Paraxestocis Miyatake, 1954

Lopes-Andrade, Cristiano, 2024, Two new generic synonyms in Palearctic Ciinae (Coleoptera: Ciidae), Zootaxa 5471 (2), pp. 297-300 : 297-299

Paraxestocis Miyatake, 1954 , sensu novo ( Fig. 1A–F )

Odontocis Nakane & Nobuchi, 1955 , new synonym

Wagaicis Lohse, 1964 , new synonym

Type species by monotypy. Paraxestocis unicornis Miyatake, 1954

Diagnosis. Body convex, apparently glabrous dorsally (minute setae seen under magnification of 100x or higher), with a total length of 2 mm or less; dorsal punctation coarse, single and confused.

Antennae 9- or 10- segmented; third antennomere conspicuously longer than the fourth; apical three antennomeres forming a loose club, with each bearing four multi-pronged sensilla (=sensillifers).Anterocephalic edge of males produced as a lamina and modified to form a short triangular projection near each eye.

Pronotum with lateral edges smooth, not explanate and not visible from above; in males, the anterior edge is projected forward at the middle forming a subtle horn-like process ( Fig. 1A , arrow). Prosternum short, slightly tumid and carinate at the longitudinal midline; prosternal process very thin, laminate.

Procoxae are somewhat subconical, but not projecting beyond the plane of the prosternal process. Protibiae gradually expanding from base to apex; outer apical angle broadly rounded, with a row of spines extending from the apex to at least one-third of the outer edge.

Meso- and metatibiae moderately expanded, with a row of spines extending from apex to at least the outer apical angle. First abdominal ventrite of males with a sex patch.

Comparative notes. Comparisons were based upon the examination of species of all the genera mentioned below, but also on Lopes-Andrade & Lawrence (2005) and Lawrence (1971, 2016). Paraxestocis sensu novo differs from most Ciini genera in the combination of a short prosternum with a laminate prosternal process, and tibiae expanded and bearing a row of spines from apex to at least the outer apical angle, sometimes extending to the outer edge.

Within Ciini , Acanthocis Miyatake , Ceracis Mellié , Dichodontocis Kawanabe , Falsocis Pic , Pseudeuxestocis Lawrence , Phellinocis Lopes-Andrade & Lawrence , Plesiocis Casey and Porculus Lawrence are similar in having a sublaminate to laminate prosternal process.

However, in Ceracis the spines of meso- and metatibiae are mostly confined to their apices. In Acanthocis , Falsocis , Plesiocis , Pseudeuxestocis and Porculus , the outer apical angle of protibiae is angulate and produced to form a stout tooth. Additionally, Pseudeuxestocis differs in the serrate outer edge of protibiae and the 8-segmented antennae. In Dichodontocis and Phellinocis , the outer apical angle of protibiae has two teeth; in the former, the protibiae are serrate at the outer edge while in the latter the elytral apices are strongly declined, convex to slightly concave and often fluted.

Paraxestocis resembles Orophiini genera in the configuration of the prosternum and tibiae but differs in the procoxae not projected beyond the level of the prosternal process.

Included species

Paraxestocis denticollis ( Nakane & Nobuchi, 1955) , new combination

Paraxestocis unicornis Miyatake, 1954

Xylographus nakanei Nobuchi, 1955 , jun. syn.

Paraxestocis wagae ( Wankowiez, 1869) , new combination

Comments. The female terminalia of P. wagae have reduced paraprocts, shorter than the gonocoxites, with distinct baculi. The gonocoxites are transversely divided into only two lobes ventrally, and basal baculi are distinct. The baculi of proctiger are present, but less sclerotized than the other baculi. The gonostyli are absent. It would be important to examine the female terminalia of P. denticollis and P. unicornis to evaluate whether this is a pattern within Paraxestocis sensu novo or not.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Species of Paraxestocis Miyatake, 1954, sensu novo. A–D. Paraxestocis unicornis Miyatake, 1954, male holotype. Dorsal view, with arrow showing the pronotum pointed anteriorly (A), lateral view (B), ventral view (C) and labels (D). The type locality "Naose" was a small village on the foot of Mt. Ishizumi, about 500–700 m of altitude (33º42’N, 132º57’E), "Kuma" is now the city of "Kumakogen-cho" and “IYO” is now Ehime Prefecture, Shikoku. E. Paraxestocis denticollis (Nakane & Nobuchi, 1955), new combination, male from Chitose, Hokkaido, Japan. F. Paraxestocis wagae (Wankowiez, 1869), new combination, male from Bialowieska Forest, Poland. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.