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

Tomocerus petalospinus n.sp

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.