Pterorthochaetes cribricollis Gestro, 1899

Ballerio, Alberto, 2013, Revision of the Australian Ceratocanthinae (Coleoptera, Scarabaeoidea, Hybosoridae), ZooKeys 339, pp. 67-91 : 78-80

Pterorthochaetes cribricollis Gestro, 1899 Figs 6, 7 A–D, 11D, 12A, 13 A–C, 14C

Pterorthochaetes cribricollis Gestro, 1899: 37 (description, distribution, key); Paulian 1978 (key, distribution); Cassis and Weir 1992 (catalogue); Ocampo and Ballerio 2006 (checklist)

Material examined.

10 specimens [two males and two females dissected]: 4 males and 2 females, Iron Range, Cape York Pen., N. Qld. 28 Apr.-5 May 1968. G. Monteith (QM); 1 female, Iron Range, Cape York Pen., N. Qld. 11-17 May 1968. G. Monteith (QM); 1 female, Iron Range, Cape York Pen., N. Qld. 26 May– 2 June 1971 B. K. Cantrell (QM); 1 female, QLD: 12.710°S, 143.291°E, Cooks Hut, Iron Range, 5 m, 15 Dec 2010, Monteith, Escalona & Will, hand and at HV light 34817 (QM).

Description.

Size: HL = 0.90 mm; HW = 1.30 mm; PL = 1.32 mm; PW = 2.20 mm; EL = 2.25 mm; EW = 2.15 mm. Overall morphology as in generic description. Dark brown, shiny, setation yellowish, sternum, tarsi and antennae reddish-brown.

Head: completely and uniformly covered by impressed comma-shaped punctures with posterior openings, spaced out by a distance of about half their diameter. Anterior portion of clypeus with one or two irregular transverse anastomosing lines. Interocular distance about 9 times the maximum width of dorsal ocular area.

Pronotum: margins completely bordered, lateral margins with a row of erect thick yellowish slightly clavate setae, about as long as the distance between them. Pronotal setation made of thick medium sized clavate yellowish setae, punctation as follows: disc covered by impressed short transverse comma-shaped punctures, with posterior openings and containing a small fine setigerous pore, sides with a few larger more curved comma-shaped punctures opening backwards.

Scutellum: basally with two longitudinal irregular rows of horseshoe-shaped punctures, uniting towards apex.

Elytra: humeral callus poorly pronounced, sutural stria occupying medial and distal third. Elytral punctation as follows: uniformly covered by irregular longitudinal rows of mixed simple impressed small punctures and medium-sized horseshoe-shaped punctures opening backwards, larger on sides and apical third. Interpunctural distance subequal to puncturelength.

Aedeagus: basal piece about three times as long as parameres. Parameres slightly asymmetrical, internal sac distally with some irregular weak sclerotisations (Fig. 12A, Fig. 13 A–C).

Male genital segment: as in Fig. 11D.

Bursal sclerites: slightly asymmetrical, as in Fig. 14C.

Diagnosis.

Easily distinguished from all other Australian Pterorthochaetes because of the combination of smaller size, the pattern of punctation of pronotum and elytra, which on pronotum is only made of short impressed transverse comma-shaped punctures, whereas all other Australian species have, at least partly, horse-shoe shaped punctures, often with a very small posterior openings, while on elytra is made of a much smaller punctation compared to Pterorthochaetes danielsi sp. n. and much denser compared to Pterorthochaeres storeyi sp. n. and Pterorthochaetes simplex Gestro, 1899.

Etymology.

From Latin cribratus (profusely perforated) and collis (pronotum), due to the dense and impressed punctation.

Distribution and habitat.

In Australia known from the lowland rainforests of Iron Range (Northern Queensland). This species occurs also in New Guinea (type locality: Papua New Guinea, Central Province, lower Kemp Welch River, Ighibirei).

Remaks.

identification was made by comparison with the holotype from New Guinea in Museo Civico di Storia Naturale "G. Doria", Genova.