Synonyms
Lipernes creber Blackburn, 1895: 240.
Diagnosis
T. crebra is especially characterised by its small size, suberect, non-whorled elytral pubescence and relatively closely punctured lateral pronotal margins.
Description
Length 1.2-1.3mm. Shortly oval, very convex, broadest at or very slightly behind middle; entirely black above; antennae and mouthparts dark testaceous, underside black, legs black or dark brown, tarsi generally lighter. Head between eyes elongate, not strongly widened from clypeus to vertex, frontal punctures c. as large as eye facets, separated by 1 diameter or slightly more, intervals smooth, pubescence sparse, yellowish-white, not obscuring surface. Pronotum with anterior border slightly arcuate medially, distance between anterior angles 0.7 of that between posterior angles; lateral borders slightly arcuate, lateral margins very narrowly explanate, anterior angles briefly rounded, posterior angles sharp but obtuse; discal punctures larger than those of frons, separated by 1 diameter or slightly less, especially toward scutellum, punctures on lateral margins larger than those of disc and generally separated by 0.5 diameter or less; intervals smooth; pubescence subrecumbent, forwardly directed, setae of uniform length. Elytra quadrate; punctures larger than those of pronotal disc, separated by 1 diameter; intervals smooth; pubescence suberect, setae on either side of suture directed posteriorly, elsewhere radiating outward. Prosternum with apex of intercoxal process at least 0.7 times as broad as posterior mesoventral border, punctures large, irregularly spaced but usually separated by much less than 1 diameter; punctures of mesoventrite larger and deeper than those of prosternal process, separated by 1 diameter; metaventral punctures almost as large as those of mesoventrite, but a little shallower, separated on disc by 1 diameter or less, intervals smooth, punctures toward lateral margins smaller, shallower and less regularly arranged, punctures near lateral borders very small and with intervals appearing roughened; abdomen with postcoxal plates of 1st ventrite angled externally, punctures between hind coxae similar in size and spacing to those of metaventral disc, median length of 5th ventrite slightly less than that of ventrites 2-4 together, its apical border slightly arched; punctures across discs of ventrites 2-4 not reduced to a single row on each.
Male
Tarsal claws of all legs bifid. Male genitalia as illustrated.
Female
Differs from male only in that the tarsal claws are all shallowly appendiculate.
Variation
Not observed.
Distribution and Biology
Known only from northern Queensland. Biology and larvae unknown.
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Species References
Blackburn, T. 1895. Further notes on Australian Coleoptera, with descriptions of new genera and species. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, 19: 201-258.
Slipinski, A., H. Pang, R. Pope, 2005. Revision of the Australian Coccinellidae (Coleoptera). Part 4. Tribe telsimiini. Annales Zoologici (Warszawa), 55: 243-269.
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