Maechidius alesbezdeki Telnov 2020, sp. nov.

Maechidius alesbezdeki sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: A7930BCD-9290-497E-ABAF-137253AB5D2E

Figs 20–21, 99, 199, 288, 361, 454, 567, 573–575

Differential diagnosis

Among Papuan congeners, M. alesbezdeki sp. nov. is readily distinguishable primarily due to the combination of the following characters: labroclypeus deeply U-shaped emarginate anteriorly with protruding obtuse angulate anterolateral angles and sinuous lateral margins, dense punctured frons, denticulate lateral margin of pronotum (crenulate in most congeners), linear (incision-shaped) punctured elytra and shape of male genitalia.

Etymology

Patronymic. This species is named after the famous Scarabaeidae expert and respected colleague Aleš Bezděk (České Budějovice, Czech Republic).

Type material

Holotype INDONESIA • ♂; “INDONESIA E, W New Guinea, Doberai Peninsula, Arfak mts, Anggi Gigi Lake S env., Uper vill., 1°18’05”S, 133°54’24”E, 10-11.IX.2015, 2200 m, edge of primary mid montane rainforest, white light ”; NME.

Description

MEASUREMENTS. Total body length 8.67 mm. Head 1.67 mm long, across eyes 1.86 mm wide. Pronotum 1.70 mm long, maximum width 2.60 mm. Elytral length 5.30 mm, maximum combined width 3.50 mm.

Dorsum black-brown with castaneous labroclypeus, anterior and lateral margins of pronotum, mouthparts and legs. Venter uniformly dark castaneous brown. Head flattened between eyes, subopaque dorsally and ventrally, with large slightly prominent eyes occupying about half side of head. Male labroclypeus very deeply and rather narrowly U-shaped emarginate (Fig. 99), its lateral margins sinuous in both dorsal and lateral views, anterolateral angles large, obtuse angulate and raised up at angle of nearly 80° to frons in lateral view. Anterior and lateral margins of labroclypeus smooth. Punctures of frons annular, large and shallow. Intervening spaces microreticulate, generally much smaller than punctures. Pubescence dirty yellowish, sparse, erect to suberect with longest setae near eyes and on underside of labroclypeus. Each seta rises from anterior margin of corresponding puncture. Male antenna 8-segmented, club 3-lamellate. Scape large, with bulbous predistal projection on dorsal side, provided with two very long setae near distal margin. Antennomere 2 transverse. Pronotum flattened dorsally, glossy dorsally and laterally. Anterior margin broadly emarginate, slightly sinuous with anterolateral angles (stronger) and mesal portion (slightly) protruding anteriad. Basal margin broadly rounded. Lateral margin broadly rounded, constricted towards base in basal third. Along lateral margin with 12–13 acute denticles (two anterior less conspicuous, median ones stronger) (Fig. 199). Long erect seta present between each two denticles. Lateral margin of pronotum nearly straight in lateral view. Punctures on disc ovoid, annular, generally larger and deeper than those on head, becoming flatter and regularly circular along lateral margins. Intervening spaces generally smaller than punctures, glossy. Setation like on head. Hypomeron nearly straight, separated from prosternum by low carina, with long setae on anterolateral margin. Antennal pocket shallow. Scutellar shield narrowly rounded apically. Elytra cylindrical, maximum width across median third, opaque and flattened dorsally, with rounded humeri. Obtuse hump on each elytron near apex. No tracks of longitudinal carinae, sutural carinae also not present. Disc and lateral sides of elytra in irregular delicate wrinkles between dense, narrow and rather deep linear incision-shaped punctures (Fig. 288). Inconspicuous suberect seta rises from anterior margin of each puncture; setae variably long. Epipleuron with row of cilia-like erect setae. Male pygidium and abdominal ventrites densely covered with large and shallow annular punctures, each provided with short seta (Fig. 454). Abdominal ventrites with no track of lateral longitudinal ridge. Legs long and slender, femora and tibiae covered with long erect setae arranged in 4–5 lines. Protibiae straight, metatibiae stouter than protibiae and thickened distally. Protibia with track of inconspicuous carina on dorsal surface. Three teeth on external margin of male protibia: two large pointed distal ones and broad obtuse inconspicuous basal one same distance from median as median one from distal (Fig. 361). Male protibial terminal spur straight. Tarsal claws with large pulvilli (in males only?). Spiculum gastrale as in Fig. 567. Male aedeagus as in Figs 573–575.

Sexual dimorphism

Female is unknown.

Ecology

Occurs in primary mid-montane rainforests at ~ 2200 m altitude. Possibly nocturnal.

Distribution

Hitherto only known from Arfak Mountains, Doberai Peninsula, western New Guinea.