Spermatodes Bergroth, 1914

Photo© Emma Betts, Australian Museum

Type species:

Caenina variolosa Walker, 1867 by monotypy.

Number of Australian species:

Four.

Extralimital Distribution:

Oriental Region - Burma (= Myanmar).

Australian Distribution:

Tropical regions Queensland and Northern Territory.

Biology:

Unknown.

Host(s):

Unknown.

Diagnosis:

Colour

Dorsum mottled pale, medium and dark brown. Venter centrally dark brown with pale brown bands and lateral edges. Legs and antennae generally pale brown and concolourous.

Texture

Densely and uniformly punctate.

Vestiture

Glabrous.

Structure

Body - Ovoid, dorsally convex. Length 1.3 mm -4.7 mm; width 1.3 mm -4.1 mm.

Head - Subtriangular to quadrate, shorter than pronotum, moderately to strongly dorsoventrally orientated; jugae equal in length to clypeus, pointed apically, laterally carinate; antennifer processes absent; five antennal segments, first antennal segment shorter than the distance between the eyes, inserted into head below the ventral margin of the eyes; bucculae elongate (posteriorly beyond antennifers); vertex cross-sectional shape convex; labium reaching between middle and hind coxae, first labial segment longer than bucculae; eyes not stylate, directed laterally.

Pronotum - Calli present; anterior lobe surface flat; humeral angles subangulate; lateral margins carinate; anterolateral margins simple and straight to slightly sinuate; posterolateral margins sinuate; posterior margin straight to convex.

Scutellum - U-shaped, reaching posterior margin of the abdomen, apex broadly rounded; lateral calli present; medial callus absent.

Thoracic sterna - Prosternum shallowly sulcate; mesoternum and metasternum sulcate.

External efferent system - Evaporative scent gland greatly reduced; peritreme short, apically pointed.

Hemelytra - Macropterous, shorter and equal to abdomen; membrane veins linear and mostly subparallel.

Legs - Fore tibia rounded.

Abdomen - Connexiva visible dorsally; laterotergites unarmed.

    
Copyright © Australian Museum 2002
Authors: Gerry Cassis, Emma Betts and Michael Elliott