Aschnarhyparus Makhan 2006: 7

Skelley, Paul E., 2007, Generic limits of the Rhyparini with respect to the genus Termitodius Wasmann, 1894 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae), Insecta Mundi 2007 (9), pp. 1-9 : 2-5

Aschnarhyparus Makhan 2006: 7

Type species. Aschnarhyparus soesilae Makhan 2006 , by original designation.

Diagnosis. Length approximately 3.5 mm. Body of typical rhyparine appearance with strong dorsal

carinae and elytron with an apical bulb and trichomes. Head with clypeus abruptly inflexed medially, submarginal lines and bead present, angulate medial tooth evident in ventral view only when head extended. Pronotum somewhat flattened, lateral margin flared, distinctly bilobed anteriorly; all dorsal carinae of similar prominence, sharply defined throughout length, not anteriorly bulb-like. Metafemur stout, moderately club-like. Meso- and metatibia not elongate, angular in cross section, somewhat flattened and gradually dilated toward apex. Mesotibia with Termitodius - type apical development, prominent in male ( Fig. 3 ), weakly developed in female. Elytron elongate, approximately 3 times longer than wide; not distinctly parallel-sided, evenly rounded to terminal bulb.

Description. Length 3.0- 3.8 mm. Body elongate; elytra narrowed from middle to apical bulb, width greatest at basal elytral third; blackish-brown to reddish-brown, frequently encrusted with debris. Head one-third wider than long, surface dulled or alutaceous, lacking conspicuous setae. Clypeus anteriorly inflexed, with grooved margin; lower edge sharp medially, obtusely angulate; upper edge of inflexed margin quadridentate, inner tooth on each side at lateral third, outer tooth on each side adjacent to frontal lobe; median clypeal surface circular, defined anteriorly by U-shaped groove and posteriorly by arcuate fronto-clypeal suture, enclosed area broadly convex with 2 small, central longitudinal tubercles. Vertex with four short, longitudinal carinae, bearing inconspicuous setae; two median carinae slightly closer, nearly parallel; two lateral carina converging anteriorly; vertex coarsely punctate between carinae. Frontal lobe broad, projecting more sharply anteriorly than laterally, posteriorly depressed above eye; eye barely visible dorsally when head not retracted. Pronotum with surface alutaceous, with 6 irregularly longitu- dinal carinae, interrupted by transverse row of large pits, all carinae topped with rows of inconspicuous setae; inner carina (paramedian) nearly complete, interrupted at midline, slightly convergent in anterior half; adjacent carina (discolateral) interrupted in anterior third by pit; outer carina (submarginal) distinctly outwardly sinuate near middle with adjacent deep mesad depression; all carinae extending to posterior pronotal margin; lateral pronotal margin with 2 prominent lobes, anterior lobe more abrupt, posterior lobe near middle slightly smaller; posterio-lateral margin curving inward to acute posterior angle; anterior pronotal margin tomentose; lateral and posterior margins lacking distinct marginal bead. Scutellum minute, narrow, apex acute. Elytron each with four sharply elevated carinae, each topped with rows of setae, each entire from base to apex, only gradually decreasing in height near apex; elytral surface alutaceous dorsally and at base, from about middle becoming glossy to apex; first carina (discomedian) separated from sutural ridge by single row of large, transverse punctures at basal 3/4, carina widening in apical 1/3 to apical bulbous area, with circularly arranged group (viewed apically) of long setae just anterior to subapical trichomes, immediately followed by major portion of apical bulb; second carina (discolateral) similar in height and development to first, separated from first carina along basal 3/4 by a double row of large punctures that may be narrowly connected transversely, with small patch long setae just before apical trichomes; third carina (posthumeral) sinuate near base, decreasing notably in height in apical 1/4, separated from second carina by double row of large punctures, punctures distinct only on basal half, carina terminating apically with very small group of setae just before apical trichomes; fourth carina (submarginal) not as prominent as other carinae, development equal to the apical half of third carina, basally separated from third carina by large, inconspicuous punctures, apically fourth carina curves dorsally and swells to become lateral portion of apical bulb; lateral marginal carina continues apically to sutural margin where it has a distinct apical projection. Metathoracic wings present, appearing fully developed. Pygidium with basal portion above transverse ridge finely setose and bearing distinct median longitudinal sulcus; apical portion below transverse ridge flattened, with median longitudinal carina and an alutaceous depression on each side; apex of pygidium rounded. Maxilla with apex of lacinia densely fringed with long setae. Mentum anteriorly emarginate, basally with deep median pit. Prosternum medially broadly lanceolate anterior to coxae, hastate posteriorly. Mesosternum short, surface finely granulate, median fourth slightly, longitudinally concave. Metasternum with narrow, slightly elevated ridge separating mesocoxae, midline of metasternum with ridge on anterior half, immediately followed by deep median longitudinal groove on posterior half; laterally with group of 4 round depressions, anterior medial pit small, deep and round, anterior lateral depression groovelike, extending laterally along posterior margin mesocoxae, posterior medial depression large appearing groove-like, posterior lateral depression about half as large as posterior medial depression, often weak; metepisternum grooved over entire length. Abdomen with 5 visible sternites, first 4 narrow, slightly wider laterally; basal segment with basal transverse groove occupying half of length, only fourth segment with depression on each side near lateral edge; apical sternite approximately as long as preceding 3 sternites combined, basally with deep transverse groove composed of pits; medial surface with depression on each side of longitudinal median ridge, depressions variable in size; surface of all sternites with numerous recumbent setae. Femora with ventral surfaces completely coarsely punctured, each puncture bearing 1 seta. Protibia of male and female similar, narrow, nearly parallel-sided, lateral margin sinuate, apex with 2 small teeth. Mesotibia with ventral surface coarsely punctate, each puncture bearing 1 seta; gradually widening from base to truncate apex, triangular in cross-section, outer edge flattened, inner margin sharp; inner ventral margin with strong longitudinal groove which terminates subapically at notch on apical 1/4 ( Termitodius - type); males with groove terminating in a prominent, acute subapical tooth, females with subapical tooth not prominent, obtuse. Metatibia ventral surface coarsely punctate, each puncture bearing 1 seta; tibia gradually widening from base to truncate apex (occasionally weakly concave apex), widest at apical 1/4, distinctly flattened, triangular in cross-section, outer edge flattened, inner margin sharp; inner ventral margin with strong longitudinal groove which terminates at apex. Tibial spurs of all legs not easily visible, minute or absent. Protarsus short, length of basal tarsomere equal to next 2 combined; apical claws of all tarsi minute. Mesotarsus 2/3 length of tibia, somewhat thickened, basal tarsomere dorsally punctate with setiferous punctures, length equal to tibial width at apex, which equals next 3 tarsomeres combined; mesotarsomeres III-IV shortened, length of each = width. Metatarsus similar to mesotarsus except basal tarsomere longer than tibial width at apex, nearly as long as next 4 tarsomeres combined. Male genitalia slender, tubular, gradually curved, small triangular parameres about 1/6 length of phallobase, weakly concave dorsally, with weakly hooked apex.

Distribution. Widespread in the New World tropics ( Mexico to Bolivia east to Brazil and Trinidad).

Comments. Aschnarhyparus presently contains only one species, A. peregrinus (Hinton) , which has been collected with termites, Coptotermes testacea (L.) (ex label data, Chalumeau 1981, Reyes-Castillo and Martinez 1979), and one specimen with label data “In galeria Nasusitermes ”. The majority of specimens have been collected at light traps, flight intercept traps, and in leaf litter sampling. No available evidence suggests that more than one species is present in this widespread genus.

Figures

Figure 1-4. Tibial types. 1) Rhyparus-type mesotibia, male Rhyparus mexicanus Cartwright and Woodruff. 2) Termitodiellus-type mesotibia, male Termitodiellus luzonensis (Howden). 3) Termitodius-type mesotibia, male Aschnarhyparus peregrinus (Hinton). 4) Termitodius-type mesotibia, male Termitodius araujoi Reyes-Castillo and Martinez. Line = 0.5 mm.