Subtribe Trichonychina Reitter, 1882

Museums

Regional Maps

• Trichonychina Reitter, E. 1882 [1881]. Versuch einer systematischen Eintheilung der Clavigeriden und Pselaphiden. Verhandlungen des Naturforschenden Vereines in Brünn 20: 177-211 [Date published 1882] [198].

  Type genus:

   Trichonyx Chaudoir, 1845.
• Raffrayina Jeannel, R. 1949. Les Psélaphides de l'Afrique Orientale (Coleoptera). Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris [1936-1950] 29: 1-226 [76] [junior subjective synonym of Trichonychina Reitter, 1882].

  Type genus:

   Raffrayia Reitter, 1882.
• Ranavalini Jeannel, R. 1954 [1953]. Les Pselaphides de Madagascar. Mémoires de l'Institut Scientifique de Madagascar Série E: Entomologie 4: 151-344 [Date published 1954] [183] [junior subjective synonym of Raffrayini Jeannel, 1949, see Newton, A.F., Jr. & Thayer, M.K 1992. Current classification and family-group names in Staphyliniformia (Coleoptera). Fieldiana Zoology ns 67: 1–92 p. 20].

  Type genus:

   Ranavala Raffray, 1898.
• Chrestomerina Jeannel, R. 1962. Les Psélaphides de la Paléantarctide occidentale, pp. 295-479, illus. In C. D. Deboutteville and E. Rapoport, eds., Biologie de l'Amérique Australe. Études sur la faune du sol. Paris : Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Vol. 1. [344] [junior subjective synonym of Trichonychina Reitter, 1882].

  Type genus:

   Chrestomera Jeannel, 1962.
• Pteracmini Jeannel, R. 1962. Les Psélaphides de la Paléantarctide occidentale, pp. 295-479, illus. In C. D. Deboutteville and E. Rapoport, eds., Biologie de l'Amérique Australe. Études sur la faune du sol. Paris : Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Vol. 1. [347] [junior subjective synonym of Trichonychina Reitter, 1882].

  Type genus:

   Pteracmes Raffray, 1890.
• Trimiodytina Jeannel, R. 1964. Révision les Psélaphides de l'Afrique Australe, pp. 23-217. In The humicolous fauna of South Africa: Pselaphidae and Catopidae (Coleoptera) (N. Leleup Expedition 1960-1961). Scientific results, II. Transvaal Museum, Pretoria, Memoir No. 15. 261 pp. [39] [junior subjective synonym of Trichonychina Reitter, 1882].

  Type genus:

   Trimiodytes Raffray, 1897.

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 [210] (synonymy of Ranavalin, "in part")
• Chandler, D.S. 2001. Biology, morphology, and systematics of the ant-like litter beetle genera of Australia (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae). Gainesville, FL : Memoirs on Entomology, International Vol. 15 viii + 560 pp. [Date published 30 April 2001] [106-107] (synonymy of Raffrayina, Chrestomerina, Pteracmini, and Trimiodytina)

Introduction

The Trichonychina holds those genera that have the lateral mesosternal foveae widely forked (Fig. 3). Often the pronotal base is narrowly sculptured or carinate, and the inner and outer basolateral foveae may be present. The median mesosternal fovea is often forked from a common opening, but it may be reduced to a single pit, or rarely it may be lacking. The median mesosternal fovea is forked or simple in different species of Chrestomera Jeannel (Chile).

The Australian genera of Trichonychina consist of Barrengarry, Bithongabel, Clyde, Kerplectus, Macroplectus, Stenoplectus, and Washpool as a group with the heads about as wide as the pronotum, profemoral venters simple, apicolateral genal tubercles lacking, and male visible sternite 7 (IX) small; while Jindabyne, Meithton, Plectostenus, Plectusodes, Protoplectus, and Unumgar form a group with the heads clearly narrower than the pronotum, profemoral venters with sensory pores (except Plectostenus), apicolateral genal tubercles lacking or small (large in Plectostenus), and male visible sternite 7 (sternite IX) “normal” (easily seen) in size. Meithton lacks a median mesosternal fovea, but the lateral mesosternal foveae are clearly forked (Chandler 2001: 106).

Diagnosis

Antennal tubercles prominent to low and knobbed; head venter usually lacking lateroapical genal tubercles (strongly developed in Plectostenus); setae on head venter short; gula with thin median carina, gular foveae close in deep pit. Pronotum at base primitively with inner and outer basolateral foveae, usually narrowly sculptured with intermittent carinae or impressions. Elytra with discal stria short to lacking. Thorax with two median mesosternal foveae separated or sharing common opening; lateral mesosternal foveae forked, anterior fork smaller (Fig. 3). Abdomen with mediobasal foveae of visible tergite 1 (IV) usually present; males with lateral sclerites (tergites IX) of seventh visible ventral segment usually very small, penial plate (sternite IX) small and difficult to see in some genera.

Diagnosis References

Chandler, D.S. 2001. Biology, morphology, and systematics of the ant-like litter beetle genera of Australia (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae). Gainesville, FL : Memoirs on Entomology, International Vol. 15 viii + 560 pp. [Date published 30 April 2001] [105]

General References

Chandler, D.S. 2001. Biology, morphology, and systematics of the ant-like litter beetle genera of Australia (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae). Gainesville, FL : Memoirs on Entomology, International Vol. 15 viii + 560 pp. [Date published 30 April 2001]

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