Connatocryptus Gimmel & Leschen 2022, gen. nov.
Creators: name: Gimmel, Matthew L.
name: Leschen, Richard A. B.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Cryptophagidae
Connatocryptus

description: Connatocryptus gen. nov.   
(Fig. 19)  
 Type species. Connatocryptus utiku sp. nov., by present designation.   
 Diagnosis. This is the only genus of Cryptophagidae with completely connate abdominal ventrites. Additionally, the antennal club is comprised of three antennomeres, the pronotum lacks lateral crenulations or platforms, and the dorsal surface is distinctly setose.   
 Description. Length 2.67 mm. Body form (Fig. 19) elongate, fusiform, prothorax quadrate, distinctly narrower than elytra, shining dorsally, with moderately dense decumbent setae, devoid of suberect to erect setae dorsally. Frontoclypeus not projecting laterally; raised portion of frons between antennal insertions not constricted, wider than antennal club. Head with band of rugose sculpture present. 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. Maxillary palpomere 4 slightly longer than 3; palpomere 4 not subulate. Gena without antennal groove; genal spines sharply acute,prominent. Gular sutures present. Pronotum not explanate and not constricted at base, distinctly narrower than elytra, widest at middle; anterior angles not extending anterior to cervical foramen of prothorax, without a distinct flat glandular surface or platform; lateral carina present and complete, lacking teeth, crenulations or setigerous tubercles, lateral glabrous space absent, width of lateral bead narrower than antennal funicle; disc lacking transverse basal impression, paramedial carinae, and paralateral plicae; posterolateral angles right. Prothoracic hypomeron not clearly separated from prosternum by suture. Prosternum with anterior margin on slightly lower plane than disc; prosternal process carinate with medial longitudinal keel extending length of process, lateral beads absent, weakly expanded apically, broadly diamond-shaped; procoxal cavity with anterolateral notch. Scutellar shield clearly visible, transverse. Elytron without humeral tooth; subbasal impression absent, subapical impression absent; subapical gape present; punctation confused, sparse and weakly impressed; vestiture decumbent, forming undulate pattern with setae near midlength directed medially and subapical setae directed laterally. Hind wing well developed. Mesoventrite with mesoventrital cavity deep, flanked by ridges. Mesanepisternal pit present. Metaventrite without postcoxal lines; discrimen present, about half length of metaventrite, posterior notch of metaventrite absent. Tarsi 5-5- 5 in female; tarsi moderately slender, tarsomere 5 as wide as preceding tarsomeres in lateral view; pro- and mesotarsomere 4 with few ventral setae; mesotarsomere 3 unlobed; mesotarsomeres 1–4 of subequal lengths, mesotarsomere 5 about as long as mesotarsomeres 1–4 combined. Abdominal ventrites connate; intersegmental crenulations absent; ventrite 1 with intercoxal process subrounded, with acuminate postcoxal lines; medio-basal thickenings of ventrites 3–5 absent; apex of ventrite 5 without crenulations.   
 Remarks. Roy Crowson had examined and labeled the single female specimen in the NZAC as “ Cryptophagini sp. nov. ”. It was somewhat damaged, caked with glue or film and was not dissected for this study. Consequently, the following morphological features were not observed: details of the vertex and postocular region of the head, apex of the mandible, length of gular sutures, apex of the prosternal process, internal details of the mesanepisternal pit, form of the metendosternite, presence and distribution of abdominal calli, form of the spiracles, and form of the aedeagus. The hind wing is visible through the elytral cuticle; it is fully developed and neatly folded, creating the impression that the elytra are bicolored.   
 Etymology. The generic name is in reference to the completely connate abdominal ventrites, and “ -cryptus ”, a common generic ending in Cryptophagidae. The gender is masculine.   
 Biology. Unknown.   
 Distribution. New Zealand.   
 Included species (1). Connatocryptus utiku sp. nov.
description: Published as part of Gimmel, Matthew L. & Leschen, Richard A. B., 2022, Revision of the genera of Picrotini (Coleoptera: Cryptophagidae: Cryptophaginae), pp. 61-109 in Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (Acta. Ent. Mus. Natl. Pragae) (Acta. Ent. Mus. Natl. Pragae) 62 (1) on pages 77-78, DOI: 10.37520/aemnp.2022.006, http://zenodo.org/record/7161221