Genus Thaumatoscopus Kirkaldy
Thaumatoscopus galeatus Kirkaldy
Genus Thaumatoscopus Kirkaldy 1906: 462. Type species: Thaumatoscopus galeatus Kirkaldy, by monotypy
Known species: T. galeatus is the only Australian species (N. Qld) and it also occurs in PNG. Merino (1936) included some species from the Philippines in this genus.
Comments:
Thaumatoscopus galeatus is larger than the otherwise similar species of Vulturnus and has a more expansive crown. Evans (1972a) notes that the genus is well represented in BPB with specimens from PNG and it may well be a primarily New
Guinean genus with an extension of one species into North Queensland. The presence of
lateral processes on the aedeagus also distinguishes T. galeatus from known
species of Vulturnus but whether this is a diagnostic feature for the genus will
depend on a study of the New Guinean fauna.