Thallus usually short, erect. Basal cell of receptable short and stout, 15-25 x 155 µm, tapered below, giving way distailly to two suprabasal cells that lie side by side. These two cells subequal, elongate, much longer than broad, 30-85 x 10-15 µm, and usually forming one or two smaller appendiculate cells from the upper outer angles. These small, triangular cells subtend secondary appendages or antheridia that are produced above a dark septum. The anterior suprabasal cell also gives way to a small perithecial basal cell whilst the posterior suprabasal cell is superposed by another more or less elongate cell. A central cell, which is also very elongate, forms between the upper inner angles of the two suprabasal cells, intruding deeply between these. This cell, which has irregular margins, lies in contact with the perithecium for much of its length and gives way distally to a small appendiculate cell that produces an appendage with a dark basal septum. The upper cell of the posterior series gives way distally to the two-celled base of the primary appendage, the uppermost cell of which bears the darkened base of the appendage. Close to the base of the primary appendage lie one to four additional appendiculate cells, which in turn give way to very long secondary appendages, each with a darkened basal septum. Antheridia very short and compact, ampulliform. Perithecium short, stout to more elongate and narrow, tapering distally to the blunt apex. Lip cells not well defined. Total length of thallus from foot to tip of perithecium: 160-245 µm; perithecium: 90-115 x 35 -50 µm; longest appendages: to 260 µm; ascospores not observed.

Fungus plerumque brevis ac erectus. Receptaculi basalis cellula brevis ac compacta, 15-25 x 15 µm, duas subaequales, valde elongatas cellular sustinens, 30-85 x 10-15 µm, quae in summo exteriore angulo singulas vel binas parvas cellular fere triangulas ferunt. Hae parvae cellulae secundas appendices vel antheridia, atris septis instructa, gignunt. Anterior suprabasalis cellula cellulam stirpis perithecii, posterior vero unam elongatam cellulam sustinet. Inter superiores partes suprabasalium cellularum media elongata cellula, irregularibus marginibus, oritur, interiori perithaecio adhaerens et parvam cellulam in summo sustinens, quae appendicem gignit. Posterioris seriei superior cellula sustinet primae appendicis basem, duabus superpositis cellulis confectµm. Ad basim primae appendicis 1-4 parvae cellulae sunt, longissimas secundas appendices gignentes. Antheridia parva ac compacta, ampullae instar. Perithecium breve, diverse latum, simo apice, indistinctis labiis. Longitudo a pede usque ad perithecii apicem: 160-245 µm; perithecium: 90-115 x 35-50 µm; appendicum maxima longitudo: a 260 µm; ascosporae non observatum. Parasitus complurium Menimorum in Nova Zelandia. HOLOTYPUS: PDD 64944.

ETYMOLOGY: named after the collector Dr. G. Kuschel.
NOTES: This new species has been placed in the genus Diaphoromyces Thaxt. primarily because of the simple receptacle structure and the disposition of the appendages. At present there are only three known species of Diaphoromyces: Diaphoromyces lispini (Thaxt.) Thaxt. and Diaphoromyces zirophori (Thaxt.) Thaxt. parasitic on Staphylinidae and Diaphoromyces marginatus (Thaxt.) Thaxt. parasitic on Tenebrionidae (Tavares 1985). Diaphoromyces marginatus produces a very large number of appendages but has a short perithecium that is half enclosed on one side by the cells of the posterior marginal series; Diaphoromyces zirophori has an elongated perithecium completely free on both sides. The third species, Diaphoromyces lispini is characterized by a short, stout thallus similar in gross morphology to that of Diaphoromyces kuschelii described above. The principal difference between the newly described species and Diaphoromyces lispini is that in the latter two suprabasal cells are strongly asymmetrical, especially at the base, and do not produce appendiculate cells. Antheridia have not been observed before in the genus Diaphoromyces and here are confirmed to be almost identical with those characteristic of the related genus Rickia Cavara.
The hosts of Diaphoromyces kuschelii are small tenebrionid beetles that are usually found in decaying and rotten wood. Menimus caecus is a blind, depigmented species with eyes reduced to a few rudimentary ommatidia. Menimus crassus is pigmented with eyes variable in size, having 5-15 normal ommatidia (Kuschel 1990).

HOLOTYPE: NEW ZEALAND, North Island, Auckland City, Lynfield, on the prothorax and elytra of Menimus crassus Sharp (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) taken in decayed wood, 5 Sept. 1976, leg. G. Kuschel (PDD 64944).
ISOTYPE: Same data (AW-678).
PARATYPES: NEW ZEALAND, North Island, Auckland City, Lynfield, on Menimus crassus taken in litter, 9 Aug. 1975, G. Kuschel (AW-679); same data, 10 May 1975 (AW-680); same data, taken in soil and Hedycarya, 2 Aug. 1975 (AW-681); same data, 12 Feb. 1995 (AW-672; AW-682b in coll. WR); same data on Menimus caecus Sharp (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) taken in litter, 10 Oct. 1975, (AW-683); same data on rotten Acacia decurrens Willd., 4 May 1979 (AW-685); same data on dead Vitex, 7 March 1981 (AW-685); New Zealand, North Island, Coromandel Peninsula, Kirikiri Saddle, on Menimus sp., 22 Oct. 1985, leg. B.A. Holloway (PDD 64945).