Prionocyphon deanboltoi Watts, 2010b

Zwick, Peter, 2016, Australian Marsh Beetles (Coleoptera: Scirtidae). 9. The relations of Australasian Ypsiloncyphon species to their Asian congeners, additions, mainly to Petrocyphon and Prionocyphon, and a key to Australian genera of Scirtinae, Zootaxa 4085 (2), pp. 151-198 : 179

Prionocyphon deanboltoi Watts, 2010b

( Figs 67, 68 , Table 2)

Material examined. 1♂: 17.10S 145.39E QLD Danbulla [17°12'24.74''S, 145°38'44.97''E] S.F. E entrance 13 Jun. 1992 C.Reid beating vines/rainf. trees/Acacia ( ANIC).

The present specimen was taken not far from the type locality of P. deanboltoi on the Atherton Tableland (Wongabel: 17°19'38.45''S, 145°29'15.59''E) and is believed to be that species. Unlike the one illustrated in the original description ( Watts 2010b: fig. 37) the present specimen was not dissected. My interpretation of homologies follows, and partly differs from that of Watts (2010b).

The tegmen ( Fig. 67 ) is a narrow sclerite widening on the sides where long and slender styles attach. The lateral parts form the caudal parameres which I have been unable to separate from the penis. The penis consists of two pairs of caudal horns with opposed tips ( Fig. 68 ), and a heavily armed endophallus between and in front of them. I regard the shorter medial horns as the forked trigonium, the longer lateral horns as parameroids. Their medial edges extend forward, converge and eventually form a medial rod. Dorsally from it the divided front end of the penis is seen.

The picture is dominated by the endophallus ( Fig. 67 ). At its beginning lies on each side a large patch of needle-like spines. The patches are thick, and differences in optical density suggest they may be internally coiled. Caudally from the packs are two irregular bands of short stout spaced spines. They extend to a cushion-like region with small triangular sclerites arranged on minute arched crests. The cushion is internally divided and can apparently open.

Figures

FIGURES 65 − 68. Male genitalia of Prionocyphon urbanus n. sp. (65; 66 diagrammatic) and P. deanboltoi (67; 68, enlarged detail of the horns at the penis apex). Abbreviations: de, endophallus; eph, endophallus; pd, parameroid; pe, paramere; st, style; te, tegmen; ts, transverse sclerite.