Synonyms
Hypocyrema Blackburn, 1892: 250. TS: Hypocyrema pauxillum Blackburn, 1892.
Diagnosis
Hypocyrema is quite closely related to Telsimia Casey, but is distinguished by very short 5-segmened antenna, the underside with depressions for the reception of the legs and the peculiar form of abdominal postcoxal lines.
Description
Length 1-1.5 mm. Body very small, strongly convex; glabrous; underside with pronotal hypomeron, mesepisterna, mesepimeron and postcoxal plates on metasternum markedly impressed to receive femora when retracted. Antenna very short, apparently 5-segmented (actually 6-segmented); scape very large; antennal insertions hidden. Meso-metaventral junction partially fused; metaventrite transverse with postcoxal lines well separated from mesocoxae. Abdomen with 5 ventrites in both sexes; ventrite 1 as long as ventrites 2 and 3, posterior margin straight or weakly arcuate. Abdominal postcoxal lines joined in the middle and strongly raised marginally, dished over discs. Elytral epipleura narrowing apically but complete to apex with distinct impressions to receive mid- and hind femora. Legs with both femora and tibiae distinctly expanded; tarsi 3-segmented; tarsal claws simple. Male terminalia. Parameres and phallobase symmetrical; penis guide symmetrical; parameres articulated with phallobase. Penis stout, consisting of single sclerite; basal capsule absent. Apodeme of male sternum 9 absent. Female terminalia. Coxites triangular, about as long as broad; styli terminal, well developed, with apical setae; infundibulum absent; sperm duct indistinct. Spermatheca absent.
Distribution and Biology
Endemic to Australia. It is apparent that, like Telsimia the only species of this genus, H. pauxillum is a coccid feeder, probably with a similar preference for Diaspididae.
Genus References
Blackburn, T. 1892. Further notes on Australian Coleoptera, with descriptions of new genera and species XI. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, 15: 20-73.
Slipinski, S.A. 2007. Australian Ladybird Beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) their biology and classification. ABRS, Canberra. 286 pp.
Slipinski, A., H. Pang, R. Pope, 2005. Revision of the Australian Coccinellidae (Coleoptera). Part 4. Tribe Telsimini. Annales Zoologici (Warszawa), 55: 243-269.
[ Top ]