Liracoxa, Larsen & Solodovnikov & Reyes-Hernández, 2025

3.1.8. Liracoxa gen. nov

Figs. 1D View Fig , 2D View Fig and 7 View Fig and 8 View Fig .

Included species: L. nana (Saiz´, 1971) comb. nov.

Type species: Cheilocolpus nanus S´aiz, 1971, here designated.

Diagnosis: Liracoxa can be distinguished from all other genera in Amblyopinina based on the combination of the following characters: anterior postgenal ridge absent ( Fig. 7C View Fig ); basisternum with pair of macrosetae; with rounded flexible postcoxal hypomeral process; middle and hind legs without black combs or pale adhesive setae; two long empodial setae on all tarsi; basal portion of metacoxa with proximal transverse carina ( Fig. 7D View Fig ); abdomen with protergal glands; tergite IV with posterior transverse basal carina, at least partial, pattern of posteromarginal macrosetae on each side of tergites III to VI: 1-1-2-2.

3.1.9. Description

Head about as wide as long (HL/HW ratio 0.9–1.1), with transverse to concentric waves of microsculpture and without distinct concavity between antennal insertions on frons, without frontoclypeal (epistomal) suture; neck width not distinctly wide (NW/HW ratio ≤ 0.75); basal puncture located at the same level or anterior to posterior frontal puncture, the latter located anterior to temporal puncture; disc without coarse non-setiferous punctures; frontoclypeal, anterolateral clypeal, temporal, one parocular in each side and single basal punctures present, dorsogenal and supra-antennal punctures absent; postocular and infraorbital punctures present; submentum with one pair of macrosetae; mentum with seta alpha and without seta beta; gula with distinct transverse basal impression and postgenal ridge, gular sutures separated from each other; anterior postgenal ridge absent; ventral basal ridge joins gular sutures; postmandibular ridge extended parallel and close to eye margin; infraorbital ridges merged with postgenal ridge; nuchal ridge present dorsally and laterally merged with infraorbital ridges; eyes large (EYL/HL ratio more than 3/4). Antennae positioned at equal distance to eye and to apical margin of frontoclypeus; tomentose pubescence begins on a4, and as dense as on following antennomeres; a3 not visibly longer than a2; a1 distinctly smaller than a3 and a2 combined; a11 moderately longer than a10 (a11/a10 length ratio ≤ 1.5); a3 setation almost evenly distributed; a11 without subapical rounded field but with lateral pits. Mandibles without dorso-lateral groove, their external edge (in dorsal view) rather straight with curved base and apex; on right mandible space between proximal and bifid distal teeth narrow and smooth; left mandible with only bifid proximal tooth; both mandibles (in lateral view) with apical portion deflexed ventrally at an angle of 25–30 ◦; labrum with transparent wide apical membrane, with anterior heavier sclerotized margin entire, without emargination. Maxillary palps with apical segment (mp4) roughly subconical, with evenly narrowed apex; mp4 distinctly shorter than mp2 (mp4/mp2 length ratio ≤ 0.75); mp3 markedly dilated compared to mp4 (mp4/mp3 width ratio < 0.75). Labial palps with apical segment (lp3) more or less cylindrical, slightly narrowed, shorter than lp2 (lp3/lp2 ≤ 1.25); lp2 markedly dilated at apex, lp3 noticeably narrower than lp2 (lp3/lp2 width ratio < 0.75).

Pronotum transverse (PW/PL = > 1.1); distinctly longer than elytra; with one pair of paired punctures in dorsal series, located far from anterior margin of pronotum, distinctly farther than one-fifth of the distance between anterior and posterior margins of pronotum along midline; sublateral setiferous punctures and additional paired punctures adjacent to anterior marginal row of setiferous punctures absent. Pronotal hypomeron not setose, with flexible rounded postcoxal process at base not interrupted by inferior line; pronotum and prosternum not fused in procoxal cavity, pronotosternal suture complete; sternacostal ridge (transverse carina) medially protruding (better seen from lateral view), probasisternum triangular, with its lateral arms narrowed at least subapically and disc (in lateral view) protruding medially; longitudinal keel absent; pair of macrosetae situated far from anterior margin of prosternum; profurcasternum with apophysis; antesternal membrane without distinct semisclerotized patch(es), membrane behind spiracles with pores. Tarsal formula 5-5-5, apical tarsomeres without dorsal setae, with pair of empodial setae at least as long as tarsal claws; protarsomeres 1–3 slightly transversal with pale setae; protibia with laterodorsal spines; ventral tibial spur positioned at the base of a well-defined apical excavation, distinctly set apart from the tibial margin by a sclerotized region, with the spur located outside the tibial margin; profemur with apical row of lateroventral spines confined to its apical quarter; internal ridge of procoxa not aligned with external ridge, nearly intersecting with it. Mesotarsi without pale adhesive setae or black comb on first tarsomere; mesotibiae straight; metatarsi with t1 shorter than or equal to t5, anterior margin of t4 ventrally straight or slightly sinuate; metatarsi shorter than metatibiae; metafemur with row of laterodorsal spine like setae; metatrochanter without straight spines; basal portion of each metacoxa with transverse ridge; metacoxae with spines on ventral posterolateral lobe, and with four or fewer spines on posterior margin, no distinction between basal and apical parts, and no spines present on dorsomedial disc. Mesoscutellum without posterior scutellar ridge. Elytra with short subbasal ridge, without humeral spines or spine-like setae, evenly covered with setiferous punctures on disc and epipleuron, setae of similar coloration. Mesanapleural sutures oblique and fused with prepectus, without mesofurcasternal apophysis; without pericoxal ridge; mesobasisternum with narrowly pointed intercoxal process; mesocoxal cavities contiguous. Metaventral submarginal ridge long and parallel along most of metaventral dorsal edge; metakatepisternal processes divided; metascutellar mid-longitudinal suture rudimentary, very weak but clear at base; metathoracic wings reduced.

Abdomen tapered apicad, with cuticular manifestation of protergal glands elliptical; setiferous punctures on tergite II arranged distinctly along its apical margin; posterior transverse basal carina present only on tergite IV as a short trace; tergite VII with anterior transverse basal carina not continuing to paratergites; pattern of posteromarginal macrosetae on each side of tergites III to VI 1-1-2-2: tergites III and IV each with one posteromarginal macroseta on each side, and tergites V and VI each with two macrosetae on each side; punctation of tergites III-IV as fine to moderate impressions, setiferous punctation on disk with patches of pale radiating setae; tergite IX not longer than VIII; tergite VIII without medial apical emargination; sternite III with basal transverse carina, which sharply converges at an acute angle, forming a rounded tip laterally; female sternite VIII apically without medial emargination; lateral tergal sclerites IX inflated, cylindrical, not dorsoventrally or laterally flattened. Females with one macroseta on second gonocoxite.

Aedeagus: paramere with small translucent sensory peg setae, fused to median lobe only at base and very closely appressed to median lobe along entire length, apically rod-shaped, paramere strongly produced over apex of median lobe.

Distribution. The genus is based on a single species L. nana is distributed in southern Chile, from the Araucanía Region to the Los Lagos Region, and is also known from the Neuqu´en Region in Argentina. L. nana is a characteristic species of the Valdivian Temperate Forest ecoregion ( Fig. 8 View Fig ).

Bionomics. L. nana was collected at elevations ranging from 105 to 1450 m above sea level, in open scrub and forest habitats, primarily in forest leaf and log litter, moss on rocks and tree trunks, or in debris along creeks through sifting. Additional specimens were obtained with pitfall (baited with carrion, such as squid) and window traps.

Etymology. The genus name Liracoxa is derived from the Latin words “lira,” meaning “ridge” and “coxa,” meaning “hip”. This name refers to the distinct morphological features observed in the metacoxae of the species within this genus. Gender feminine.