Australycra Kirejtshuk & Lawrence, 1992

Lawrence, John F., 2019, Australian Nitidulinae: general review with descriptions of new genera and species (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), Zootaxa 4657 (2), pp. 261-290 : 270

Australycra Kirejtshuk & Lawrence

Australycra Kirejtshuk & Lawrence, 1992b: 139 was based on the variety obscura Blackburn of Lasiodactylus marginatus Reitter, 1873 . The authors considered the genus to be most closely related to Thalycrodes Blackburn, 1891 , and Rixerodes Kirejtshuk & Lawrence, 1992 , which were included in the Thalycra complex by Kirejtshuk & Leschen (1998). Whether or not the Thalycra complex is a natural group and if Australycra really belongs here are questions which require further study.

Kirejtshuk & Lawrence (1992b) observed dimorphism in both male and female genitalia of Australycra obscura which could not be correlated with external features. The matter was not pursued further at that time, and the two forms were treated as a single species. In the lectotype from Queensland in the Natural History Museum, London, the tegmen (Form A) is less elongate, and broadly emarginate apically (1992b, fig. 63), the penis is gradually narrowed apically with a subacute apex (1992b, fig. 65) and both tegmen and penis have a single bend in lateral view (1992b, figs 64, 68). In some specimens, however, the tegmen (Form B) is somewhat more elongate, with a slender incision at apex (1992b, fig. 67), the penis more elongate with a narrowly rounded apex (1992b, fig. 69) and both are doubly curved in lateral view (1992b, figs 68, 70). The two types of male genitalia were sometimes found in specimens from the same locality.A reexamination of material used in the 1992 paper, as well as additional material, led to the discovery of several subtle features distinguishing the two species without dissection.

Generic diagnosis. Australycra resembles the following genera in having the rows of elytral megasetae alternating with single rows of microsetae and their associated pits: Australaethina Kirejtshuk & Lawrence, 1999 , Ipidia Erichson, 1843 , Pocadius Erichson, 1843 , Rixerodes , Stelidota Erichson , Teichostethus Sharp, 1891 , and Thalycrodes ( Figs 16–17 ). Australycra differs from various members of this group as follows: 1) mandible unidentate with subapical tooth (bidentate in Ipidia and Teichostethus ); 2) anterior pronotal angles not produced forward (produced forward in all genera except Australaethina and Rixerodes ); 3) pronotal setae arising from within transversely oval pits, also containing two pores (arising outside of pits in all except Teichostethus ); 4) elytral microsetae arising in front of small, circular pits with slender rim, obscured posteriorly and containing two pores (in all other genera the pits are either elongate-oval or transverse or contain a single pore only); 5) elytral megasetae inclined, slender, not ribbed and apically acute (megasetae multi-ribbed in Australaethina and Pocadius ); 6) mesoventrite with short median carina (occurring only in Stelidota , Teichostethus and Thalycrodes ); 7) axillary spaces of metaventrite small (distinctly larger in all except Pocadius and Teichostethus ); 8) protibial ridge absent in male (present only in males of Australaethina ); 9) mesotibia not modified in male (modified in males of Australaethina and Ipidia ); 10) gonocoxite apices separate (contiguous in all others except Pocadius ); 11) gonocoxite apex furcate or bifurcate (never in other genera); 12) gonocoxites without lateral recurved teeth (teeth present only in Pocadius and Teichostethus ); 13) gonostyli either absent ( A. similis ) or short, broad and lateral ( A. obscura ) (absent in Teichostethus , highly reduced in Pocadius , well-developed and parallel-sided (cylindrical) in all other genera); 14) genital capsule with incomplete transverse subapical carina (also present in Ipidia ; carina complete in Australaethina , Pocadius and Stelidota , absent in Teichostethus and Thalycrodes ).

Figures

FIGURES 13–30. Morphological details: 13–19, portion of elytral surface: 13, Aenigmoronia echinodes sp. nov. (low); 14–15, Temnelytron nigrum sp. nov. (high): 14, showing microsetae; 15, showing megasetae. 16–17, Thalycrodes pulchrum Blackburn: 16, high; 17, low. 18, Temnelytron nigrum sp. nov. (low). 19, Austronitidula multimaculata sp. nov. (high). 20–21, protibial apex and tarsus: 20, Testudoraea flava Kirejtshuk; 21, Perilopsis flava (Reitter). 22–23, portion of elytral surface: 22, Perilopsis flava (Reitter), 23, Testudoraea flava Kirejtshuk. 24, Aenigmoronia echinodes sp. nov., elytral tuft-like megaseta; 25–30, protibial apex: 25, Austronitidula multimaculata sp. nov., male; 26, Aenigmoronia echinodes sp. nov., male; 27, Pocadius kirejtshuki Cline, male; 28, Thalycrodes pulchrum Blackburn, male; 29, Aenigmoronia echinodes sp. nov., female; 30, Temnelytron nigrum sp. nov., male.