Mecynotarsus auceps Kejval & Cz 2013, sp. nov.

Mecynotarsus auceps sp. nov.

(Figs 15–18, 189)

Type locality. Australia, Victoria, 5.6 km S of Kiata, Lowan Sanctuary.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: ♂ [apical antennomeres and apical lobule of pronotal horn abrupt], ‘in malleefowl nest debris, Lowan Sanct 3½ mi S. Kiata VICT. 17 Dec 1964, D. Lee [h] / SAMA Database No. 25-028917 [p]’ (SAMA). PARATYPES: 1 ♂ [apical antennomeres abrupt], same data as holotype (SAMA).

Description (holotype, male). Body-length 2.1 mm. Body brown black to black; legs and antennae somewhat paler, reddish brown.

Antero-lateral margins of frons simple. Gular rugules minute, mostly scattered and somewhat concealed by scaly setation. Setation of head scaly and quite appressed, especially around eyes and ventro-laterally, with some finer setae dorsally near base. Antennae rather short; antennomeres III–V 1.2–1.6 times as long as wide, antennomere IX moderately transverse; setation whitish to greyish, mostly scaly, distinctly finer only on apical three antennomeres.

Pronotum rather globose, 1.4 times as long as wide, its lateral margins strongly and evenly convex in dorsal view; posterior collar narrow but quite distinct. Pronotal horn moderately wide, its posterior angles at most moderately indicated in dorsal view (Fig. 189); horn margins armed with 4 narrow lobules on each side (for apical lobule see Variation); horn crest distinct, moderately raised, with widely spaced smaller rugules on margins; submarginal rugules inconspicuous, concealed by setation; single longitudinal median rugule. Setation greyish laterally, mixed greyish and brownish dorsally, scaly, covering even dorsal side of pronotal horn; scales on pronotal disc pentagonal, uniformly large, quite appressed and contiguous, entirely covering surface; both lateral and median antebasal setae present, rather short and thick, blunt apically, another tactile setae absent.

Elytra 1.5 times as long as wide; omoplates and postbasal impression absent. Setation grey, brown and brown black, mixed dorsally, mostly paler laterally and forming rather conspicuous brown black markings in posterior half (Fig. 189), scaly, appressed and evenly ordered; scales similar to those on pronotum but rather rounded and elongate, entirely covering surface; erect tactile setae absent.

Male characters. Sternum VII simple. Tergum VIII and aedeagus as in Figs 15–18.

Variation. Body length (♂ ♀) 1.8–2.1 mm. The apical lobule of the pronotal horn in the paratype simple, widely rounded.

Differential diagnosis. Mecynotarsus auceps sp. nov. is conspicuous by its small size, extremely scaly setation (rounded scales entirely covering most of body surface, including dorsal side of pronotal horn, most antennomeres, tarsomeres, and ventral surface of the head), small eyes, and relatively short and wide pronotal horn. Moreover, it differs from all species by morphology of the aedeagus (form of parameres).

Etymology. From the Latin, auceps (bird-catcher); named in reference to the collecting circumstances. Noun in apposition.

Collection circumstances. Both type specimens were found in the litter forming the nestmounds of Malleefowl (Leiopa ocellata) (Galliformes: Megapodiidae).

Distribution. Australia: Victoria.