Ditropidus compactus (SHARP 1881) Schöller, 2009

Schöller, M., 2009, Revision of the New Caledonian genus Scaphodius CHAPUIS (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cryptocephalinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 41 (1), pp. 767-801 : 788

Ditropidus compactus (SHARP 1881) comb.nov.

Scaphodius compactus SHARP 1881: 50 .

H o l o t y p e (BMNH): Scaphodius compactus Type D.S., New Zealand, Thurnay (ink) [white cardboard] / Type H.T. [round label, white with red boarder] / Sharp Coll. 1905 – 131. / Ditropidus compactus (Sharp) , det. M. Schöller 2008 [white].

R e v i s e d d i a g n o s i s A small (length 1.5 mm) elongate oval dark brown species with black metathorax and abdomen, shiny, eyes large and close together, with triangular canthus, clypeus separated from frons, labrum yellowish brown, quadrate, head with few coarse punctures, antennomeres 1-7 yellowish brown, antennal basiconic sensilla in circular pits at apices of last 5 antennomeres, width of pronotum 2.3 times length, pronotum with sparse puncturation, punctures elongate, lateral margins narrow, not simultaneously visible in dorsal view, posterior lobe of pronotum triangular, notched, elytra glabrous, regularly vaulted, punctures in regular rows, lateral interstices convex.

N o t e. This species from New Zealand was the only species placed in Scaphodius originating not from New Caledonia. In the type specimen, the antennae and one hind leg are disarticulated, the fragile specimen was not removed from the cardboard for study. It was transferred here to Ditropidus because of the following combination of character states: distinct deep canthus, eyes large and close, the raised part of clypeus is triangular below and between the antennae, the last 5 antennomeres have basiconic sensilla in circular pits, pronotum transverse, posterior lobe of pronotum slightly raised, posterior angles sharply produced, overlapping base of elytra, elytral punctures in regular striae, and tibiae excavate on apex externally for 0.25 of length. The mandible setation, the aedeagus and spermatheca were not studied, so more recently collected non-type specimens are urgently needed to confirm the generic placement.