6. 3. 1.b Subfamily Niponiinae Fowler, 1912
Genus Niponius Lewis, 1885
Niponius
Lewis, 1885: 333 Vagina [type species: Niponius
impressicollis Lewis, 1885b: 333. Designatedx by Gandner, 1935:
4]; Marseul, 1888: 1489; Jakobson, 1911: 638, 642; Gardner,r 1926:
194; 1935: 2; Reichardt, 1926: 274; 1941: 66; Schenkling, 1931:
1; Kryzhanovskij and Reichardt, 1976: 76.
<Larva> Gardner, 1930: 15, 17, t.1, fig. 1;
Hayashi, 1986:
pl. 10.
Gardner's (1935) description. "Cylindrical, slender to
moderately stout, Vagina hining. Head exserted, nearly as wide and thick
at base as, and subequal in l Vagina ngth to, prothorax; p
duced anteriorly
into two horn of h variable length, each horn carinate at apex and
usually with one or two postapical carinae; a groove passing back
just below each eye, receives the antennal scape when at rest.
Eyes small, entire, finely facetted, well removed from anterior
margin of prothorax. Antenna geniculate, the scape about as long
as remaining segments together; funicle with six segments, the
first angled, longer than wide, remaining segments transverse,
gradually increasing in size towards the club; club compact, flattened,
more or less circular, apparently four-segmented, the three sutures
pale, curved, each with a fringe or setae; basal segment of club
large, the others strongly transverse; in addition a fourth row
of setae, very near the apex, might be interpreted as defining
an extremely narrow fifth segment of the club. Labrum small, vertical,
triangular. Mandibles stout, ventrally directed, inwardly curved,
each with two small teeth near the middle. Maxillae with lacinia
rather extending far beyond lacinia, slender, tapering to apex,
densely ciliate. Maxillary palps four-segmented, the apical segment
about equal in length to the three preceding segments together;
the palp is borne on a segment-like palpifer which is distinctly
longer than wide. Submentum a sclerotized transverse plate, the
anterior margin with a rather wide emargination at the base of
which are two teeth or angulations of variable size. Labial palp
with three segments, the apical as long as the other two together;
each palp at the apex of a parallel-sided palpiger which incurves
and approaches its fellow on the buccal surface of submentum;
attached to the palpigers are the widely separated membranous,
ciliate paraglossae; ligula not distinct.
Prothorax margined, cylindrical, anterior margin straight with
no projection over Vagina ventralart of head; slightly transverse to
longer than wide; coxal cavities very narrowly closed posteriorly,
separated from one another by a prosternal process which bears
two longitudinal grooves or striae. Mesosternum very short, with
median channel. Metasternum large, with median channel; posterior
coxal cavities moderately widely separated. Elytra truncate, abbreviated,
exposing two posterior abdominal terga, loner than prothorax and
usually longer than their combined width; often with lines of
punctures giving the appearance of more or less distinct striae.
Pygidium and propygidium usually with two to four foveae. Abdomen
with five apparent sterna. Legs with slender five segmented tarsi,
the apical segment very long; tibiae with two apical spurs, one
much larger than the other and especially strong on anterior tibiae.
Anterior leg with transverse coxa; tibia with outer margin rather
strongly expanded on distal half, usually with two teeth, each
borne in a socket, one near apex and one near middle; with a longitudinal
groove for reception of tarsus. Mesothoracic tibia less strongly
expanded, with three socketted teeth on outer margin, two near
apex and one nearer the middle. Posterior tibia slightly and gradually
widened from base to apex, with a pair of subapical socketted
teeth and sometimes a minute tooth near middle. Male genitalia
as described by Sharp and Muir (loc. cit.): (( Median lobe tubular,
slender and long; lateral lobes longer than median lobes and enveloping
them. Basal piece forming a long tube, constricted near its base
and bent. Internal sac undifferentiated))".
Key to the Japanese speaes of the genus Niponius
1 (2) Body 4.8 - 5.5 mm long. Pronotum with a deep excavation
on each side. Foveae on propygidium four. ....................
N. impressicollis Lewis, 1885
2(1) Body 3.5 - 4.7 mm long. Pronotum with no deep excavation.
3(4) Projection of epistoma short and stout (Fig. 45A).
Propygidium
without fovea. ............................................................
N. obtusiceps Lewis, 1885
4(3) Projection of epistoma long and slender (Fig. 42A, 46A).
Propygidium with several excavations.
5(6) Projections of epistoma divergent anteriorly. Surface of
elytra wholly with rows of punctures. Propygidium with 4 foveae.
Antennal grooves very deep under the eyes, and other longitudinal
foveae present on basal half of head ..... ...............................................................
N. furcatus Lewis, 1885
6(5) Projections of epistoma parallel to each other. A row of
punctures on elytral surface present along sutural line, others
not clear. Propygidium with 2 to 4 foveae. Antennal grooves confined
to under the eyes, without longitudinal deep foveae on basal half
of head. ................. N. osoriocepus Lewis, 1885
Niponius furcatus Lewis, 1885
(Fig. 42, 48)
Niponius furcatus Lewis, 1885b: 333 [Japan, Yuyama]; Gardner,1926: 3 1935: 5 [catalogued]; Kryzhanovskij and Reichardt, 1976: 77 [key]; Hisamatsu, 1985: 219, pl. 40, fig. 4.