Tribe Batrisini Reitter, 1882

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Tribe Batrisini Reitter, 1882

Batrisini Reitter, E. 1882 [1881]. Versuch einer systematischen Eintheilung der Clavigeriden und Pselaphiden. Verhandlungen des Naturforschenden Vereines in Brünn 20: 177-211 [Date published 1882] [187].
Type genus:
Batrisus Aubé, 1833.
Secondary source:
Jeannel, R. 1949. Les Psélaphides de l'Afrique Orientale (Coleoptera). Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris [1936-1950] 29: 1-226 [113]; Jeannel, R. 1950. Coléoptères Psélaphides. Faune de France. Paris : Lechevalier Vol. 53 iii 421 pp. [347]; Leleup, N. 1976. Mission entomologique du Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale aux Monts Uluguru, Tanzanie (L. Berger, N. Leleup et J. Debecker, V-VIII. 1971). 21. Coleoptera Pselaphidae. Revue de Zoologie Africaine 90: 769-836 [777]; Leleup, N. 1981. Mission entomologique du Dr. Ivan Löbl en Côte-d'Ivoire. Coleoptera Pselaphidae III (Batrisinae). Revue Suisse de Zoologie 88: 3-76 [4].
Oropygiina Jeannel, R. 1949. Les Psélaphides de l'Afrique Orientale (Coleoptera). Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris [1936-1950] 29: 1-226 [114].
Type genus:
Orropygia Raffray, 1910.
Trabisina Jeannel, R. 1949. Les Psélaphides de l'Afrique Orientale (Coleoptera). Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris [1936-1950] 29: 1-226 [116].
Type genus:
Trabisus Raffray, 1890.

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

Jeannel, R. 1959. Révision des Psélaphides de l'Afrique intertropicale. Annales du Musée Royal du Congo Belge, Tervuren 8, Zool. 75: 1-742 [218] (Oropygiina)
Leleup, N. 1981. Mission entomologique du Dr. Ivan Löbl en Côte-d'Ivoire. Coleoptera Pselaphidae III (Batrisinae). Revue Suisse de Zoologie 88: 3-76 [4] (Trabisina)

Introduction

All Australian genera are placed in the tribe Batrisini, subtribe Batrisina. The other three subtribes, Ambicocerina Leleup, Leupeliina Jeannel, and Stilipalpina Jeannel, are Afrotropical. The criteria used to form all of these three subtribes need to be reexamined. For example, the longitudinally carinate and sulcate pronotal discs used to separate members of the Ambicocerina from the Batrisina variably occurs among members of several Oriental genera, and in Daintree Chandler from Australia. Leleup (1971, 1973) has commented on this subtribe twice since he initially proposed it, and also on the problems in defining the other subtribes (Leleup 1976, 1981). The Batrisini are most diverse in tropical regions. For many of these genera, particularly in Africa, it is necessary to have males to make generic identifications, though this is not necessary for Australian genera

In Australia generic diversity of the Batrisitae is clearly highest in northeastern Queensland. All genera occur there, supporting the strong tropical association and dominance of this group. Only four genera penetrate beyond the northern perimeter south into the forested regions of eastern Australia. A few species of Tinaroo and Coryphomodes are found as far south as Victoria, and one species of Tinaroo is known from Tasmania. The seven genera described here have only been collected in Australia, but all occur in northeastern Queensland, and the other two Australian genera were previously described from the Oriental Region. It is possible that representatives of the new genera will be eventually found in the eastern Oriental Region, and that Australia will lack any truly endemic batrisine genera (Chandler 2001: 254).

Diagnosis

Head with antennal scapes normal in length; frontal rostrum broadly prominent to indistinct, antennal tubercles widely separated when present; ocular-mandibular carinae present. Pronotum often with both inner and outer pairs of basolateral foveae; paranotal carinae present. Metasternum often longitudinally sulcate, with apex between metacoxae then inflexed and forming median preapical fovea. Aedeagus with parameres fused to median lobe to form ventral lobe when present.

ID Keys

Key to Australian genera (Chandler 2001: 255).

1. Elytra lacking any basal foveae … 2

Each elytron with at least sutural fovea present, often with 2-3 basal foveae … 3

2. (1) Pronotum greatly expanded laterally in anterior half, clearly wider than long; lacking pronotal tubercles or foveae … Amblybatrisus Chandler

Pronotum moderately expanded in anterior half, longer than wide; with small basolateral tubercles between antebasal foveae … Mossman Chandler

3. (1) Each elytron with only sutural fovea at base; antennomeres XI elongate and conical, as long as preceding four antennomeres; fourth segments of maxillary palpi elongate and sinuate … Spurgeon Chandler

Each elytron with 2-3 basal foveae; antennomeres XI shorter, no longer than apical two antennomeres; fourth segments of maxillary palpi shorter … 4

4. (3) Pronotum with two prominent antebasal spines between median and lateral antebasal foveae, pronotal disc or lateral margins often with additional teeth or curved spines … 5

Pronotum with area between antebasal foveae smooth, or with pair of low blunt tubercles or small obscure spines, lacking spines on pronotal disc … 6

5. (4) Lateral pronotal margins strongly spinose, spines nearly as large as antebasal spines between median and lateral antebasal foveae … Ancistromus Jeannel

Lateral pronotal margins weakly spinose or spines lacking, when present spines much smaller than spines between antebasal foveae … Coryphomodes Jeannel

6. (4) Each elytron with subhumeral fovea; pronotum with antebasal sulcus distinct, roughened ridge along posterior margin; pronotum with median and lateral longitudinal sulci equally distinct … Batrisocenus Raffray

Elytra lacking subhumeral fovea; pronotum lacking antebasal sulcus or sulcus indistinct; presence of median longitudinal sulcus on pronotum variable … 7

7. (6) Lateral margins of pronotum with tooth just anterior to lateral antebasal foveae; vertex between antennal tubercles flat, frontal rostrum prominent, with setose postantennal pits on lateral margins of head … 8

Lateral margins of pronotum lacking tooth just anterior to lateral antebasal foveae; vertex between antennal tubercles clearly concave, frontal rostrum lacking or moderately developed, lacking setose postantennal pits on lateral margins of head … 9

8. (7) Pronotum lacking basolateral foveae; elytra with discal striae strongly converging to near elytral suture; abdomen strongly and narrowly constricted at base; pronotal disc lacking teeth between antebasal foveae; elytra with two basal foveae … Gadgarra Chandler

Pronotum with small to faint inner and outer basolateral foveae (Fig. 1, iblf, oblf); elytra lacking discal striae; abdomen not constricted at base; pronotum with pair of small spines between antebasal foveae; elytra with three basal foveae … Hypochraeus Raffray

9. (7) Setae appressed and short, longer suberect setae lacking; head transverse; pronotum with broadly flattened, low tubercles between basal foveae … Daintree Chandler

At least some setae suberect and long; head elongate; pronotum evenly rounded to flat between antebasal foveae … 10

10. (9) Basolateral foveae at lateral margins of second and third visible abdominal tergites (V and VI) large and easily seen, about half length of tergite at that point; males usually with lateral margins of first visible tergite (IV) modified … Neurum Chandler

Basolateral foveae at lateral margins of second and third visible abdominal tergites (V and VI) smaller, difficult to see, less than half length of tergites at that point; male modifications at different locations on body … Tinaroo Chandler