S. Mahunka szerk.: Folia Entomologica Hungarica 46/2. (Budapest, 1985)
On the genera Zoroaptera, Notoplocaptera and Melvertes DRAKE (1956) described the genus Zoroaptera with the type species Z. bonahana and a second species Z. malaisei , and did not attach importance to the entirely different median ridge of the two species. USINGER and MATSUDA (1959) described Notoplocaptera with the type species N. enigma, not mentioning the fusion of pro- and mesosternum. So far the following species were described in this genus: malaisei Kormilev, 1963, mystica Kormilev, 1968, dollingi Kormilev, 1983 and brevi- ceps Kormilev, 1983. VÁSÁRHELYI (1976b) described the genus Melvertes with fused all thoracal and first two visible abdominal sternites and with type species M. sternalis , in 1980 transferred N. malaisi [sic!] Kormilev, 1963 into this genus and in 1983 described M. tndicus . HEISS (1981) described Zoroaptera rhynocerata. KORMILEV (1983) put Melvertes into synonymy with Notoploca ptera since N. breviceps was found to be an intermediate form between N. enigma and M. sternalis "having the meso-, metasternum and tergum II [sic !j fused together" (correctly sternum 11). According to this the paragraph discussing the relationships of Notoplocaptera and Melvertes (VÁSÁRHELYI, 1976b: 408.) was misunderstood, however, as we shall see below, the synonym!zation was correct. All the species mentioned above can be grouped into two: those, having a median furrow on a depressed flat ridge, and those having an elevated, smooth ridge medially on thorax and tergites I + II. Former is considered here characteristic of Zoroaptera. latter of Notoplocaptera. Each Notoplocaptera species has a mosaic pattern of characters and at least medially completely fused (i.e. without separating furrow or sulcus) pro-, meso- and metanotum and abdominal sternites II and III (first two visible sternites), which makes the erection of the genus Melvertes unjustified, (ommitting that only N. enigma has a flat tergal disc with small, rounded glabrous areas). In both genera there is one known species in which the ridge is continuous from the pronotum to tergite II, in the others pronotum is separated by a deep transversal furrow and/or elevating hind border. (For some more details see key of species of both genera.) On the above-mentioned basis Notoplocaptera dollingi Kormilev, 1983 is transferred to Zoro aptera, Zoroaptera malaisei Drake, 1956 is transferred to Notoplocaptera. This latter species was described twice from the same material, and was dedicated twice to the collector R. MALAISE. Thus Notoplocaptera malaisei Kormilev, 1963 is junior synonym of Notoplocaptera malaisei (Drake, 1956). Key to Zoroaptera species 1 (4) Lateral border of thorax not straight, insinuate between segments. Antenna! joint I surpassing genae by about its half. Spiracles on lateral, triangular tubercles, situated anteriorly to the tip of tubercle (only females known). 2 (3) Median ridge continuous throughout thorax and tergites I + II (Figs 8-9). Lateral border of pro- meso- and metanotum with lateral granulated carina. Paratergite surpassing tip of abdomen bonahana Drake, 1956 * 3 (2) Median ridge continuous from strongly elevated hind border of pronotum to tergite II, furrow with fine edge medially (Fig. 11). Lateral border of pro- meso- and metanotum without granulated carina. Paratergite not reaching tip of abdomen dollingi (Kormilev, 1983) 4 (1) Lateral border of thorax nearly straight (Fig. 10). Antennái joint I surpassing genae by more than 2/3 of its length. Spiracles on low lateral tubercles situated at about on the rounded tip of tubercles (only male known) rhynocerata Heiss, 1981 Key to Notoplocaptera species 1 (10) Thorax with wide median ridge, continuous from mesonotum to abdominal tergites I + II (Figs 12,14). Hind border of pronotum elevated. Head not very short. 2 ( 5) Neck reaching anteriorly far beyond lateral lobes of pronotum. Antenna! joint I surpassing genae by about half of its length. * Through the kindness of Dr.R.C. Froeschner I could get sufficient information on the type specimen.
