Tribe Pselaphini Latreille, 1802

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Tribe Pselaphini Latreille, 1802

Pselaphini Latreille, P.A. 1802. Histoire Naturelle, Générale et Particulière des Crustacés et des Insectes. Ouvrage faisant suite à l’histoire naturelle générale et particulière, composée par Leclerc de Buffon, et rédigée par C.S. Sonnini, membre de plusieurs sociétés savantes. Familles naturelles des genres. Tome troisième. Paris : F. Dufart xii + 13–467 + [1] pp. [An "X" (title page = 1802)] [239].
Type genus:
Pselaphus Herbst, 1792.

Introduction

Twenty-six genera are placed in the Pselaphini. Members are found in all biogeographic regions, with the greatest number of genera being recorded from Africa and Australia (Chandler 2001: 502).

Diagnosis

Head with frontal rostrum usually prominent (Kakadu lacking frontal rostrum); clypeal apex broadly rounded in dorsal view, lateral margins relatively straight to eyes; lacking ocular-mandibular carinae, clypeal margins extending posteriorly to form gular-mandibular carinae that often converge ventrally to form lateral margins of prominent gular mound; first segments of maxillary palpi long and narrow, often half as long as second segments, second and fourth segments often very long; gula slightly to greatly swollen, often bulbous anterior to gular foveae. Pronotum lacking paranotal carina. Metasternal apex broadly truncate. Abdomen with visible tergite 1 (IV) longest, typically longer than the remaining tergites combined; visible tergite 1 (IV) and visible sternite 2 (IV) with deep setose basal sulci; paratergites angularly projecting. Legs with a single tarsal claw.

ID Keys

Key to Australian genera of Pselaphini (Chandler 2001: 502).

1. Pronotal disc with two longitudinal carinae; visible abdominal tergites 1-3 (IV-VI) with apices pointed at middle (Fig. 185) … Margaris Schaufuss

Pronotal disc smooth, lacking carinae; visible abdominal tergites 1-3 (IV-VI) with apical margins rounded to straight … 2

2. (1) Second segments of maxillary palpi lengthily pedunculate, easily over half of head length (Fig. 188) … 3

Second segments of maxillary palpi less than one-half head length, not lengthily pedunculate (Fig. 182, 190) … 8

3. (2) Fourth segments of maxillary palpi broad from base to apex, not noticeably pedunculate; elytra lacking discal striae (Fig. 181) … Bellenden Chandler

Fourth segments of maxillary palpi lengthily pedunculate; each elytron with long discal stria (Fig. 188) … 4

4. (3) Head lacking frontal rostrum, broadly depressed between short and rounded antennal tubercles; vertexal foveae opening dorsally; pronotum lacking antebasal sulcus (Fig. 183) … Kakadu Chandler

Head with prominent frontal rostrum; vertex usually with glabrous median longitudinal sulcus from vertexal foveae to rostral apex, antennal tubercles often with triangular ridges extending posteriorly to vertexal foveae; vertexal foveaeusually opening on sides of median vertexal sulcus, openings oriented anteromedially; pronotum usually with weak to strong antebasal sulcus (Fig. 188) … 5

5. (4) Head with setose median notch at apex of frontal rostrum, rostral apex pointed to convex (Fig. 189) … 6

Head lacking setose median notch at apex of frontal rostrum, rostral apex truncate to slightly emarginate (Fig. 188) … 7

6. (5) Pronotum lacking antebasal sulcus; gular swelling longitudinally tumid, narrowly rounded at apex (Fig. 189) … Pselaphogenius Reitter

Pronotum with weak to strong antebasal sulcus, median antebasal fovea usually bracketed by short carinae; gular swelling convex, broadly rounded at apex (Fig. 186) … Maydena Chandler

7. (5) Fourth segments of maxillary palpi smooth, sensory areas in large weakly defined V-shaped notch at apices (Fig. 188) … Pselaphaulax Reitter

Fourth segments of maxillary palpi with scattered tubercles; apices slightly constricted then flared to define small circular sensory areas (Fig. 187) … Peckiella Chandler

8. (2) Lateroapical angles of elytra prolonged, truncate; with dorsal postantennal pits at lateral margins of vertex, lacking vertexal foveae (Fig. 184) … Mareeba Chandler

Elytral angles not prolonged; lacking dorsal postantennal pits, vertexal foveae between eyes … 9

9. (8) Fourth segments of maxillary palpi spindle-shaped to shortly pedunculate at bases, with dorsal carinate V-shaped incision at apices; pronotum and head smooth (Fig. 190) … Pselaphophus Raffray

Fourth segments of maxillary palpi elongate to triangular, lacking carinate V-shaped incision at apices; pronotum and head often microreticulate … 10

10. (9) Maxillary palpi with second and third segments about same size and form, fourth segments thick and usually triangular (Fig. 191) … Tyraphus Sharp

Second segments of maxillary palpi pedunculate at bases, third segments small and triangular, fourth segments elongate, narrowly and obliquely truncate at apices (Fig. 182) … Curculionellus Westwood