Trichonotuloides Balthasar, 1945

Dellacasa, Marco, Dellacasa, Giovanni & Gordon, Robert D., 2014, Systematic revision of the genus Trichonotuloides Balthasar, 1945 with description of two new Mexican species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae), Insecta Mundi 2014 (383), pp. 1-9 : 2

Genus Trichonotuloides Balthasar, 1945

Aphodius (Trichonotuloides) Balthasar, 1945: 43 .

Trichonotuloides ; Dellacasa et al. 2001: 292 (new status); Skelley et al. 2007: 7 .

Type species. Aphodius fossulatipennis Balthasar, 1945 (junior synonym of Aphodius latecrenatus Bates, 1887 ) (monotypy).

Diagnosis. Small size species (length 4.0–6.0 mm), oblong-oval, moderately convex, subshiny or almost dull; more or less diffusely pubescent. Blackish, piceous or dark brownish. Head with epistome feebly gibbous at centre, regularly coarsely punctured; clypeus slightly sinuate at middle, round at sides, rather thinly bordered, edge very shortly bristled; genae obtusely round, ciliate, more or less strongly protruding from the eyes; frontal suture not tuberculate. Pronotum transverse, regularly convex or narrowly explanate on sides, simply or dually, rather regularly, very densely and coarsely punctured; larger punctures cariose and sometimes slightly umbilicate; lateral margins feebly arcuate or nearly straight, sometimes subsinuate before hind angles; latter obtusely round or truncate and inwardly sinuate; base slightly bisinuate, distinctly bordered. Scutellum small, elongately triangular with curved sides, coarsely punctured mainly on basal half. Elytra oval-elongate, with shoulder denticulate or not, deeply crenato-striate; interstices convex or flat, coarsely punctured, punctures, at least the lateral, setigerous. Fore tibiae distally tridentate and proximally feebly crenulate at outer margin; upper side smooth or vaguely punctured. Middle and hind tibiae with strong transverse carinae on outer face; apically fimbriate with short and equal spinules. Pygidium with short and recumbent pubescence; mixed few straight and rather elongate setae; apical margin sparsely but very elongately ciliate. Sexual dimorphism shown in males mainly by metasternal plate deeply spoon-shaped, punctured and distally pubescent. Aedeagus with tegmen slender and very elongate; parameres short or moderately elongate, curved and more or less acuminate apically. Epipharynx transverse, slightly sinuate at anterior margin, round at sides; epitorma conical; corypha with elongate apical celtes distinctly protruding from the fore margin; chaetopariae stout and elongate; pedia densely pubescent with several lateral spines subserially intermixed.

Distribution. Mesoamerican region ( Mexico and Guatemala).

Discussion. The primary systematic characters of the genus are:

- scutellum small, triangular;

- front tibiae with dorsal surface lacking or vaguely punctured;

- hind tibiae apically fimbriate with short equal spinules;

- clypeal margin more or less deeply sinuate at middle, round or angulate at sides; fontal suture not tuberculate;

- basal margin of pronotum distinctly bordered;

- elytra deeply crenato-striate with interstices coarsely punctured and more or less diffusedly pubescent.