Prionocyphon storeyi 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 : 176

Prionocyphon storeyi Watts, 2010b

( Figs 61−64 , Table 2)

Material studied. 1♂: Mossman Gorge , N. Qld. 24 Apr 1967 D.H. Colless ; 1♂: Mt. Spec . NQ. 1/GB / J. G. Brooks bequest 1976 (both ANIC). 1♂: Mt. Tambourine [sic!] Q. A.M.Lea ; 1♂: Blue Mts. , Blackburn [ NSW] (both SAMA).

Differs from its relatives by the slenderness of the genitalia. Parameroids strongly sclerotized and longer than club-shaped hyaline parameres (arrow in Fig. 61 ). Slender styles with terminal fringe long and distinct. Trigonium apex hook-like, in slide mounts its anteriorly diverging contour lines are seen to connect to sides of the penis. The appearance changes with position, and the shape possibly differs slightly between specimens ( Figs 61–63 ). The apex was mistaken for a cover of the endophallus at rest ( Watts 2010b).

Endophallus long and slender, front end divided and armed with small spinules, further back with long spines ( Fig. 64 ). Caudally a single dense pack of long spines present, separated by pale ring from dense pelt of long spines which spread outward upon eversion ( Fig. 61 ). At rest, membranous outer surface of retracted endophallus at penis tip with scaly surface (arrow in Fig. 63 ).

The new records from southern Queensland and New South Wales close the gap between the known occurrence in North Queensland and the record from Lord Howe Island ( Watts 2010b).

Figures

FIGURES 61 − 64. Prionocyphon storeyi Watts, male genitalia. 61, Mt. Tamborine, arrow points at delicate tip of stylus; 62, Mossman Gorge; 63, Mt. Spec, arrow pointing at scaly surface of retracted endophallus; 64, diagram showing the tegmen and its components in grey shade, for easier distinction from the penis and its components. Abbreviations: pa, pala; pd, parameroid; pe, paramere; st, stylus; te, tegmen; tr, trigonium. Not to scale.