Holotype, sex undetermined, (ANIC) [enrolled specimen, glued on a point]: Queensland, 19.40S, 146.51E, Lansdown Station, Woodstock, 3 July 1974, #54, J.A.L. Watson in gallery of Mastotermes nest / Holotype / Holotype / Cyphopisthes descarpentriesi sp. n. R. Paulian det. / ANIC Database no. 25 062056. Examined paratypes: 2 exx., Lansdown Station, via Woodstock, 10 July 1979, R. A. Barrett, with Mastotermes darwiniensis (ANIC); 2 exx., Queensland, Pallarenda. Townsville, 1.VII.1974, J. A. L. Watson, in galleries of Mastotermes (MNHN, ANIC).

Size: HL = 0.98 mm; HW = 1.54 mm; PL = 1.63 mm; PW = 2.63 mm; EL = 2.87 mm; EW = 2.63 mm. Overall morphology as in generic description. Reddish-brown, shiny, glabrous (very fine short yellowish setation visible at 50x magnification), sternum, tarsi and antennae reddish-brown.

Head: interocular distance about six times maximum width of dorsal ocular area, punctation dense and impressed, disc with very short transverse comma shaped punctures, each one having a simple small puncture at its interior side, sides of disc with large comma-shaped punctures centrifugally oriented, with opening facing internally, each one having a simple fine puncture internally, anterior portion of clypeus with three to four irregular anastomosing transverse lines.

Pronotum: margin completely bordered, anterior angles angulate, completely covered by large, almost closed, horseshoe-shaped punctures, on disc with a small opening directed anteriad, at sides punctures larger than on disc, with a small opening directed laterad, each puncture having inside a small setigerous pore. Punctation dense: interpunctural distance being less than puncture diameter.

Scutellum: covered by dense horseshoe-shaped punctures with posterior openings.

Elytra: W/L: 0, 93. Humeral callus indistinct, two short longitudinal lines starting at humerus and occupying proximal third, sutural interstria indistinct, completely and uniformly covered by impressed large horseshoe-shaped punctures with a small posterior openings, each one bearing a setigerous pore in the middle. Pseudepipleura with longitudinally oriented anastomosing horseshoe-shaped punctures mixed with comma-shaped punctures.

Cyphopisthes descarpentriesi is unique among all other known Australian Cyphopisthes in having the pronotum and the elytra completely covered by such large and dense uniform horseshoe-shaped punctures with small posterior openings. All other known members of the genus have remarkably finer punctation and elytral punctation differs from the pronotal one.

Dedicated to André Descarpentries (1919–1998) of MNHN.

Known from north eastern Queensland coast. All specimens have been collected in open eucalypt woodland, in nests of Mastotermes (Isoptera). Termitophily has already been reported for Cyphopisthes (Ballerio and Maruyama 2010). In the same nests larvae and pupae were collected, subsequently described by Grebennikov et al. (2002). Open eucalypt woodland is a very unusual habitat for a Cyphopisthes, since most species are rainforest dwellers.

The type series contained three different species (two of them new to science and described below). Among paratypes of true Cyphopisthes descarpentriesi in ANIC one specimen had the genal canthus shortened, leaving a distinct gap between its tip and the occipital area.

Paulian (1978) identified as Cyphopisthes descarpentriesi also an old specimen in RMNH, ex coll. Pascoe, labelled “Mus. Godeffroy, Peak Down, Austr./10791/Synarmostes acromialis Pascoe”. Probably the correct locality name should be “Peak Downs” (22°15'S, 148°11'E) in Central Queensland (Federica Turco, pers. comm.). I examined two photographs of that specimen, kindly provided by Hans Huijbregts (RMNH): it is certainly not a Cyphopisthes descarpentriesi, and probably represents a specimen of Cyphopisthes monteithi sp. n. or another species very close to it.

Amphitheatre scrub, Expedition Range National Park, Queensland, Australia.

Holotype, male (QM, accession number: T189552) [extended specimen, glued on a card; genitalia mounted in DMHF resin on a separate card under the beetle]: Queensland, 25.13S, 148.59E, Expedition Range NP, 5063, Amphitheatre scrub, 520 m, 25 Sep–17 Dec 1997, Cook & Monteith, Vine for. Intercept; Paratype: 1 male, QLD, 24.48S, 149.45E, Brigalow Res. Stn., site 5, 16 Dec. 2000–28 Mar. 2001, D Cook & G Monteith, FIT softwood scrub 10020 (QM, accession number: T189553).

(excluded from the type series). 1 male: Mt. Coot-tha, Brisbane, Queensland, 13–20.III.1971, G. B. Monteith, ex leaf litter (QM) [included in the type series of Cyphopisthes descarpentriesi by Paulian]. 1 female, QLD, 27.58S, 152.39E, Kalbar 3 km SE, 120m, 2 Dec 2000–7 May 2001, C.J. Burwell, 10161, Brigalow scrub FIT (QM).

Size: HL = 0.84 mm; HW = 1.11 mm; PL = 1.22 mm; PW = 2.02 mm; EL = 2.36 mm; EW = 2.11 mm. Overall morphology as in generic description. Dark brown, shiny, glabrous (very fine short yellowish setation visible at 90×), sternum, tarsi and antennae reddish-brown.

Head: interocular distance about five times maximum width of dorsal ocular area, punctation relatively dense and impressed, disc with some impressed short transverse comma-shaped punctures, each one having a simple small puncture at its interior side, sides of disc with large comma-shaped punctures centrifugally oriented, with opening facing internally, each one having a simple fine puncture internally, anterior portion of clypeus with three-four irregular anastomosing transverse lines.

Pronotum: margin completely bordered, anterior angles angulate, completely covered by medium sized horseshoe-shaped punctures, on disc with an opening directed anteriad, punctures at sides larger than on disc, with an opening directed laterad, each puncture having inside it a small setigerous pore. Punctation dense: interpunctural distance being less than their diameter.

Scutellum: covered by dense horseshoe-shaped punctures with posterior openings.

Elytra: W/L: 0, 93). Humeral callus indistinct, two short longitudinal lines starting at humerus and occupying proximal third, sutural interstria indistinct, disc with longitudinally oriented comma-shaped punctures, each one having a simple small puncture at its left side, sides of disc with medium horseshoe-shaped punctures with small posterior openings, each one bearing a setigerous pore in the middle. Interpunctural distance subequal to puncture width. Pseudepileura with longitudinally oriented anastomosing horseshoe-shaped punctures mixed with comma-shaped punctures.

Genital segment: Fig. 11C. Aedeagus: Fig. 3A, B.

Very close to Cyphopisthes yorkensis sp. n., but can be easily distinguished from it by the presence of denser and larger punctation on head disc.

Noun in the genitive case. Dedicated to Dr. Geoff Monteith, former curator at Queensland Museum.

Known from southern Queensland, where all specimens have been found in dry rainforest type of vegetation, i.e. softwood and brigalow scrub, in flight intercept traps (one specimen excluded from type series was collected by leaf litter sifting).

This new species and Cyphopisthes descarpentriesi are the most remarkable species among the Australian Ceratocanthinae since they occur south of the Queensland Wet Tropics, in environments completely different from the environment where most other Cyphopisthes occur, i.e. rainforests. The vegetation type in the areas where Cyphopisthes monteithi has been collected is characterized by drier, lower and sparser woodland, with patches off denser forest (“dry rainforest”).

I excluded from the type series the specimen from Mount Coot-tha which differs from the holotype because of the more extended comma-shaped punctation on the disc and the presence of transverse lines in the pseudepipleura and the specimen from Kalbar, which has much sparser punctation on the head. This circumstance, together with the fact that they occur some 480 km Southeast of the type locality of Cyphopisthes monteithi, suggests prudence before assigning them to the new species. The same applies to the above mentioned specimen from Peak Downs (see under Cyphopisthes descarpentriesi).

Iron Range, Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia.

Holotype, female (QM, accession number: T189554): North Queensland, Iron Range, Cape York Pen., 1–9 June 1971, G. B. Monteith [extended specimen, glued on a card]. Paratypes: 1 ex., sex undetermined, same data as holotype (MNHN); 1 ex., sex undetermined: 12.44S, 143.14E, 3km ENE of Mt. Tozer, QLD, 28 Jun–4 Jul. 1986, T. Weir & A. Calder (ANIC).

Size: HL = 0.80 mm; HW = 1.28 mm; PL = 1.24 mm; PW = 2.22 mm; EL = 2.42 mm; EW = 2.33 mm. Overall morphology as in generic description. Dark reddish-brown, shiny, glabrous (very fine short yellowish setation visible at 50×), sternum, tarsi and antennae reddish-brown.

Head: four to five anastomosing irregular transverse lines at anterior portion of clypeus, clypeal disc almost smooth, with only a few sparse fine simple punctures, sides of disc and frons with denser, bigger short comma-shaped punctures. Interocular distance about seven times the maximum width of dorsal ocular area.

Pronotum: margin completely bordered, anterior margin thicker than lateral and basal margin, anterior angles angulate. Punctation: on disc small horseshoe-shaped punctures with an opening directed anteriad, each one containing a fine simple puncture in middle, at sides punctures larger (about twice the size of discal punctures) than on disc, with an opening directed laterad, each puncture having inside it a small setigerous pore. Base with smaller comma-shaped punctures with openings directed anteriad. Punctation dense: interpunctural distance being shorter than, to equal to, puncture diameter.

Scutellum: covered by dense horseshoe-shaped punctures with posterior openings.

Elytra: (W/L: 0, 93). Humeral callus indistinct, two short longitudinal lines (the inner being slightly shorter than the outer) starting at humerus and occupying the proximal third, sutural interstria indistinct, disc with longitudinally oriented comma-shaped punctures, each one having a simple small puncture at its internal side, humeral punctation made of short transverse comma-shaped punctures becoming horseshoe-shaped towards disc, with posterior openings, sides of elytral dorsum with longitudinally oriented long comma-shaped punctures opening laterad and a simple fine puncture at their outer side, punctation dense: interpunctural distance being shorter than their width. Pseudepileura with longitudinally oriented comma-shaped punctures.

Very close to the New Guinean Cyphopisthes amphicyllis (Sharp, 1875), because of the sparse fine punctation on the disc of head. The new species differs from it because of the more impressed punctation of the elytra, which is also slightly sparser than in Cyphopisthes amphicyllis and has many more comma-shaped punctures, whereas in Cyphopisthes amphicyllis the dominant type of punctation is horseshoe-shaped. Among Australian species it can be easily distinguished because of the sparse and fine punctation of clypeal disc and the more extended comma-shaped punctation on elytral disc.

Latin adjective in the nominative singular, meaning “from York”. Named after the type locality.

Known from the Cape York Peninsula only (northern Queensland), where it occurs in the lowland rainforests of Iron Range and Mount Tozer.

Holotype and the paratype in MNHN were part of the type series of Cyphopisthes descarpentriesi.

10 specimens [two males and two females dissected]: 4 males and 2 females, Iron Range, Cape York Pen., N. Qld. 28 Apr.–5 May 1968. G. Monteith (QM); 1 female, Iron Range, Cape York Pen., N. Qld. 11–17 May 1968. G. Monteith (QM); 1 female, Iron Range, Cape York Pen., N. Qld. 26 May–2 June 1971 B. K. Cantrell (QM); 1 female, QLD: 12.710°S, 143.291°E, Cooks Hut, Iron Range, 5 m, 15 Dec 2010, Monteith, Escalona & Will, hand and at HV light 34817 (QM).

Size: HL = 0.90 mm; HW = 1.30 mm; PL = 1.32 mm; PW = 2.20 mm; EL = 2.25 mm; EW = 2.15 mm. Overall morphology as in generic description. Dark brown, shiny, setation yellowish, sternum, tarsi and antennae reddish-brown.

Head: completely and uniformly covered by impressed comma-shaped punctures with posterior openings, spaced out by a distance of about half their diameter. Anterior portion of clypeus with one or two irregular transverse anastomosing lines. Interocular distance about 9 times the maximum width of dorsal ocular area.

Pronotum: margins completely bordered, lateral margins with a row of erect thick yellowish slightly clavate setae, about as long as the distance between them. Pronotal setation made of thick medium sized clavate yellowish setae, punctation as follows: disc covered by impressed short transverse comma-shaped punctures, with posterior openings and containing a small fine setigerous pore, sides with a few larger more curved comma-shaped punctures opening backwards.

Scutellum: basally with two longitudinal irregular rows of horseshoe-shaped punctures, uniting towards apex.

Elytra: humeral callus poorly pronounced, sutural stria occupying medial and distal third. Elytral punctation as follows: uniformly covered by irregular longitudinal rows of mixed simple impressed small punctures and medium-sized horseshoe-shaped punctures opening backwards, larger on sides and apical third. Interpunctural distance subequal to puncturelength.

Aedeagus: basal piece about three times as long as parameres. Parameres slightly asymmetrical, internal sac distally with some irregular weak sclerotisations (Fig. 12A, Fig. 13A–C).

Male genital segment: as in Fig. 11D.

Bursal sclerites: slightly asymmetrical, as in Fig. 14C.

Easily distinguished from all other Australian Pterorthochaetes because of the combination of smaller size, the pattern of punctation of pronotum and elytra, which on pronotum is only made of short impressed transverse comma-shaped punctures, whereas all other Australian species have, at least partly, horse-shoe shaped punctures, often with a very small posterior openings, while on elytra is made of a much smaller punctation compared to Pterorthochaetes danielsi sp. n. and much denser compared to Pterorthochaeres storeyi sp. n. and Pterorthochaetes simplex Gestro, 1899.

From Latin cribratus (profusely perforated) and collis (pronotum), due to the dense and impressed punctation.

In Australia known from the lowland rainforests of Iron Range (Northern Queensland). This species occurs also in New Guinea (type locality: Papua New Guinea, Central Province, lower Kemp Welch River, Ighibirei).

identification was made by comparison with the holotype from New Guinea in Museo Civico di Storia Naturale “G. Doria”, Genova.

West Claudie River, Iron Range, Queensland, Australia.

Holotype, male (QM, accession number: T189544): Australia: Queensland: NE: West Claudie R., Iron Range, 3 Dec. 1985, G. Monteith / QM Berlesate no. 690 12.45S, 143.14E Rainanteriorst 50m Stick brushing. [extended specimen, glued on a card, dissected, genitalia mounted in DMHF resin on a separate card, same pin]. Allotype: 1 female [dissected], Iron Range, Cape York Pen., N. Qld. 28 Apr.–5 May 1968. G. Monteith (QM, accession number: T189548). Paratypes [all dissected]: 1 male, same data as holotype (ABCB); 1 male, West Claudie R., Iron Range, N. Qld., 3–10 Dec. 1985, G. Monteith & D. Cook, Pyrethrum knockdown/RF (QM, accession number: T189551); 1 male, Iron Range, Cape York Pen., N. Qld. 5–10 May 1968. G. Monteith (MNHN); 2 males, Iron Range, Cape York Pen., N. Qld. 28 Apr.–5 May 1968. G. Monteith (QM, accession numbers: T189555 and T189556); 1 female, QLD:12.714°S, 143.287°E, East Claudie River, 15 m, 9 Dec 2010 34778, G. Monteith, Bark spray (QM, accession number: T189773).

HL = 0.75 mm; HW = 1.60 mm; PL = 1.75 mm; PW = 2.55 mm; EL = 3.00 mm; EW = 2.60 mm. Overall morphology as in generic description. Dark brown, shiny, setation yellowish, sternum, tarsi and antennae reddish-brown.

Head: completely and uniformly covered by impressed coarse horseshoe-shaped punctures, anastomosing on disc. Anterior portion of clypeus with irregular transverse anastomosing lines. Interocular distance about 11 times maximum width of dorsal ocular area.

Pronotum: margins completely bordered, lateral margins with a row of erect thick yellowish simple setae, about as long as the distance between them. Pronotal setation made of thick medium sized clavate yellowish setae, punctation as follows: disc covered by impressed transverse small horseshoe-shaped punctures, with posterior openings and containing a small fine setigerous pore, sides of disc with a few large ocellate punctures and sides of pronotum with larger horseshoe-shaped punctures with opening laterad. Anterior angles having six longitudinal irregular lines. Distance between punctures distinctly less than their diameter.

Scutellum: basally with two longitudinal irregular rows of horseshoe-shaped punctures, uniting towards apex.

Elytra: humeral callus poorly pronounced, sutural stria occupying the medial and distal third. Elytral punctation as follows: uniformly covered by large horseshoe-shaped punctures, some punctures becoming ocellate at apical third and at sides of elytra. Each horseshoe-shaped and ocellate puncture enclosing a small fine simple puncture bearing a clavate yellowish seta. Interpunctural distance on elytra distinctly less than puncture diameter.

Aedeagus: basal piece about twice length of parameres. Parameres slightly asymmetrical, internal sac distally with some irregular weak sclerotisations (Fig. 13D–F, Fig. 12C).

Male genital segment: as in Fig. 11B.

Bursal sclerites: slightly asymmetrical, as in Fig. 14D, subject to some variability.

Very close to the New Guinean Pterorthochaetes brevis (Sharp, 1875), from which differs mainly by the punctation of pronotal disc, which in Pterorthochaetes brevis is sparser and of elytra, which in Pterorthochaetes brevis is shallower and sparser. Among the other Australian species it can be easily distinguished by having the elytral punctation in the form of dense, large horseshoe-shaped punctures, almost without isolated simple punctures. The shape of the bursal sclerites, while very similar to those of Pterorthochaetes brevis, is unique within the Australian Pterorthochaetes.

Noun in the genitive case. Dedicated to Gregory Daniels, former collections manager at University of Queensland Insect Collection, Brisbane.

Known from the Cape York Peninsula only (Northern Queensland), where it occurs in the lowland rainforests of Iron Range.

Holotype, female (MNHN): Australie, Queensland / Typus / dr. Gestro vidit / holotype / Pterorthochaetes simplex, Typus ! Gestro. [extended, glued on a card, in good condition, dissected by the present author with bursal sclerites mounted in DMHF resin on a separate card under the specimen].

Size: HL = 0.70 mm; HW = 1.30 mm; PL = 1.36 mm; PW = 2.30 mm; EL = 2.36 mm; EW = 2.00 mm. Overall morphology as in generic description. Dark brown, shiny, setation yellowish, sternum, tarsi and antennae reddish-brown.

Head: completely and uniformly covered by comma-shaped punctures, anastomosing on disc. Anterior portion of clypeus with three irregular transverse anastomosing lines. Interocular distance about 13 times the maximum width of dorsal ocular area.

Pronotum: margins completely bordered, lateral margins with a row of erect thick yellowish simple setae. Pronotal setation made of fine short simple yellowish setae, punctation as follows: disc covered by shallow sparse ocellate punctures, containing a small fine setigerous pore, sides with sparse shallow ocellate punctures larger than on disc mixed with a few large horseshoe-shaped punctures with small posterior openings. Anterior angles having six longitudinal irregular lines. Distance between punctures distinctly less than their diameter.

Scutellum: basally with two longitudinal irregular rows of horseshoe-shaped punctures, uniting towards apex.

Elytra: humeral callus poorly pronounced, sutural stria occupying medial and distal third. Elytral punctation as follows: uniformly covered by large shallow sparse horseshoe-shaped punctures mixed with very fine simple punctures, interpunctural distance being equal to their diameter.

Bursal sclerites: slightly asymmetrical, as in Fig. 14B.

Male unknown.

Due to the large, shallow sparse punctation this species can be easily identified among all other Australian Pterorthochaetes. In particular the pronotal punctation is unique, being shallow, large and almost ocellate, while the elytral punctation is sparser than in Pterorthochaetes danielsi sp. n. and larger and shallower than in Pterorthochaeres storeyi sp. n.. The shape of the bursal sclerites is also very distinctive.

Latin simplex (simple), probably due to the punctation of dorsum, shallower and sparser than in most other Pterorthochaetes.

Unknown. The holotype bears a generic label indicating “Queensland”. Paulian (1977) cites further specimens from Queensland in the museums of Canberra and Brisbane, but I was unable to locate specimens belonging to this species in the aforementioned museums. All the specimens bearing an identification label as Pterorthochaetes simplex by Paulian belonged to the two new species herein described or, in the case of the specimen from New Guinea listed by Paulian, to a further new species not occurring in Australia. I was unable to locate the two specimens from “Churchill Creek (16.34°S, 145.19°E)” and “Mt Lewis road, via Julatten”, both localities, however, fall within the range of Pterorthochaeres storeyi sp. n. The records of Pterorthochaetes simplex from Daintree by Grove (2000) actually refer to Pterorthochaeres storeyi sp. n. (see below).

As correctly stated in Paulian (1977) the holotype is kept in Paris (ex coll. Oberthür) and not in Genoa, as mistakenly reported in Paulian (1978).

Thompson Creek, Daintree, Queensland, Australia.

Holotype, male (QM, registration number QMT93436): Daintree, NE Queensland: Thompson Creek, 16°06.31S, 145°26.25E, 140 m, Trunk FIT #16, 09/11/98-19/12/98, leg. Simon Grove. [extended specimen, glued on a card, dissected, genitalia mounted in DMHF resin on a separate card, same pin]. Allotype: 1 female [dissected], 1 female, Daintree, NE QLD: Thompson Creek, 16°06.31S, 145°26.25E, 140 m, Trunk FIT #24, 19/12/98–26/01/99, leg. Simon Grove (QPIM). Paratypes [6 males and 5 females dissected]: 1 male, Daintree, NE QLD: Thompson Creek, 16°06.31S, 145°26.25E, 140 m, Trunk FIT #01, 09/11/98-19/12/98, leg. Simon Grove (ABCB); 1 female, Daintree, NE QLD: Thompson Creek, 16°06.31S, 145°26.25E, 140 m, Trunk FIT #9, 19/12/98–26/01/99, leg. Simon Grove (QPIM); 1 female, Daintree, NE QLD: Thompson Creek, 16°06.31S, 145°26.25E, 140 m, 04/02/99, Night hand colln. #E9, leg. Simon Grove (QPIM); 1 male, Australia, N. Qld., Tully Falls S. F. 730 m, 18 km SSW Ravenshoe, 18.I.1988, Storey & Dickinson (QPIM); 1 male, Australia, N. Qld., Danbulla S. F., 1 km NE of Yungaburra, 13.II–6.III.1987, Storey & De Faveri (QPIM); 1 male, Worgabel S. F. via Atherton, 26.XII.1988, R. I. Storey at light (QPIM); 1 male, NEQ: 16.26S, 145.20E, O’Donoghue’s Falls, 15–16 May 1995, 150 m, leg. Monteith, Ford & Slaney (QM, accession number T189543); 1 female, Daintree, NE QLD: Thompson Creek, 16°06.31S, 145°26.25E, 140 m, Trunk FIT #14, 09/12/98-26/01/99, leg. Simon Grove (QM, accession number: T189774); 1 male, Daintree, NE QLD: Thompson Creek, 16°06.31S, 145°26.25E, 140 m, 05/02/99, Trunk Knockdown #24, leg. Simon Grove (QM, accession number: T189775); 1 male, Daintree, NE QLD: Thompson Creek, 16°06.31S, 145°26.25E, 140 m, Trunk FIT #8, 09/12/98–26/01/99, leg. Simon Grove (QM, accession number: T189776); 1 male, QLD: 17.221°S, 145.761°E, Goldsborough Rd. 12.5 km past bridge, 16–17 Sept 2010, G. Monteith RF Barkspray 34575 (QM, accession number: T189777); 1 female, QLD: 16.202°S, 145.409°E, Lync-Haven Daintree Area, 2 Dec 2012, F. Turco, rainforest, 35 m, barkspray on logs, 18742 (ABCB).

Size: HL = 0.70 mm; HW = 1.44 mm; PL = 1.50 mm; PW = 2.40 mm; EL = 2.66 mm; EW = 2.29 mm. Overall morphology as in generic description. Black, shiny, setation yellowish, sternum, tarsi and antennae reddish-brown.

Head: completely and uniformly covered by impressed coarse punctation, punctures transverse, comma shaped on disc, horseshoe-shaped (with opening towards internal side) at sides of disc and on frons. Anterior portion of clypeus with irregular transverse anastomosing lines. Interocular distance about 11 times the maximum width of dorsal ocular area.

Pronotum: margins completely bordered, lateral margins with a row of erect thick yellowish simple setae, longer than their distance. Pronotal setation made of thick medium sized clavate yellowish setae. Punctation as follows: disc covered by impressed transverse comma shaped punctures, with posterior openings and having a small fine setigerous pore near inferior side, sides of disc with a few ocellate punctures and sides of pronotum with larger horseshoe-shaped punctures with opening directed laterad. Anterior angles having six longitudinal irregular lines. Distance between punctures subequal to their diameter.

Scutellum: basally with two longitudinal irregular rows of horseshoe-shaped punctures, uniting towards apex.

Elytra: humeral callus poorly pronounced, sutural stria occupying the medial and distal third. Elytral punctation as follows: mixed simple fine punctures and longitudinal comma-shaped punctures with opening laterad, becoming horseshoe-shaped at apical third and at sides of elytra. Each comma-shaped and horseshoe-shaped puncture bearing bearing a clavate yellowish seta. Apical third of elytra with a few ocellate punctures. Interpunctural distance on elytra being larger than the diameter of punctures.

Aedeagus: basal piece about two times as long as parameres. Parameres slightly asymmetrical, internal sac with distally some irregular weak sclerotisations (Fig. 12B, Fig. 13G–I).

Male genital segment: as in Fig. 11A.

Bursal sclerites: strongly asymmetrical, as in Fig. 14A, E, F and subject to strong variability.

Pterorthochaetes storeyi sp. n. can be easily identified among the other Australian Pterorthochaetes because of the distinctive punctation pattern of elytra, with punctures sparser and shorter than in Pterorthochaetes danielsi sp. n. (usually with long comma-shaped punctures, rather than true horseshoe-shaped punctures as in Pterorthochaetes danielsi), smaller, shorter and more impressed than in Pterorthochaetes simplex. The shape of bursal sclerites is also very distinctive and unique within the Australian Pterorthochaetes.

Dedicated to Ross Storey (1949–2008), former technician at Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Mareeba. Noun in the genitive case.

Known from the Queensland Wet Tropics (sensu Adam 1992), where it occurs in lowland rainforest areas. Adults were collected mainly with flight intercept traps or at light. The Pterorthochaetes simplex quoted by Grove (2000) are actually specimens of Pterorthochaeres storeyi sp. n.