Kovács I. (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 78. (Budapest 1986)

Merkl, O.: A review of the Australian species of the subtribe Statirina (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Lagriini)

4-9. VII. 1975 (1, QMBA); Iron Range, Cape York Pen., 16-23. XI. 1965, G. Monteith (1, UQIC); id., 28. IV-4. V. 1968, (1, UQIC); 1-9. VI. 1971, G. B. Monteith (1, UQIC); id., 27-30. IV. 1973 (1, UQIC); Leo Creek Road, ca. 500 m, Mcllwraith Range, 30 km NE of Coen, 29. VI-4. VII. 1976. G. B. S. R. Monteith (1, QMBA); Lockerbie, Cape York, 6-10. VI. 1969, G. B. Monteith (1, UQIC); id., 10-15. VI. 1969 (1, UQIC); 3 km E of Lockerbie, Cape York, 30. 1-4. II. 1975, G. B. Monteith (1, QMBA); Lockerbie Area, Cape York, 13-27. IV. 1973, G. B. Monteith (1, QMBA). Sora WALKER, 1859 Sora WALKER, 1859, p. 259; BORCHMANN 1910a, p. 26; BORCHMANN, 1930 p. 441 (in key), 470; BORCHMANN 1936, p. 236 (in key), 341. Nemostira FAIRMAIRE, 1868, p. 815; BORCHMANN 1910a, p. 17; BLAIR 1921. p. 279; BORCHMANN 1930, p. 470, 472 (syn.); BORCHMANN 1936, p. 341. Similar to Casnonidea, but differs from it in the followings characters : Head distinctly narrower than pronotum, the swelling of vertex much weaker. Antennae slender, attaining half of elytral disc ; segment XI distinctly longer than segments IX and X combined. Pro thorax somewhat longer than broad, pronotal disc irregularly punctate. Legs much longer and more slender than those of Casnonidea (many exotic species have sexual dimorphism in the structure of femora and tibiae). Type species: Of Sora WALKER, Sora marginata WALKER, 1859 (described from Ceylon), by monotypy. Of Nemostira FAIRMAIRE, Nemostira coquerelii FAIRMAIRE, 1868 (described from Madagascar), by subsequent designation (Borchmann 1936, p. 341). Remarks — Sora is a large genus with approximately 170 described species. Members are known from Africa (including Madagascar), Southeast Asia, New Guinea and now from Australia. The genus consists of very different forms and many undescribed species, and a thorough revision will certainly split it into several genera or subgenera. Sora lawrencei sp. n. (Fig. 25) Female. Body elongate, narrow. Dorsal surface shining. Head brownish black, pronotum and scutellum brownish, pronotal disc somewhat blackish. Elytra dark brown, with longitudinal, striplike yellow spots of variable size and number. Epipleura yellowish. Antennae and palpi yellowish with antennái segment I somewhat darker. Legs pale yellow, with apical part of femora darker. Ventral surface yellowish brown. Length 7.9-10 mm. — Head slightly elongate, narrower than pronotum. Anterior margin of clypeus nearly straight. Eyes large, interocular space narrower than half diameter of eye, finely rugose, with shallow impression. Vertex hardly swollen, with trace of longitudinal furrow. Antennae slender, elongate, segments slightly widening toward apices, segments I and III of about same length, segment II somewhat shorter than half of segment III, segment XI slightly shorter than segments VIII to X combined. — Pronotum slightly longer than broad, widest at base, coarsely and irregularly punctate, glabrous. Puncturation sparse medially, becoming denser laterally. Punctures separated by distance at least equal to diameter of a puncture, but most punctures separated by much greater distance. Scutellum triangular, with rounded apex. — Punctural rows on elytra moderately impressed, vanishing before apex, so elytra with smooth preapical area. Striai punctures not contiguous, separated by distance at least equal to diameter of a puncture. Elytral intervals slightly convex. Pubescence of elytra very reduced; interval I with 1, V with 1, apical margin with 5 punctures bearing pale, long setae. Epipleura narrow. Lateral parts of mesosternum, metasternum and first two abdominal sternites coarsely and sparsely punctate. — Legs long and slender; femora glabrous, tibiae with usual pubescence in the inner margin. — Habitus: Fig. 25. Male unknown. Type material — Holotype, $, with labels as follows: Whitfield Ra. Rd. Cairns. N. Q. 21-10-71. 2200' J. G. Brooks "At light" / Cairns. N. Q. 10/71. G. B. / J. G. Brooks Bequest, 1976 / Holotypus 9 Sora lawrencei Merkl, 1976 [red]. It is deposited in ANIC. — Paratype, Q > witri labels as follows: Mt Lewis, N. Q. 3000', rainforest, at light, 31. X. 66. E. Britton / Paratypus 9 Sora lawrencei Merkl, 1986 [yellow]. This is from ANIC and deposited in HNHM. Distribution : Sora lawrencei is known only from the type specimens collected in two localities of the Cape York Peninsula, northern Queensland. It is apparently a rain forest species and may be expected to occur in other rainforest spots of Queensland as well.