Scydmaenozila Jałoszyński, 2014, gen. n.
Creators: name: Jałoszyński, Paweł
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2014
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Staphylinidae
Scydmaenozila

description: Scydmaenozila gen. n.
Type species: Phagonophana macrosticta Lea, 1910: 189 (here designated).
Diagnosis. Body (Figs. 72–75) elongate and strongly convex; head short and convex; vertex not projecting dorsocaudad, its posterior margin nearly straight or indistinctly concave in middle; supraantennal tubercles distinct but weakly raised and not accompanied posteriorly by pits; frontoclypeal groove present; eyes located in middle of head; tempora long and strongly curved toward occipital constriction; tempora, genae and postgenae (Fig. 57) with dense bristles; 'neck region' distinctly demarcated from anterior part of head capsule by constriction and much narrower than vertex (Fig. 57); hypostomal ridges (Fig. 57; hr) sharply marked and long, reaching nearly to posterior tentorial pits and connected in front of them; posterior tentorial pits (Fig. 57; ptp) elongate and located distinctly in front of transverse groove demarcating 'neck' ventrally; submentum (Fig. 57; smn) without lateral sutures; each mandible with sharp and large subapical tooth (Fig. 60; sat) and densely setose dorsomesal prostheca (Fig. 60; pst); maxillary palpomeres III and IV (Fig. 61; mxp3–4) slender, strongly elongate; pronotum with two distinct pairs of antebasal pits (Fig. 64; lp, ip) and additional, indistinct lateral pair of shallow impressions, without lateral and sublateral carinae or edges; prosternum laterally demarcated from hypomera by pronotosternal sutures (Fig. 63; nss), with indistinct intercoxal carina; procoxal sockets (Figs. 62–63; pcs) closed by posterolateral lobes of prosternum; prothoracic hypomera (Fig. 62–63; hy) with large internal (adcoxal) parts not demarcated from sides of pronotum; hypomeral ridges (Fig. 63; hyr) incomplete, visible only along anterior margins of adcoxal parts of hypomera; sides of pronotum with dense thick bristles (Fig. 62) well visible in dorsal view; mesoventrite with short anterior ridge (Fig. 67; ar) in middle connected with mesoventral process (Figs. 67–69; msvp) which is narrow and weakly expanding ventrally but distinct and clearly separating mesocoxae, interrupted in front of anterior margins of mesocoxal cavities; ventro- and dorsolateral foveae (Fig. 69; vlf, dlf) present; anterior metaventral process absent; metaventral intercoxal process (Fig. 71) broadly subtriangular, with two barely discernible tiny denticles, without median notch; metacoxae (Fig. 68; cx3) narrowly separated in middle; each elytron with two deep and relatively large asetose basal foveae (Fig. 65; bef) not connected by groove and well visible in dry-mounted specimens; aedeagus with free and slender parameres (Fig. 70; pm).
Description. Body (Figs. 72–75) large (BL 2.58–3.18 mm), strongly convex, elongate but moderately slender, with long appendages, pigmentation dark brown or (in one species) bicolorous, light brown with dark brown elytra bearing variously contrasting light brown spots, cuticle setose.
Head (Figs. 57, 72–75) with occipital constriction (Fig. 57; occ) much narrower than vertex and dividing the head capsule into exposed anterior part and narrow posterior 'neck region' retracted into prothorax; eyes large and nearly circular, located in anterior part of head; tempora long and strongly curved posteromesally, with dense bristles; vertex transverse, uniformly convex, not projecting dorsocaudad, with rounded, nearly straight or slightly concave posterior margin sharply demarcated from occiput, densely covered with bristles directed posteriorly; frons confluent with vertex, transverse and subtrapezoidal, anteriorly steeply and abruptly lowering toward labrum; frontoclypeal groove present; antennal insertions broadly separated, located beneath distinct but weakly raised supraantennal tubercles.
Labrum (Fig. 59) transverse and subtrapezoidal with nearly straight anterior margin, with numerous short anteroventral (anterior epipharyngeal) trichia projecting from under anterior margin, and with small number of long dorsal setae. Mandibles symmetrical, subtriangular, each with broad base and large subapical tooth (Fig. 60; sat); prostheca (Fig. 60; pst) present, with dense and thin setae along mesal margin and extending onto a large portion of dorsal surface, reaching mandibular base. Each maxilla composed of small cardo (Fig. 61; cd) bearing two setae; subtriangular basistipes (Fig. 61; bst); elongate mediostipes (Fig. 61; mst); elongate galea (Fig. 61; gal) and lacinia (Fig. 61; lac); large, elongate palpifer (Fig. 61; pfp); and strongly elongate and moderately large maxillary palp (Fig. 57; mxp) composed of elongate palpomere I (Fig. 61; mxp1), strongly elongate, slightly clavate and slender palpomere II (Fig. 61; mxp2), large and strongly elongate palpomere III (Fig. 61; mxp3) broadest near apex, and small, slender, subconical and pointed palpomere IV (Fig. 61; mxp4). Labium (Figs. 57–58) with large submentum (Fig. 57; smn) not demarcated laterally from postcardinal parts of hypostomae; subtrapezoidal mentum (Fig. 57; mn); and short prementum (Fig. 58; pmn) bearing narrowly separated at bases long 3-segmented labial palps (Fig. 57; lp) and a pair of median bristles inserted on small rounded ligula (Fig. 58; lg). Hypostomal ridges (Fig. 57; hr) sharply marked, long and extending nearly to posterior tentorial pits, connecting in front of pits.
Gular plate (Fig. 57; gp) large and subtrapezoidal, with rapidly narrowed anterior portion; gular sutures (Fig. 57; gs) well-visible; posterior tentorial pits (Fig. 57; ptp) narrow and slightly arcuate, located clearly in front of transverse groove ventrally demarcating 'neck region'.
Antennae (Figs. 72–75) long and slender, gradually but only slightly thickening distally; antennomere XI longest.
Prothorax (Figs. 62–64, 72–75) in dorsal view strongly elongate and broadest near anterior third, with rounded anterior margin and anterior parts of lateral margins, with weakly marked, blunt and obtuse anterior corners; posterior corners distinct but blunt and obtuse; posterior margin deeply bisinuate. Base of pronotum with two pairs of distinct antebasal pits not connected by groove or impression (Fig. 64; lp, ip), additionally with indistinct lateral impressions, without lateral or sublateral carinae or edges. Sides of pronotum mostly with thick bristles (Fig. 62) well visible in dorsal view.
Prosternum with moderately short basisternal part (Figs. 62–63; bst) indistinctly demarcated from procoxal cavities (Figs. 62–63; pcc); median part of sternum slightly raised but not carinate; procoxal sockets (Figs. 62–63; pcs) closed by posterolateral lobes of prosternum; hypomera (Figs. 62–63; hy) elongate, each divided into broad lateral part confluent with pronotum and narrower but still broad internal (adcoxal) part; hypomeral ridges (Fig. 63; hyr) incomplete, visible only along anterior margins of adcoxal parts of hypomera; pronotosternal sutures (Fig. 63; nss) entire, obscured by dense setation.
Mesocutellum (Fig. 65; scl2) subtriangular, in intact specimen hidden by posterior margin of pronotum overlapping with elytral base; mesoscutoscutellar suture (Fig. 65; sss) present.
Mesoventrite (Figs. 67–69) with narrow and distinctly demarcated anterior ridge (Figs. 67–69; ar); mesoventral process (Figs. 67–69; msvp) carinate and moderately expanding ventrally, anteriorly connected with anterior ridge and interrupted in front of anterior margins of mesocoxal cavities; sides of mesoventrite with shallow concave procoxal rests (Figs. 67–69; pcr) filled with short setae (= setose impressions) but without asetose impressions; mesanepisternum with long prepectus (Figs. 67–69; pre), sides of mesoventrite with moderately broad, deep and setose ventrolateral and dorsolateral fovea (Fig. 69; vlf, dlf); mesocoxal projections (Figs. 67–69; mcp) prominent, with mesocoxal sockets located on their mesoventral surface and visible in ventral view.
Metaventrite (Figs. 68–69; v3) subrectangular, anteriorly fused with mesoventrite, posteriorly shallowly bisinuate and with broadly subtriangular metaventral intercoxal process (Fig. 71; mtvp) bearing two tiny denticles; anterior metaventral process absent. Metanepisterna and metepimera narrow.
Metafurca (Fig. 69) with long stalk and divergent lateral furcal arms (Fig. 69; lmfa).
Elytra (Figs. 65, 72–75) oval, each with two moderately large, deep and asetose basal foveae (Fig. 65; bef) not connected by groove; humeral denticles and sub-humeral lines absent.
Hind wings well-developed, about twice as long as elytra.
Legs (Figs. 66, 72–75) long and slender; procoxae subglobose, mesocoxae oval, metacoxae strongly transverse; all trochanters short; all femora strongly clavate; tibiae and tarsi long and slender. Mesocoxae (Fig. 66; cx2) with largely asetose dorsal surface (adjacent to mesocoxal cavity) bearing numerous pores and bunches of long setae.
Aedeagus (Figs. 70, 80–96) elongate and moderately darkly sclerotized, relatively thick-walled, with symmetrical median lobe and symmetrical, complicated assemblage of internal sclerites; parameres (Fig. 70; pm) free and slender, without apical setae.
Etymology. Scydmaenozila is a combination of Scydmaen - and Oz, with feminine suffix. Gender feminine.
Composition and distribution. Four species of Scydmaenozila have a disjunct distribution: one is known from the southernmost part of Western Australia, and three others from the south-eastern part of the continent (New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory and South Australia) and Tasmania. One species is known both from the continent and Tasmania. Additionally, three undescribed species represented by female specimens were also seen in ANIC samples, collected in Walpole-Nornalup National Park (Western Australia), Esperance (Western Australia), and Blundells Creek (Australian Capital Territory).
Remarks. Scydmaenozila can be identified on the basis of dorsal characters: the large body, short head with distinct frontoclypeal groove, tempora and sides of pronotum with dense bristles; elongate pronotum broadest in anterior part and bearing two pairs of distinct antebasal pits, without grooves or carinae, and two distinct basal elytral foveae. The combination of medially connected and long hypostomal ridges; absent lateral sutures of submentum; incomplete hypomeral ridges; distinct mesoventral process separating mesocoxae; and metacoxae narrowly separated by subtriangular metaventral intercoxal process confirm identification.
description: Published as part of Jałoszyński, Paweł, 2014, ' The curse of Horaeomorphus ': taxonomy of misplaced Australian Cyrtoscydmini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae), pp. 1-76 in Zootaxa 3828 (1) on pages 25-27, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3828.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/286513