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Zoology Publications from Victoria University of Wellington—Nos. 49 to 51

Family: Tomoceridae Börner, 1913 — Genus: Tomocerus Nicolet, 1841

Family: Tomoceridae Börner, 1913
Genus: Tomocerus Nicolet, 1841

Tomocerus serratospinus n.sp.

Figs. 17-19.

Colour: Deep brown to grey-brown, paler on legs and furcula.

Clothing: Of typical fluted scales and occasional simple setae especially on antennae legs and furcula. Only Ants. I and II with scales. Ants. III and IV with whorls of short slender simple setae. Furcula with serrated spines and comb-like serrated setae.

Body: Length to 2.3 mm. Ants. III and IV completely fused and approximately five times longer than Ant. II. Ocelli subequal, six to each side.

Legs: The claw has a pair of large inner teeth about one-fifth down, a row of five smaller internal teeth and a pair of large external basal teeth. The clavate tenent hair shorter than claw, with the clavate portion winged as shown in Fig. 17. Unguiculus lanceolate with an almost straight outer lamella and a spine on the inner edge.

Furcula: Mucro clothed with simple setae and with a small apical tooth, a large subapical tooth, three large median conical teeth and five or six small lateral teeth.

Spines of dens both large and small strongly serrated, each spine arising from a cup shaped process as shown in Fig. 19. Many strongly serrated comb-like setae and numerous long, simple setae on each dens. Dental formula from base to apex of dens 3-4, I/3-4, I, 0-1, I, varying on the dens of opposite sides. Normally the basal 3-4 are doubled with two rows side by side, the others are in a single row.

Locality: Lachen, Sikkim, 9500′ altitude under stones in open ground; Lachen, 8950′ altitude in moss and pine needles.

Tomocerus petalospinus n.sp.

Figs. 20-23.

Colour: Deep brown to greyish brown.

Clothing: Long plain setae and many strongly fluted scales.

Body: Length up to 4.5 mm. Ants. III and IV more or less fused with Ant. IV shorter than Ant. III as 5:7 and the combined length four times as long as Ant. II. Ants. III and IV strongly annulated, with whorls of setae; Ants. I and II scaled. On the apex of the mesotergum is a cluster of stiff bristle-like setae, very finely ciliated.

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Figs. 17-19, Tomocerus serratospinus. Fig. 17, Hind foot. Fig. 18 Mucro and apex of dens with serrate seta. Fig. 19. Dental spine. Figs. 20-23, Tomoceros petalospinus n.sp. Fig. 20, Mucro and apex of dens. Fig. 21, Hind foot. Fig. 22, Large dental spine. Fig. 23, Small dental spine. Figs. 24-28, Papillomurus transequatoria n.sp. Fig. 24, Hind foot. Fig. 25, Apex Ant. IV. Fig. 26, Mucro and apex of dens Fig 27 Serrated seta from posterior of body. Fig. 28, Anterior ocelli and PAO. Figs. 17, 18, 20, 21, 22 and 23, Scale A; Figs. 19, 25 and 28, Scale B; Fig. 24, Scale C; Figs. 26 and 27, Scale D.

Figs. 17-19, Tomocerus serratospinus. Fig. 17, Hind foot. Fig. 18 Mucro and apex of dens with serrate seta. Fig. 19. Dental spine. Figs. 20-23, Tomoceros petalospinus n.sp. Fig. 20, Mucro and apex of dens. Fig. 21, Hind foot. Fig. 22, Large dental spine. Fig. 23, Small dental spine. Figs. 24-28, Papillomurus transequatoria n.sp. Fig. 24, Hind foot. Fig. 25, Apex Ant. IV. Fig. 26, Mucro and apex of dens Fig 27 Serrated seta from posterior of body. Fig. 28, Anterior ocelli and PAO. Figs. 17, 18, 20, 21, 22 and 23, Scale A; Figs. 19, 25 and 28, Scale B; Fig. 24, Scale C; Figs. 26 and 27, Scale D.

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Legs: Claw has one pair of strong basal teeth followed by five inner teeth in a row. Two very strong outer lateral basal teeth, almost pseudonychia-like, reach from the base to almost one-third down the claw. Eompodial appendage lanceolate and four-winged, slightly over one-half length of the claw, with a very stout basal tooth on the outer wing. Tenent hair slightly shorter than claw, fluted, with a winged and clavate tip.

Furcula: The manubrium and dens related as 25:41. Mucro clothed with simple setae and having a small apical tooth, a large pre-apical tooth, seven large median teeth and ten fairly large lateral teeth (Fig. 20). The dens bearing both large and small basally petaloid spines as shown in figs. 23 and 26. These spines are quite distinct in structure from those of any other species of Tomocerus with the petaloid structures forming a ring around the base of each spine. The dental formula cannot be given as some spines were missing from the type specimen and their insertions could not be seen clearly amongst the dense clothing of setae.

Locality: Lachung, Sikkim, 8610′ altitude, among moss on rotten tree trunks in pine wood.

Remarks: Described from the Holotype this species belongs to the Tomoceros minor group but differs in the respects elucidated.