Prionocyphon bidentatus, Zwick, 2016

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 : 181-183

Prionocyphon bidentatus , n. sp.

( Figs 73, 74 , Table 2)

Type material. ♂ Holotype: Crater Lakes N.P., Q., SW of Biggenden, 11.viii.74, H.Frauca (ANIC).

Habitus. BL 2.4 mm, BL/BW ~1.6. HCW equals ~61% of BW. Uniformly light brown, with yellowish pubescence, punctures on dorsal side fine. Antennae not serrate.

Male. Tegmen forming an anteriorly rounded pouch. Parameres triangular, ending in thin sickle-shaped process. Wider, more basal portion of paramere with deep furrow in which slender distal part of genital hook rests. Hook strongly bent, base reaching to centre where it is connected with other parts. Pala a very dark rod which appears fused to wall of tegmen ( Fig. 73 ). Pala supports wide flat prosthemes caudally, each with two large external teeth. Parameroid thin and straight ( Fig. 74 ), seeming to originate from mediobasal edge of prostheme and lying on much longer phallic lobe. At base of phallic lobes is a crown of fine folds and plicae, base of lobes slightly sclerotized, along medial edge lobes are transversely annulated.

Female. Unknown.

Note. Obviously a close relative of P. serratus , but easily distinguished, especially by the prosthemes. Etymology. The name bidentatus (bidentate) is a Latin adjective referring to the two large teeth on the outside of the prosthemes.

Figures

FIGURES 73 − 76. Male genitalia of Prionocyphon bidentatus n. sp. (73, 74) and P. serratus n. sp. (75, 76), overview (73, 75) and detail of penis (74, 76). Abbreviations: gh, genital hook; pa, pala; pd, parameroid; pe, paramere; pl, phallic lobe; pr, prostheme; st, style. Upper and lower scale apply to upper and lower figures, respectively.