Nothocyphon auritus, Zwick, Peter, 2015

Zwick, Peter, 2015, Australian Marsh Beetles (Coleoptera: Scirtidae). 7. Genus Nothocyphon, new genus, Zootaxa 3981 (3), pp. 301-359 : 326-329

Nothocyphon auritus , n. sp.

( Figs. 62−68 )

Type material: 1♂ holotype, 11♂ paratypes: NSW New England NP Banksia Point 22/11/06 CHS.Watts ( SAMA).

Additional paratypes: 4♂, 1♀: 30.30S, 152.24 E. New Engand Ntl Pk, NSW, 2–15.Oct.1985, I.Naumann, J.Cardale, Malaise trap (ethanol) ( ANIC). 2♂: Australia NSW, Tom's Cabin Point Lookout, New England NP 30°29'54''S, 153°23'52.6''E, 14 November 2006, coll. D.Britton (AMS, K249619 & K249620).

Habitus. Oval, BL 2.4−2.8mm, BL/BW ~1.6. Antennae short, the subterminal segments only about twice as long as wide at apex. Head dark brown, rest of dorsal face variably patterned, probably depending on specimen age. Fig. 62 shows an intermediate pattern. Centre of pronotum dark, narrow rufous seams along all margins or only the sides contrastingly yellow. Pale specimens ( Fig. 63 ) with yellowish elytra are infuscate only between scutellum and humerus, and laterally from the humerus along the elytral margin. There is also a dark (sometimes almost black) streak parallel to the suture near the tip of the elytra but the sutural interval itself remains yellow. Dark specimens have dark brown elytra with slightly paler humerus and a paler area around the suture in the declivous caudal third but not reaching the elytral tip. This caudal area and the scutellum are always yellowish.

Male. Segments 8 and 9 as described for the genus ( Figs. 64−66 ). Penis ( Fig. 67 ) long and slender, pala long, anteriorly oval, caudally waisted, then again widened, the straight sclerites of the parameroids diverge caudally a little. The trigonium is much shorter than the parameroids, a slender triangle with some teeth along midline. From its tip two curved setae seem to arise which are supporting a wide membranous flange on either side of the trigonium tip. Laterally the flange is attached to the parameroid. The sclerotized rod of the parameroid is caudally bent mediad, the straight obtuse tips of the parameroids converge. Externally, a wide membrane along the said sclerite is basally indistinguishable from the membranous part of the paramere. Tegmen a simple arched sclerite supporting the straight parameres with medially curved membranous tips embracing the parameroids from the outside. The membranous part is only basally supported by a slender caudally tapering sclerite. Near the base the sclerite bears ventrally an ear-like flap with teeth along the caudal edge. The flap is provided with muscle fibres and apparently movable.

Female. Sternites unmodified. T8 and ovipositor unmodified. Rods of S8 connected by a short transverse bar. The gonoduct widens to a membranous pear-shaped pouch with a weakly pigmented sclerite arch in front, with several teeth at each end. On one side of the pouch is a finely reticulate longitudinal strip ( Fig. 68 ) leading to the bursellar duct. The opposite side of the pouch carries many fine teeth and sharp asperities.

Note. Several males of Austrocyphon ovensensis (Blackburn) and Austrocyphon wattsi Zwick were at Banksia Point taken together with the present species. The Austrocyphon spp. are more slender than N. auritus , uniformly dark brown, also the scutellum. Their antennae are more slender, with subterminal segments almost 3x longer than wide at the apex. Similar habitus and the pale scutellum and subterminal mark along the elytral suture served to associate the sexes of N. auritus .

Some specimens preserved in ethanol have everted male genitalia which are now stored in glycerine, in microvials on the specimen pin (SAMA).

The intact genitalia resemble a whitish membranous conical envelope around the sclerotized central structures. The envelope is formed by the parameres and parameroids which are difficult to separate in preparations. When successful, a few fine teeth appear on the outside of the parameroid which mediate this firm connection. The earlike flaps stand perpendicular to the body axis and are directed ventrad, directly behind S7. The same is seen in a male preserved dry and mounted on a card (AMS).

Etymology: The name is an adjective. It refers to the ear-shaped mobile appendages, Lat. auritus , eared, provided with ears.

Figures

FIGURES 62 – 68. Nothocyphon auritus - group. N. auritus. Male: 62, 63, variants of pattern of dorsal side; not to scale; 64, T 8 and T 9, superimposed; 65, S 8; 66, S 9; 67, penis, tegmen and parameres, superimposed. Female: 68, prehensor. 64 − 66 and 67, 68 to the same scales, respectively. Abbreviations: pd, parameroid, pe, paramere.