Nicotikis bellator, Mazur, 2007

Mazur, S., 2007, New Oriental Histeridae (Coleoptera), Baltic Journal of Coleopterology 7 (2), pp. 137-147 : 138-141

Nicotikis bellator sp. nov.

Body ( Fig. 9) elongate-oval, weakly rounded laterally, pitch-brown, upper surface densely punctured. Antennae and legs paler, rusty-red. Antennal club tomentose, two V-shaped sutures present, interrupted medially. Ratio of width of pronotum to head about 2.55. Frons concave, with some transverse punctures basally. Frontal stria of head complete, carinate laterally and united with orbital stria. Labrum incised, its anterior margin emarginate medially. Mandibles convex, finely punctulate. Inner margin of mandibles with large dent at apex.

Pronotum feebly convex medially, its marginal stria complete laterally, interrupted behind head and prolongated basally along the pronotal base on about 1/5 of its length. Outer lateral pronotal stria ( Fig. 10) well impressed laterally, a little sinuate and united with apical pronotal stria.

Epipleural marginal and elytral marginal stria complete and impressed, their ventral edge carinate. Sometimes an irregular row of punctures present between these striae. Oblique humeral stria very thin and indistinct, almost invisible. First to 4th dorsal stria complete and impressed. The 5th dorsal stria present on apical 1/3, Sutural stria abbreviated on basal 1/4.

Propygidium ( Fig. 11) irregularly covered with rounded punctures of various size. Interspaces between punctures intermingled with ground punctulation. Pygidium medially as punctured as propygidium, with two deep transverse foveae laterally and with deep apical sulcus, united sometimes with foveae.

Prosternal lobe ( Fig. 12) rounded anteriorly, covered irregularly with large, round and deep punctures, especially at sides. Marginal stria thin, complete. Prosternal process finely punctulate, two carinal striae present, nearly complete. Only one lateral stria present, outer one strongly abbreviated basally, their outer edges strongly carinate.

Mesosternum transverse, flat, densely punctulate, broadly emarginate at anterior margin. Marginal mesosternal stria present at sides only, widely interrupted anteriorly and replaced here by a tripartite median mesosternal stria. Meso-metasternal suture as well as median line of metasternum fine and indistinct. Intercoxal disc of metasternum and 1st abdominal sternum as punctured as mesosternum. Lateral mesosternal stria straight, reaching to hind coxa. Lateral metasternal disc covered with large and deep punctures. Two lateral striae present on each side of the 1st abdominal sternum, outer of them abbreviated basally.