Microblattellus Ferrer, 2006

Genus Microblattellus Ferrer, 2006

Microblattellus Ferrer, 2006: 78 (original description); Bremer 2014: 180 (systematic note); Bremer & Lillig, 2014: 150 (catalogued); Bouchard et al. 2021: 545 (catalogued).

“ Microblattelus ”: Bremer, 2014: 181 (key, misspelling); Bouchard et al. 2021: 58 (note of misspelling).

Redescription. Body elongate, constricted at middle. Legs dorsally visible.

Head rounded, completely embedded below pronotum, anophthalmous; dorsum gently convex above; upper area of antennal insertion roundly projected; antennae 11-segmented, thickened apically, having club comprised by apical three segments, which bear a row of long setae on apical margin; antennal segment X truncate at apex; segment XI subquadrate; venter slightly convex, but deeply concave around bases of maxillae.

Pronotum oblong or oblong-oval, but almost truncate on posterior margin; anterior margin of dorsum strongly, roundly projected to cover whole head, then large, circular hole appears on apical 2/5 of venter, from which venter of head visible; prosternal process reaching pronotal posterior margin.

Elytra oblong or elongate, gently convex above; humerus more or less angled.

Mesoventrite narrowed anteriorly, slightly convex, with sparse punctures; posterior area between coxae without ridge, smoothly produced posteriad, slightly expanded around apex. Metaventrite large, well convex, slightly widened posteriorly.

Legs rather short; femora and tibiae widened apically; tarsi thick, short, with segments I–III as wide as long; segment IV oblong oval, as long as I–III combined.

Abdomen with ventrite III laterally expanded; ventrite V semicircular, flattened.

Key to the species of the genus Microblattellus Ferrer

- Ultimate antennal segment nearly as long as antepenultimate one. Pronotum almost twice as long as wide, finely punctate. Elytra subparallel-sided, less rounded, finely and irregularly punctate, without rows of punctures, space between punctures almost flat; humeral corners distinctly projected antero-laterally; lateral margins with week serrations. Prosternal process rounded at apex. Abdominal ventrite V shorter than the length of ventrites II, III and IV combined......... Microblattellus kakizoei sp. nov.

- Ultimate antennal segment the shortest in the distal three clubbed segments. Pronotum 1.5 times as long as wide, with finer punctures. Elytra more rounded posteriorly, with rows of large and coarse punctures, space between rows distinctly convex; humeral corners scarcely projected; lateral margins carinate, without any serrations. Prosternal process pointed at apex. Abdominal ventrite V almost equi-length of ventrites II, III and IV combined............ Microblattellus lecongmani Ferrer