. 5, Adult beetle being carried by a worker termite. 6, 7, Adult beetle (holotype) walking on a fungus garden.