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Tribe Trichonychini Reitter, 1882

Introduction

Separation into subtribes is here based largely on mesothoracic foveal patterns and pronotal form, and has proven critical for association of members present on different continents. Four subtribes are recognized: Trichonychina Reitter, Panaphantina Jeannel, Bibloporina Park, and Trimiina Bowman. All four subtribes are world-wide in distribution, and all occur in Australia. This tribe holds 271 genera, but the subtribal placements of many extralimital genera should be regarded as tentative until their foveal patterns can be examined (Chandler 2001: 97).

 

Diagnosis

Head bluntly triangular to quadrate, rarely transverse; genae sometimes covered with dense beard of setae, frequently with setae short and sparse; first antennomeres rarely as long as next two combined, rarely geniculate at junction between first and second antennomeres. Prosternum typically convex or with median ridge, never laterally impressed to receive swollen genae of head when head deflexed. Elytra usually with apicolateral locking notch. Basic mesosternal foveal pattern variable. Abdomen with small paratergites adjacent to visible tergite 4 (VII). Males with three ventral sclerites following visible sternite 6 (VIII): penial plate (sternite IX) larger than lateral sclerites (tergites IX). Legs with posterior tarsal claws reduced, spiniform to setiform.

 

ID Keys

Key to Australian genera of Trichonychini (Chandler 2001: 98).

1. Anterolateral and posterolateral margins of pronotum prominent and narrowly rounded; eyes conical (Fig. 89) … Torvicia Chandler

Anterolateral margins of pronotum rounded to divergent, posterolateral margins convergent, neither bearing prominent angles; eyes rounded (flat in a few species with greatly reduced eyes) … 2

2. (1) Pronotum lacking antebasal sulcus; median antebasal fovea lacking (Fig. 1, maf) (except Apoterus, Fig. 94); each elytron with 0-2 basal foveae (Fig. 1, bef) (3 in Bartle, Fig. 95) … (Bibloporina) 3

Pronotum with antebasal sulcus distinct (Fig. 1), at least near median or lateral antebasal foveae, if sulcus and median fovea/impression indistinct or lacking, then each elytron with 3-4 basal foveae … 7

3. (2) Pronotum with lateral antebasal foveae (Fig. 1, laf); elytra with subhumeral foveae (Fig. 1, shef) … 4

Pronotum lacking antebasal foveae, lacking subhumeral foveae … 5

4. (3) Pronotum with large median antebasal fovea (Fig. 1, maf); head with vertexal foveae; elytra with two basal foveae (Fig. 94) … Apoterus Raffray

Pronotum lacking median antebasal fovea; lacking vertexal foveae; elytra with three basal foveae (Fig. 95) … Bartle Chandler

5. (3) Elytra lacking basal foveae (Fig. 96) … Eupinion Oke

Each elytron with two basal foveae (Fig. 93) … 6
6. (5) Head with single vertexal fovea; abdomen less than half length of elytra (Fig. 97) … Praeruptifrons Chandler

Head with two vertexal foveae; abdomen and elytra subequal in length (Fig. 93) … Aphilia Raffray

7. (2) Elytra lacking subhumeral foveae or impression … 8

Elytra with subhumeral foveae or impression (Fig. 1, shef) … 13


8. (7) Pronotum with sulcus extending from base to median antebasal fovea; ocular-mandibular carinae prominent as flange; visible tergite 1 (IV) longest (Fig. 56) … Stenoplectus Raffray

Pronotum with median antebasal depression not reaching base; ocular-mandibular carinae slightly raised, not prominent; length of visible tergite 1 (IV) variable … 9

9. (8) Pronotum with thin median carina extending from base to antebasal sulcus; antennomeres XI twice as long as wide or longer, strongly narrowing in apical half (Figs. 76, 80) … 10

Pronotum lacking median basal carina, basal area sulcate or convex; antennomeres XI less than twice as long as wide, not strongly narrowing in apical half … 11

10. (9) Visible tergite 4 (VII) shortest; each elytron with 3 basal foveae; antennomeres IX-X transverse, twice as wide as long (Fig. 76) … Dandenong Chandler

Visible tergite 4 (VII) longest; each elytron with 4 basal foveae; antennomeres IX-X elongate (Fig. 80) … Xyts Chandler

11. (9) Pronotum with antebasal sulcus slightly and evenly curved to straight, lacking distinct median antebasal fovea or large impression; antennae with last 3 antennomeres subequal in width, quadrate or elongate (Fig. 88) … Millaa Chandler

Pronotum with antebasal sulcus angulate or more strongly curved, with median antebasal fovea or large median impression; antennomeres IX-X progressively wider, strongly transverse (Figs. 91, 92) … 12

12. (11) Pronotum with median antebasal impression large, much wider than impressions of lateral antebasal foveae; visible tergite 1 (IV) as long as 2 (V) and 3 (VI) combined (Fig. 91) … Gayundah Chandler

Pronotum with median antebasal fovea, foveal impression subequal in diameter to those of lateral antebasal foveae; visible tergites 1-2 (IV-V) subequal in length (Fig. 92) … Limoniates Raffray

13. (7) With separate discal striae extending from second and third basal foveae to end at or near elytral apex (Fig. 1, ds); elytra each with four basal foveae; pronotum with lateral margins deeply incised near base (Fig. 61) … Bruxner Chandler

Elytra with only single discal striae, or striae lacking; number of basal elytral foveae variable; pronotum rarely with lateral margins deeply incised … 14


14. (13) Abdomen with visible tergite 1 (IV) longest, usually at least twice as long as visible tergite 3 (VI), visible tergite 2 (V) usually clearly shorter also … 15

Abdomen with visible tergite 1 (IV) subequal or only slightly longer than visible tergites 2 or 3 (V or VI) … 20

15. (14) Lacking lateral metasternal foveae; with antennomeres XI attenuate in apical half; each elytron with two basal foveae (Fig. 77) … Joalah Chandler

Lateral metasternal foveae present (Fig. 1, lmtf); antennomeres XI not so clearly attenuate in apical half (attenuate in Washpool); each elytron with 3-4 basal foveae (2 in Washpool) (Figs. 58, 90) … 16

16. (15) Pronotum with median carina from antebasal sulcus to base; antennomeres XI nearly one-third total antennal length (Fig. 90) … Armidale Chandler

Pronotum lacking median carina extending from antebasal sulcus to base; apical antennomeres at most one-fourth total antennal length (Fig. 58) … 17

17. (16) Pronotal base with narrow band of semicircular or quadrate impressions, often with 2-4 short, longitudinal carinae (Fig. 58); each elytron with 2 (Washpool) or 3 (Miallo) basal foveae … 18

Pronotal base smoothly curved, lacking impressions or carinae; each elytron with 3-4 basal foveae (Fig. 46) … 19

18. (17) Head with ocular-mandibular carinae very prominent, carinae with narrow deep notch near eyes; each elytron with 2 basal foveae (Fig. 58) … Washpool Chandler

Head with ocular-mandibular carinae present but not prominent, carinae lacking notch; each elytron with 3 basal foveae (Fig. 67) … Miallo Chandler

19. (18) Head lacking obvious gular foveae, venter crossed by broadly arcuate carina originating near mandibular bases, head venter with ruff of setae at base; prosternum smoothly convex (Fig. 47) … Bithongabel Chandler

Head with deep median gular fovea, venter lacking ruff of setae at base, lacking broadly curving carina originating near mandibles; prosternum with median carina (Fig. 46) … Barrengarry Chandler

20. (14) Promesocoxal foveae present (Fig. 1, pmcf); pronotum usually with median and lateral longitudinal sulci distinct (Fig. 1, mls, lls) … 21

Lacking promesocoxal foveae; pronotum with median or lateral longitudinal sulci variably present … 23


21. (20) Pronotum with antebasal sulcus and median longitudinal sulcus barely indicated to lacking; frontal rostrum prominent, forming polished and curved plate (Fig. 74) … Sealy Chandler

Pronotum with antebasal sulcus distinct, usually with median longitudinal sulcus on disc distinct; frontal rostrum less prominent, area between antennal tubercles depressed (Fig. 66) … 22

22. (21) Head with broad setose impressions dorsal and mesal to eyes obscuring vertexal foveae; pronotum with median and lateral longitudinal sulci broad and setose (Fig. 65) … Eungella Chandler

Head lacking broad setose impressions mesal to eyes, vertexal foveae readily visible; pronotum with lateral and median longitudinal sulci narrow, very rarely broad and setose, sometimes faint or lacking (Fig. 66) … Euplectops Reitter

23. (20) Lacking lateral metasternal foveae … 24

Lateral metasternal foveae present (Fig. 1, lmtf) … 25

24. (23 ) Head with vertexal sulcus present (Fig. 1, vs); separation of antennal tubercles greater than one-third head width (Fig. 84) … Kioloa Chandler

Head lacking vertexal sulcus; separation of antennal tubercles about one-fourth head width (Fig. 83) … Gubarra Chandler

25. (24) Antennomeres XI elongate, apical halves smoothly constricted and prolonged; head with large median gular fovea, gular area flat or broadly impressed; pronotum with narrow roughened band at base (Figs. 78, 79) … 26

Antennomeres XI variously formed, but not smoothly constricted and prolonged in apical halves; gular area not flat or broadly impressed, genae usually broadly convex; presence of basal pronotal band variable … 27

26. (25) Pronotum with antebasal sulcus distinct; elytra with subhumeral fovea; anterolateral genal tubercles small (Fig. 78) … Kyogle Chandler

Pronotum with antebasal sulcus indistinct; elytra lacking subhumeral fovea, with broad subhumeral impression where fovea should be; prominent anterolateral genal tubercles (Fig. 11) broad and flattened (Fig. 79) … Whyanbeel Chandler

27. (25) Prothorax with setose anteroprosternal foveae present (Fig. 1, apsf), these foveae may be small in Clyde (Fig. 48) … 28

Prothorax lacking anteroprosternal foveae … 29


28. (27) Pronotum with lateral margins deeply notched near base; elytra with two large setose impressions at base, two foveae in each impression (Fig. 63) … Deroplectus Raffray

Pronotum at most slightly indented on lateral margins adjacent to lateral antebasal foveae; elytra with 4 small basal foveae (Fig. 48) … Clyde Chandler

29. (27) Antennal clubs formed by apical 3 antennomeres, antennomeres elongate and confluently joined, with base of each as wide as apex of preceding antennomere; head venter with prominent anterolateral genal tubercles (Fig. 11), tubercles visible in dorsal view; elytra with 2 basal foveae; pronotal disc strongly convex (Fig. 53) … Plectostenus Raffray

Antennal clubs formed by apical 1-3 antennomeres, each with base narrower than apex of preceding antennomere; anterolateral genal tubercles small when present, not visible in dorsal view; number of elytral foveae variable; rarely with pronotal disc strongly convex … 30

30. (29) Elytra with 2 basal foveae, or two small setose impressions each holding two close foveae (a few Jindabyne); elytral striae very short or lacking; antennal tubercles small and knobbed, lacking dorsal postantennal slits at lateral margins [a few Plectusodes have 2 elytral foveae, but have distinct postantennal slits] … 31

Elytra with 3-4 basal foveae clearly visible, if with two foveae then distinct postantennal slit at lateral margins posterior to antennal tubercles (Fig. 7) [a few Plectusodes]; development of elytral striae and antennal tubercles variable … 35

31. (30) Pronotal disc convex, antebasal sulcus evenly curved; V-shaped vertexal sulcus usually distinct (Fig. 49) … Jindabyne Chandler

Pronotum with slight to distinct median longitudinal sulcus on disc (indistinct in some Gordon), antebasal sulcus biarcuate to angulate; head with development of vertexal sulci variable (Figs. 57, 82) … 32

32. (31) Lateral mesosternal foveae simple (Fig. 4); eyes small (4-8 facets) for both sexes; Tasmania (Fig. 82) … Gordon Chandler

Lateral mesosternal foveae forked (Fig. 3); eyes small only in Unumgar (Fig. 57), otherwise with 20 or more facets; eastern Australia (not Tasmania) … 33

33. (32) Vertexal foveae setose (Fig. 50) … Kerplectus Chandler

Vertexal foveae nude (Figs. 52, 57) … 34

34. (33) Head venter broadly and transversely convex; lacking interantennal bridge at apex of frontal rostrum; lacking median mesosternal foveae (Fig. 52) … Meithton Chandler

Head venter flattened to slightly impressed; with weak interantennal bridge at apex of frontal rostrum; with two median mesosternal foveae (Fig. 1, mmsf) (Fig. 57) … Unumgar Chandler

35. (30) Elytra with discal stria (carina or narrow sulcus extending posteriorly from basal discal fovea; Fig. 1, ds) extending at least to elytral midpoint, often extending to near elytral apex (Calarus variable, keyed both ways) … 36

Elytra with discal stria shorter, at most extending to near elytral midpoint, but typically shorter to lacking (Ararat with stria to near elytral midpoint, lacking antennal tubercles; Fig. 59) … 45

36. (35) Pronotum with median carina extending from base to near apex, carina in thin median sulcus in one species; head nearly as wide as pronotum; prosternum smoothly rounded; median mesosternal foveae small and widely separated (Fig. 86) … Cleland Chandler

Pronotum lacking carina on pronotal disc, some genera with short carina from base to antebasal sulcus; head width in relation to pronotal width variable; prosternum rounded to carinate; with single median mesosternal fovea (Fig. 4) … 37

37. (36) Head with antennal tubercles prominent and narrowly separated, depressed between antennal tubercles by extension of broad V-shaped vertexal impression (Fig. 60) … 38

Head with antennal tubercles typically widely separated, low and knobbed or part of rounded interantennal bridge, area between antennal tubercles not obviously depressed (Figs. 55, 70) … 40

38. (37) Pronotum with disc convex, often with lateral margins deeply notched adjacent to lateral antebasal foveae; head with distinct postantennal notches at lateral margins of head (Fig. 64) … Dungog Chandler

Pronotal disc with distinct to faint median longitudinal sulcus (Fig. 1, mls), lateral margins straight or shallowly notched adjacent to lateral antebasal foveae; head lacking postantennal notches (small postantennal notches distinct in some Aulaxus) (Figs. 60, 75) … 39

39. (38) Antennal clubs primarily formed by large antennomeres XI, antennomeres XI as long as preceding 5 antennomeres combined (Fig. 75) … Tooloom Chandler

Antennal clubs formed by apical 3 antennomeres, antennomeres XI about as long as preceding 3 antennomeres combined (Fig. 60) … Aulaxus Raffray

40. (37) Pronotal disc with median longitudinal sulcus (Fig. 1, mls) (Fig. 70) … 41

Pronotal disc shallowly to strongly convex at middle (Figs. 71, 73) … 42

41. (42) Head nearly as wide as pronotum, rounded-trapezoidal in dorsal view; antennal tubercles low, often indistinct; body robust (Fig. 62) … Calarus Raffray (in part)

Head usually clearly narrower than pronotum, rounded-triangular in dorsal view; antennal tubercles distinct; body more elongate (Fig. 70) … Paraplectus Raffray

42. (40) Pronotum with lateral margins narrowly emarginate adjacent to lateral antebasal foveae (Fig. 69) … Noota Chandler

Pronotum with lateral margins broadly emarginate to broadly rounded adjacent to lateral antebasal foveae (Figs. 71, 72) … 43

43. (42) Pronotum with antebasal sulcus lacking to weakly defined; head and pronotum roughened to coarsely sculptured (Fig. 73) … Scabritia Chandler

Pronotum with antebasal sulcus distinct (Fig. 1, as); head and pronotum smooth … 44

44. (43) Pronotum with lateral margins broadly emarginate adjacent to lateral antebasal foveae, lateral longitudinal sulci distinct to pronotal apex (Fig. 71) … Perditadens Chandler

Pronotum with lateral margins broadly rounded adjacent to lateral antebasal foveae, lacking lateral longitudinal sulci (Fig. 72) … Quotidiaplectus Chandler

45 (35) Pronotum with lateral margins straight to slightly convex in basal half, or at most vaguely indented adjacent to lateral fovea, margins evenly converging toward base from middle of pronotum (Figs. 55, 85) … 46

Pronotum with lateral margins narrowly to broadly emarginate adjacent to lateral antebasal foveae, margins not evenly converging toward base from middle of pronotum (Figs. 51, 54) … 49

46. (45) Pronotum with median and lateral longitudinal sulci present but variably distinct (Fig. 62) … Calarus Raffray (in part)

Pronotum lacking median and lateral longitudinal sulci, disc may be faintly longitudinally impressed in a few species … 47

47. (46) Head with disc of vertex flattened to convex, lacking distinct vertexal sulcus connecting vertexal foveae; pronotum lacking median antebasal fovea or impression (Fig. 55) … Protoplectus Raffray

Head with distinct short to elongate U-shaped vertexal sulcus or impression connecting vertexal foveae; pronotum with median antebasal fovea or impression (Figs. 85, 87) … 48

48. (47) Elytra with three basal foveae; pronotum with arcuate antebasal sulcus (Fig. 85) … Kapalga Chandler

Elytra with four basal foveae; pronotum with biarcuate antebasal sulcus (Fig. 87) … Ramussia Kurbatov

49. (45) Pronotum with antebasal sulcus weakly defined, lacking near lateral antebasal foveae; head and pronotum coarsely punctate (Fig. 68) … Namssom Chandler

Pronotum with antebasal sulcus sharply defined, clearly connecting lateral antebasal foveae; body sculpture smooth … 50

50. (49) Head with antennal tubercles indistinct, part of low rounded ridges; vertexal foveae nude, vertexal sulcus indistinct; head elongate (Fig. 54) … Ararat Chandler

Head with knobbed and/or prominent antennal tubercles, vertexal foveae usually setose, vertexal sulcus usually sharply defined; head rounded-triangular to transverse … 51

51. (50) Pronotal disc shallowly to strongly convex, or with vague broad medial impression, with median longitudinal impression or sulcus from antebasal sulcus to pronotal base; head often as wide as or wider than pronotum (Fig. 51) … Macroplectus Raffray

Pronotal disc with sharply defined to faint narrow medial longitudinal sulcus or fovea, pronotal base convex between median antebasal fovea and base; head never as wide as or wider than pronotum (Figs. 54, 59) … 52

52. (51) Head about as long as wide, lacking postantennal notches at lateral margins; pronotal disc with faint median longitudinal sulcus or impression (Fig. 81) … Chichester Chandler

Head usually transverse, shorter than wide, postantennal notches at lateral margins small to distinct; pronotal disc with distinct median fovea or longitudinal sulcus (Fig. 59) … Plectusodes Raffray

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
01-Jul-2020 21-Dec-2011 MODIFIED
12-Feb-2010 (import)