Tectocyphon hispidus, Zwick, Peter, 2015

Zwick, Peter, 2015, Australian Marsh Beetles (Coleoptera: Scirtidae). 8. The new genera Cygnocyphon, Eximiocyphon, Paracyphon, Leptocyphon, Tectocyphon, and additions to Contacyphon de Gozis, Nanocyphon Zwick and Eurycyphon Watts, Zootaxa 3981 (4), pp. 451-490 : 463

Tectocyphon hispidus n. sp.

(Figs. 32–35)

Type material. 1♂ holotype: 30.30S, 152.23E, NSW, Thungutti Camp, New England NP 16-18 Nov. 1990, A.Calder at light ( ANIC).

Habitus. Flat, BL 3.65mm, BL/BW~1.6. Appears more slender than the congeners but the elytra are halfspread, shape therefore difficult to assess. Dorsal surface covered with long erect dark setae, interspersed fine decumbent setae mainly in the apical portion of elytra. Head dark with lighter transverse band across frons. Pronotum and elytra light brown, posterior portion of pronotum and scutellum slightly darker. A small dark area on humerus. In the middle third of the elytra dark brown streaks together form a V-shaped pattern, starting at about half width of each elytron and converging backward towards the suture. The sutural interval remains light. Antennae dark but antennomeres 3–11 (each about 2.5 times as long as apically wide) with yellowish terminal ring. Legs light brown.

Male. Segments 8 and 9 (Figs. 32, 33) as for the genus, separation of S8 and S 9 in the preparation failed, details not visible.

The tegmen is tongue-shaped and forks caudally into two extremely wide branches (Fig. 34). Near midlength each bears an oblique spinule row and is distally armed with a few huge hooks. The movable basal appendage resembles a slender triangle, its surface and sides bear small teeth. Penis with basally separate strong lateral sclerites, no pala (Fig. 35). The sclerites are curved, each bears near midlength a large rounded projection with a dorsal peak, resembling a bird head. Beyond this are attached the lateral arms of the moderately large unarmed triangular trigonium. The anteromedian sclerite extending forward from its base is about as long as the trigonium itself. The lateral sclerites continue as slender supports of the parameroids which are caudally enlarged, with tongue-shaped apex. They are unarmed, their outer transparent face is membranous.

Note. The strong erect pilosity is exceptional. The divergent bases of the penis sclerites are probably an artifact caused by the pressure of the cover slip on the angular penis sclerites which are additionally provided with large dorsoventral outgrowths. The parameres are similar to T. victoriae , see account of that species.

Etymology. The adjectival name refers to the shaggy dorsal pilosity (Latin hispidus ).