Ora Clark 1865
Creators: name: Libonatti, María Laura
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2014
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Scirtidae
Ora

description: Ora Clark, 1865
Type species: Scirtes trobertii Guérin-Méneville, 1861 (by subsequent designation of Champion 1918)
Diagnosis. Distinguished from other saltatorial genera of Scirtidae by the following combination of characters: body oval and depressed or oblong oval; metacoxae touching each other only in basal portion, diverging posteriorly; aedeagus asymmetrical.
Common morphological features of the Argentine species of Ora. The Argentine species of the genus share the following combination of characters; differences between Argentine and species from other areas are commented on in square brackets.
Head. Frontoclypeus with a pair of foveae above the bases of the antennae, between the eyes (Fig. 1), anterior margin slightly rounded to straight, anterior angles rounded (Fig. 2). Subgenal ridges arcuate, running from the posterolateral margin of the head to the bases of the mandibles (Fig. 2). Gular sutures arcuate (Fig. 2). Labrum rectangular, with anterior margin straight and anterior angles rounded (Fig. 3). Antennae filiform, antennomere 1 barrel-shaped with margins curved anteriorly, antennomere 2 barrel-shaped, antennomere 3 subconical, antennomeres 4–11 subcylindrical. Mandibles slightly sclerotized, symmetrical, triangular, lacking denticles on inner margin, dorsal surface covered with an inner group of short setae and an outer row of long setae, inner margin and molar region with brush-like microtrichia [inner margin devoid of microtrichia in Japanese species], apex obtuse or acute (Figs. 4–6) [apex acute in Japanese species]. Maxillae with galea broad at base, narrowing to the tip, with setae arranged in two groups: a basal group composed of long curved setae and an apical group composed of flattened, broadened, leaf-like setae widely distributed on the apical and medial part, and branched setae on the outer margin; lacinia with a basal sparser group of setae and an apical more agglomerated group of strong and curved setae (Figs. 7, 8). Maxillary palpi elongate, first palpomere very short, second and third palpomeres longer than the first palpomere, fourth palpomere the longest and apically acute (Fig. 7). Labium with trapezoidal mentum, bilobate paraglossa, third labial palpomere arising from the inner margin of the second palpomere, with acute apex (Fig. 9) [second labial palpomere more elongate in Japanese species].
Thorax. Pronotum strongly transverse, widest at base, lateral margins slightly rounded to almost straight, anterior margin slightly rounded, anterior angles distinctly projected anteriorly, posterior margin subtrapezoidal, posterior angles right-angled (Fig. 10). Hind wings fully developed, vein MP4 long, connected with CuA+AA1+ 2 in median portion (form 2 sensu Yoshitomi 2005) (Fig. 16). Prosternal process laminar, very thin, with ventral margin straight and posterior margin oblique (Figs. 10, 11). Anterior region of mesoventrite with a longitudinal groove receiving the prosternal process, the groove ending in a V-shaped posterior margin (Figs. 12, 14, 15); mesoventral process long, separating mesocoxae. Metaventrite with long discrimen, exceeding posterior half (Fig. 13). Metacoxae touching each other only anteriorly (Fig. 13). Metafemora enlarged, capable of jumping. Metatibiae expanding laterally at middle, metatibial spurs long, with acute, outwardly curved apices.
Abdomen. Ventrites 2–5 with a pair of anterolateral glabrous areas, each one extending posteriorly in the shape of ovals. Posterior margin of ventrite 5 emarginate (Figs. 30, 41, 49, 58, 64, 75). Female ventrite 5 with a pair of foveae connected to internal glands (Figs. 41, 42).
Male terminalia and genitalia. Tergite 8 well sclerotized, with a pair of apodemes converging posteriorly, plate rectangular to trapezoidal with short microtrichia on lateral parts and long microtrichia on apical margin (Figs. 32, 51, 66). Sternite 8 (when visible) weakly sclerotized, small, more or less triangular, with sclerotized basal margin (Figs. 33, 68). Tergite 9 well sclerotized, with a pair of apodemes converging posteriorly, plate more or less squareshaped, with short microtrichia (Figs. 34, 52, 69). Sternite 9 oblong-oval, apically bilobed (Figs. 36, 53, 70). Tegmen symmetrical or subtly asymmetrical, with an apical or subapical digitifom lobe (probably a paramere, according to Nyholm 1972) (Figs. 37, 55, 56, 73). Penis highly asymmetrical (Figs. 38, 54, 72) [both tegmen and penis with paired appendages in Japanese and Australian species].
Female terminalia and genitalia. Tergite 8 with a pair of long apodemes, dorsal surface of the plate covered with pores and short setae, posterior margin with long microtrichia (Figs. 17, 18). Sternite 8 oblong-oval, ventral surface covered with pores and short setae, medial part covered with tufts of microtrichia, posterior margin bilobed and covered with long microtrichia (Fig. 19). Ovipositor with long baculi, long branchlets [short branchlets in Japanese species], surface of coxites covered with pores and short setae, styli digitifom with two apical tufts of setae (Fig. 20, 21). Bursal sclerite composed of an anterior arched part with at least one medial small tooth, a middle part with a pair of teeth (in some cases with an additional posterior tooth), and a very slightly sclerotized tongue-shaped hind part with surface covered with microtrichia (Figs. 46, 47, 61, 62, 78, 79). Bursella capacious, usually storing a spermatophore; microsculpture composed of isolated minute conical microtrichia (Fig. 45).
description: Published as part of Libonatti, María Laura, 2014, A revision of the genus Ora Clark, 1865 (Coleoptera: Scirtidae) in Argentina (part I) — descriptions of new species, pp. 27-44 in Zootaxa 3884 (1) on pages 28-29, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3884.1.2, http://zenodo.org/record/287430