Center for Systematic Entomology, Gainesville, Florida
Date of this Version
3-11-2011
Abstract
Notophanus bellicilifer Thomas, n. gen., n. sp., is described and illustrated from Australia. A key is provided to all of the species of the tribe Brontini known to occur in Australia.
Examination of specimens from the Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC) revealed a single specimen in the silvanid subfamily Brontinae from Victoria different from any known Australian genus. Further searching of the collection produced additional specimens from Victoria and South Australia. Interestingly, the first specimen examined possessed hind wings, while all the other specimens lacked hind wings. There appear to be no differences other than the lack of metathoracic wings and concomitant lack of humeral angle on the elytra. Male genitalia of the two forms could not be compared since the only available winged specimen is female.
Although this beetle has similar facies as members of the tribe Telephanini Thomas and Nearns (2008), it has all of the diagnostic characters of the Brontini (Thomas 2004) and is so placed.
Comments
Published in Insecta Mundi 0154: 1-8
Published in 2011 by Center for Systematic Entomology, Inc.
P. O. Box 141874
Gainesville, FL 32614-1874 U. S. A.
http://www.centerforsystematicentomology.org/