Breviphysoderes gen. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 083107C2-6EAB-4DC4-BC2E-F5DAAF0F7A43

Figs 4 – 9, Appendix

Diagnosis

Recognized among all other genera of Physoderinae by the head being elongate conical, without a pair of long, straight setae on the posterior margin of the postocular lobe; the scape surpassing the apex of the clypeus; the eye being distinctly projecting in dorsal view; the pronotum with setigerous tubercles bearing short, curved setae; the anterior pronotal lobe always narrower than the posterior lobe in both sexes; the parascutellar lobe being semicircular; the posterior margin of the connexivum often being slightly elevated, with short, curved setae; the anterior margin of the male mediosternite 8 sharply emarginated; the cup-like sclerite of the pygophore apically rounded, with paired sclerotized latero-ventral slight protuberances; the arms of the basal plate parallel to each other; the sclerotized ring of the ductifer elongate; the dorsal phallothecal sclerite subacute, with lateral narrow; and the bandlike prolongations of the dorsal phallothecal sclerite extended diagonally towards the basal plate. Most similar to Physoderes, but distinguished by the scape surpassing the apex of the clypeus and the anterior pronotal lobe being narrower than the posterior lobe in males.

Etymology

Named after Physoderes, the type genus of the subfamily Physoderinae, in combination with “brevi” (Latin for “short”) to indicate the shorter body length. The gender is feminine.

Type species

Physoderes mjoebergi Miller, 1940 .

Description

Male

BODY LENGTH. Ranging from relatively small to medium-sized, 7.49–10.23 mm (Appendix).

COLORATON (Fig. 4). Variable, from straw-colored to dark brown. Head, anterior pronotal ridges, posterior pronotal lobe, legs and corium of similar lighter coloration, anterior pronotal lobe, scutellum and claval region with darker coloration.

VESTITURE. Densely setose with curved setae, strongly tuberculated on head, along pronotal margin and ridges.

HEAD. Elongate conical; maxillary plate truncate apically; scape surpassing apex of clypeus except in Breviphysoderes decora comb. nov.; eye distinctly projecting in dorsal view except in B. decora comb. nov., not attaining head ventral margin in lateral view; height of anteocular lobe shorter than postocular lobe, ocelli present.

THORAX. Antero-lateral paired projections acute, oriented anteriorly or diverging; surface of anterior lobe with low ridges; median pronotal depression contiguous with transverse sulcus in males except in Breviphysoderes vestita comb. nov.; paramedian carina strongly defined except in B. decora comb. nov.; posterior lobe medially rugose; anterior pronotal lobe of equal length to posterior lobe, narrower than posterior lobe in both sexes, anterior lobe lower than posterior lobe in lateral view except in B. vestita comb. nov.; parascutellar lobe semicircular; scutellum rounded triangular, scutellar process long, with rounded apex, except in B. decora comb. nov.; mesosternite usually with median irregular tuberculated protrusion between fore and mid coxae.

HEMELYTRON. Macropterous, hemelytron length variable.

LEGS. Fore femur distinctly incrassate; tarsus three-segmented.

ABDOMEN. Elongate ovoid, with rounded or straight terminal margin; connexival margin slightly undulating except in Breviphysoderes planicollis comb. nov., posterior margin most often slightly elevated.

GENITALIA. Anterior margin of mediosternite 8 sharply emarginate, with or without medial apodeme; transverse bridge of pygophore broad, margin of anterior opening angular, with apodeme present, apical margin of posterior opening smooth; cup-like sclerite apically rounded, with sclerotized paired latero-ventral slight protuberance; arms of basal plate parallel to each other; ductifer with sclerotized, elongate ring; endosomal struts conical, with subacute apex, basally divided into two arms; apex of dorsal phallothecal sclerite subacute or rounded, with lateral narrow band-like prolongations oriented diagonally towards basal plate.

Female

Similar in shape and coloration to males but slightly larger or having a wider abdomen or narrower anterior pronotal lobe.

Ecology

Specimens have been collected from dead plant material, tree bark and in the undergrowth. Different species have been found at different elevations with B. vestita comb. nov. collected at the highest altitude of 1955 m.

Distribution

This genus currently comprises 8 described and new species and is widely distributed across Southeast Asia; found in continental Indochina, peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java and Borneo. The highest species diversity for this genus is in Borneo.

Key to species of Breviphysoderes gen. nov.

1. Apical portion of veins forming external cell of hemelytron (Cu +M) straw-colored or distinctly lighter than remainder of veins (Fig. 4, grey arrow)........................................................................2

– Veins framing external cell of hemelytron uniformly colored, not straw-colored (Fig. 4, black arrow).................................................................................................................................................4

2. Hemelytron short, not reaching tip of abdomen (Fig. 4, blue arrow) .... B. fulvopicta gen. et sp. nov.

– Hemelytron reaching or surpassing tip of abdomen (Fig. 4, pink arrow)....................................3

3. Antero-lateral pronotal projections diverging, males with anterior pronotal lobe enlarged, wider than in females, as wide or almost as wide as posterior lobe (Fig. 4, dark green arrow) ................... ................................................................................................ B. vestita (Horváth, 1900) comb. nov.

– Antero-lateral pronotal projections oriented anteriorly, males with anterior pronotal lobe as in females, narrower than posterior lobe (Fig. 4, red arrows) ...... B. shelfordi (Miller, 1940) comb. nov.

4. Head and body uniformly brownish-black, antero-lateral pronotal projections acute, oriented anteriorly (Fig. 4, purple arrow) ............................................................... B. tenebrosa gen. et sp. nov.

– Head and body not uniformly brownish black, antero-lateral pronotal projections acute and diverging (Fig. 4, orange arrow).........................................................................................................5

5. Scape reaching, but not surpassing apex of clypeus (Fig. 4, light purple arrow) ............................... ................................................................................................... B. decora (Miller, 1940) comb. nov.

– Scape surpassing apex of clypeus (Fig. 4, light green arrow).........................................................6

6. Ridges of anterior pronotal lobe dark brown, similar in color to remainder of anterior pronotal lobe; external cell of hemelytron (Cu+M) elongated (Fig. 4, yellow arrow) .................................. .................................................................................................. B. hobbyi (Miller, 1940) comb. nov.

– Ridges of anterior pronotal lobe straw-colored, color contrasting with remainder of anterior pronotal lobe; external cell of hemelytron (Cu +M) not elongated (Fig. 4, black arrow)............7

7. Apex of scutellar process straw-colored (Fig. 4, white arrow) .......................................................... .............................................................................................. B. mjoebergi (Miller, 1940) comb. nov.

– Apex of scutellar process dark brown or uniform color as scutellum (Fig. 4, light blue arrow) .. ............................................................................................ B. planicollis (Miller, 1940) comb. nov.