Revision of the genera of Picrotini (Coleoptera: Cryptophagidae: Cryptophaginae)
Author
Gimmel, Matthew L.
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93105 USA; e-mail: phalacrid @ gmail. com
Author
Leschen, Richard A. B.
New Zealand Arthropod Collection, Manaaki - Whenua Landcare Research, Private Bag 92170, Auckland, New Zealand;
text
Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae
2022
Acta. Ent. Mus. Natl. Pragae
2022-06-21
62
1
61
109
http://dx.doi.org/10.37520/aemnp.2022.006
journal article
10.37520/aemnp.2022.006
1804-6487
7161221
42A5070B-F287-4B14-84A1-A57F7E274CE6
Bellascelis
gen. nov.
(
Figs 9–11
,
99
)
Type
species.
Bellascelis pecki
sp. nov.
, by present designation.
Diagnosis.
This genus is easily recognized among
Picrotini
by having abdominal ventrites 1 and 2 connate, the antennal club consisting of three antennomeres, and by the pronotal anterior angles being sharply right-angled. Additionally, the known species have the elytra diffusely to distinctly maculate and with a long, decumbent setae in a strongly undulate pattern.
Description.
Length
1.47–1.60 mm
. Body form (
Figs 9–11
) elongate to subfusiform, somewhat shining dorsally, with long, dense, decumbent setae and with a few long erect setae dorsally; distinctly multicolored. Head with tempora absent or prominent, length when present about 1/5 length of eye; vertex with temporal depression immediately anterior to ridge; band of reticulate sculpture absent. Frontoclypeus not projecting laterally; raised portion of frons between antennal insertions not constricted, about as wide or wider than antennal club. Transverse ridge above antennal insertions absent. Eye large, rounded, contacting antennal cavity; interfacetal setae present. Antennal club consisting of 3 antennomeres; antenna inserted into small cavity; antennomere 9 subequal in width to antennomere 10. Mandible with apex bifid, subapical serrations present. Maxillary palpomere 4 distinctly longer than 3; palpomere 4 not subulate. Gena without antennal groove; genal spines obtuse. Gular sutures incomplete, not reaching occipital foramen. Pronotum not explanate, narrower than elytra and not constricted at base, widest at middle or in basal 1/3; anterior angles present, extending anterior to cervical foramen of prothorax, without a distinct flat glandular surface or platform; lateral carina complete, smooth, lacking teeth, crenulations, or setigerous tubercles, with lateral glabrous space narrow, width of lateral bead wider than discal puncture and narrower than antennal funicle; disc with basal transverse impression present; paramedial carinae present, paralateral plicae absent; posterolateral angles about right angled or slightly obtuse. Prothoracic hypomeron fused to prosternum. Prosternum with anterior margin on same plane as disc; prosternal process with lateral beads weak, mostly parallel then converging to acute point apically, process slightly expanded apically, broadly rounded and crenulate with minute setae; procoxal cavity with anterolateral notch. Scutellar shield clearly visible, transverse. Elytron without humeral tooth; subbasal and subapical impressions absent; subapical gape present; punctation confused, dense and moderately to weakly impressed; vestiture dual with a long, sparse, erect setae present, decumbent setae forming undulate pattern, with postscutellar and subapical setae directed laterally. Hind wing well developed. Mesoventrite with mesoventrital cavity shallow and flanked by sharp carinae. Mesanepisternal pit present and glabrous. Metaventrite without postcoxal lines; discrimen less than 1/2 length of metaventrite, posterior notch of metaventrite present. Metendosternite with anterior tendons approximate. Tarsi 5-5-
5 in
female, 5-5-
4 in
male; tarsi moderately slender, tarsomere 5 as wide as preceding tarsomeres in lateral view; pro- and mesotarsomere 4 with at least one seta; mesotarsomere 3 unlobed, with few setae; mesotarsomeres 1–4 of subequal lengths, mesotarsomere 5 about as long as mesotarsomeres 1–4 combined. Abdominal ventrites 1 and 2 connate without medial calli, lateral calli present, intersegmental crenulations absent; ventrite 1 with intercoxal process narrowly rounded, with scalloped postcoxal lines; medio-basal thickenings of ventrites 3–5 present; apex of ventrite 5 lacking crenulations.Abdominal spiracles on segment VII lacking opening, texture granulate and atrium rounded and saclike. Aedeagus (based on
B. pecki
only;
Fig. 99
) with tegminal strut absent, tegminal arms fused, with a suture; parameres separate and articulated to phallobase, inner surface concave, length about 2× longer than wide; apices multisetose; attachment point to phallobase not constricted, interparameral process present; basipenis 3× longer than distipenis, without median carina; distipenis relatively short (about 1.2× longer than wide), outer rims crenulate, lateral lobes not widely separated, symmetrical; internal sac lacking endophallites.
Figs 1–9. Habitus of species of
Picrotini
. 1 –
Agnetaria pilosella
(
Blackburn, 1891
)
; 2 –
Antarcticotectus rutilus
(Broun, 1880)
; 3 –
Antarcticotectus silvanus
(Broun, 1880)
; 4 –
Antarcticotectus tasmanicus
(Blackburn, 1907)
; 5 –
Antarcticotectus
n. sp.
1 (New Zealand); 6 –
Austroscelis gibbipennis
(Blackburn, 1892)
; 7 –
Austroscelis
n.sp.
1 (Australia:NSW, Vic); 8 –
Austroscelis
n.sp.
2 (Australia:WA); 9 –
Bellascelis pecki
sp.nov.
Scale bars = 1 mm.
Remarks.
In addition to the
type
species described below (
Fig. 9
), we have seen three additional undescribed species from
Australia
, two of which (
Figs 10, 11
) are featured in the gallery of dorsal habitus images. Characters of these are incorporated into the generic description above.
Etymology.
The generic name is derived from a combination of the Latin prefix “
bellus
”, meaning “pretty”, in reference to the attractive facies of the included species, and “
-scelis
”, a common genus ending in
Cryptophagidae
. The gender is masculine.
Biology.
Members of the genus have been collected commonly in leaf litter samples and flight intercept traps. One species has been collected in alpine pitfall traps.
Distribution.
Australia
.
Included species
(1+3).
Bellascelis pecki
sp. nov.
; three undescribed species from
Australia
.