LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN 590.5 FI V.44 cop. 3 NArURAL HISTORY SlIRVFY .8 FIELDIANA • ZOOLOGY Published by CHICAGO NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM Volume 44 December 27, 1961 No. 8 A New Genus of Feather-Wing Beetles From Termite Nests in Bolivia (Coleoptera: Ptiliidae) Henry S. Dybas AssociATB Curator, Division of Insects Three genera of feather-wing beetles have been previously re- corded from termite nests (Dybas, 1955), all from the Neotropical region. The new genus reported here belongs to the pterycine group, as do the other termitophilous genera. I am indebted to Dr. J. F. Gates Clarke, of the United States National Museum, for the oppor- tunity to study the material on which the new genus is based, and to Dr. Alfred E. Emerson, of the University of Chicago, for identify- ing the host termites. Xenopteryx, new genus. Figures 17, 18. Type of genus. — Xenopteryx setosus, new species. A genus of unusually large Ptiliidae related to Termitopteryx Dybas, 1955, but differing in the following characters: Form more convex; hypomera of pronotum concave near anterior angles (slightly convex in Termitopteryx)', legs much shorter and stouter (hind fe- mora 2 times as long as wide; 3 times as long in Termitopteryx); femora with a smaller inner as well as outer lamina distally; long setae of basal tarsal segments fine and not spatulate terminally; elytra subtruncate, not produced; metastemum shorter (4 times as broad as long; 3 times as broad in Termitopteryx). Size relatively large (greater than 1 mm, in length) ; form as in Termitopteryx but more convex. Mentum trapezoidal, longer than broad, narrowed anteriorly. Antennae 11-segmented (fig. 18, a); segments 1-2 large; segments 3-8 smaller, cylindrical, each with a subapical whorl of about 5-6 setae; segments 5-8 with an additional sub-basal whorl (in Termitopteryx, segments 5-7 lack a basal whorl and segment 8 has only 1 sub-basal seta); segments 9-11 enlarged. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 62-1 2H9 No. 943 JWl [^^'^qy iJ j-jjf: 57 FEB 15 i952 68 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY, VOLUME 44 Pronotum broad, convex, hind angles prolonged, posterior margin slightly bi- sinuate in front of the scutellum, which is broadly triangular; hypomera concave near anterior angles, very acutely inflexed posteriorly. Elytra subtruncate, ex- posing several dorsal segments of the abdomen. Prosternum shorter in front of coxae than the coxal diameter. Mesopleural-metasternal suture (lateral to mesocoxae) more suddenly bent anteriorly and with a less pronounced internal skeletal fold than in Termitopteryx. Metastemum short, nearly 4 times as broad as long (3 times as broad in Termi- topteryx). Metendosternite as in Termitopteryx. Abdomen with 10 dorsal segments, tergites IX and X separated by a distinct suture; tergite X not dentate. As in Termitopteryx, tergites III- VIII each have a paratergite and a spiracle on each side; tergite VII has the characteristic micro- pectinate posterior margin; between VIII and IX is a transverse row of linear pores and, at each side, an internal sclerotized "gland" composed of a cluster of 4-5 tear- shaped chambers. In the male, sternite IX is small, concealed, and anteriorly prolonged into a spur at middle. Legs moderately short (fig. 18, b-d) ; hind coxae broadly laminate. Femora of all legs with a smaller inner lamina as well as the larger outer lamina distally. Tarsi long, slender (especially hind tarsi) ; basal setae (2 pairs) of each tarsus fine, not spatulate terminally as in Termitopteryx. Remarks. — The new genus belongs to the pterycine group and is closely related to Termitopteryx Dybas, described from nests of ter- mites of the family Kalotermitidae in Brazil. The termite host of Termitopteryx productus Dybas, listed as Rugitermes arthuri-muelleri von Rosen in Dybas (1955), has been transferred to the closely re- lated genus Neotermes by Krishna (1961). Xenopteryx setosus, new species. Figures 17, 18. Color yellow brown, antennae and mouth parts paler; eyes dark gray; wings showing through elytra as dark vittae; tibiae markedly darker than femora. Sur- face shining, covered with golden setae which are fine on the head and anterior parts of both pronotum and elytra, and are longer and stouter laterally and pos- teriorly. Setae of scutellum minute. Antennae reaching beyond middle of pronotum, their form and chaetotaxy as in figure 18, a; segment 1 longitudinally striolate; terminal segment somewhat compressed. Wings present, fully developed. Elytra subtruncate, microscopically serrulate at apices. Head beneath with fine setae medial to each eye, and with a pair of prominent, erect setae and several fine ones just posterior to the mentum. Prosternum with several fine setae at anterior margin. Mesosternum between coxae with several short, stout setae. Metastemum clothed with fine setae which are longer posteriorly and laterally. Legs with form and chaetotaxy as in figure 18, b-d, the finer setae being indi- cated only approximately; all setae pale yellow in color. ^/f/s DYBAS: BOLIVIAN FEATHER-WING BEETLE 59 Fig. 17. Xenopteryx setosus, new gen. and sp. (male). Composite drawings. a, Dorsal view. 6, Ventral view Abdominal tergites V (the first exposed segment in dry specimens) to VIII each with a transverse row of recumbent, closely set setae and, posterior to these, 4-6 very long, erect, prominent setae that are about as long as the width of each elytron. Each paratergite with an erect seta of similar length. Tergite VII with the characteristic micropectinate posterior margin. Tergite IX with short, scat- tered setae; separated from the small terminal tergite X by a fine but distinct suture. Sternite III (first visible ventral segment) with a transverse row of a few setae at middle between hind coxae and, in front of this row, a few additional setae; stemites IV- VII each with a transverse row of long setae (about as long as each segment) in front of hind margin; sternite VIII irregularly covered with mostly smaller setae. In the male, sternite VIII is arcuately emarginate (fig. 18, g) and bears a pair of prominent erect setae at middle; sternite IX is a small oval internal sclerite with an anteriorly directed spur at middle (fig. 18, fir). In the female, sternite VIII is not emarginate and IX is a greatly reduced, transverse sclerite (detectable only at high magnifications) that has a pair of minute setae at middle; sternites VII and VIII each have at middle a pair of long, prominent, erect setae that are more widely separated than in the male. Fig. 18. Xenopteryx setosus, new gen. and sp. a, Antenna (female). 6, Anterior left leg (male), posterior face, c, Middle left leg (male), anterior face, d, Posterior left leg (male), anterior face. Finer setae of all legs only approximately indicated. e, Maxillary palpus. /, Spermatheca. g, Aedeagus and sternites VII (part), VIII, and the small, internal IX (dotted lines). The internal sac (armature extruded in the preparation) not shown. 60 DYBAS: BOLIVIAN FEATHER-WING BEETLE 61 Spermatheca as in figure 18, /. Aedeagus as in figure 18, fir (the extruded internal sac and its armature not shown). Measurements: Length (in extended specimens in alcohol) about 1.4 mm.; width about 0.7 mm. Holotype. — A female, mounted on a microscope slide, from Ca- chuela Esperanza, Beni Province, Bolivia; collected March, 1922, by William M. Mann, on the Mulford Biological Exploration to the Amazon Basin, 1921-1922. In the collection of the United States National Museum (USNM Cat. No. 65939). Host: Speculitermes n. sp. close to arhoreus Emerson (identified by A. E. Emerson). Allotype. — A male, on microscope slide, same data as holotype. Paratypes. — Four females, 3 males on microscope slides, and 21 unsexed specimens (13 mounted dry and 8 in alcohol), same data as holotype. Ten paratypes deposited in collection of Chicago Natural History Museum. Other specimens studied. — Several fragmentary individuals, same data as the holotype, not designated as paratypes. Remarks. — The very long, prominent erect setae of the abdomen make Xenopteryx setosus unique among the known Ptiliidae. The host termites are listed by Snyder (1926, p. 58) as from an earth nest in the crotch of a tree near the ground. An unidentified species of Speculitermes has been recorded as the host of another feather-wing beetle (Urotriainus bidentatus Dybas, 1955) in Brazil but Dr. Emerson (in litt.) states that the genus Speculitermes as now con- stituted seems to be composite. He states that Speculitermes arhoreus Emerson and the closely allied species that is the host of Xenopteryx setosus ultimately may be taken out of Speculitermes and given sta- tus separate from that of their New World and Oriental allies. The genus lacks a soldier caste in the New World, and collections of workers only, without the associated reproductive caste, cannot be named, according to Dr. Emerson. Cachuela Esperanza, the type locality, is a small village on the banks of the Beni River (see Gyldenstolpe, 1945, for a detailed map and for general information on the area). REFERENCES Dybas, Henry S. 1955. New feather-wing beetles from termite nests in the American tropics (Coleoptera: Ptiliidae). Fieldiana, Zool., 37: 561-577, 7 text figs. 62 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY, VOLUME 44 Gyldenstolpe, Nils 1945. A contribution to the ornithology of northern Bolivia. Kungl. Svenska Vetensk. Akad. Handl., (3), 23: 1-300, 8 figs., 1 col. pi., 1 map. Krishna, Kumar 1961. A generic revision and phylogenetic study of the family Kalotermitidae (Isoptera). Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., 122: 303-408, figs. 1-81, 6 tables. Snyder, Thomas E. 1926. Termites collected on the Mulford Biological Exploration to the Amazon Basin, 1921-1922. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 68: 1-76, 3 pis., 3 figs.