Enracius richardsi Hutchinson & Allsopp, new species

Type series. Holotype female (Figs. 8–13). AUSTRALIA, WESTERN AUSTRALIA: “Fitzgerald Riv. Res. [Fitzgerald River National Park, 34°S, 119.7°E] W. Aust. 18.xii.1970 K.T. Richards | 119 | Agriculture (Dept) Western Australia 37851 | Dynastine genus? P.B. Carne det. 1980”; left antennomeres 2–10 on card; in WADA.

Paratype. AUSTRALIA, WESTERN AUSTRALIA: 1♀: “ 25 miles [40 km] sth Mt. Ragged [Cape Arid National Park, 33.8°S, 123.5°E] W. Aust. 10.xii.1974 K.T.Richards | 165 | Agriculture (Dept) Western Australia 37850 | Dynastine genus? P.B. Carne det. 1980”; in WADA.

Description of holotype female (Figs. 8–12). Protarsomeres 2–5,left mesotarsomeres 3–5,right mesotarsomeres 4–5, right metatarsomeres 4–5 missing. Body 21.2 mm long, pronotum 9.0 mm wide at widest point, elytra 11.3 mm wide; form convex depressed, robust; dorsal surface matt, head, pronotum, elytra and pygidium black; scutellum, elytral suture, sternum, abdominal ventrites and legs dark brown to black. Maxillary palp with palpomeres 1 and 3 subequal in length, palpomere 2 longer but shorter than palpomere 4, palpomere 4 about 3 times longer than greatest width and bearing small, elongate, shallow sensorium on basal half; mandibles with lateral margin bearing long setae; mentum wide, bearing very long setae laterally, glabrous medially. Antenna with 10 antennomeres, club subequal in length to antennomeres 2–7 combined, scape bearing long setae, antennomeres 2–7 glabrous. Clypeus transverse, almost trapezoidal, anterior angles rounded, anteriorly emarginate, truncate face vertical and glabrous, surface rugulose; clypeofrontal ridge posteriorly arcuate, weakly raised.Frons rugulose; ocular canthi sub-continuous with line of clypeus, dorsal surface rugulose, anterior margin bearing row of stout setae. Pronotum widest basally, subparallel on basal half, angulate medially, linear and tapering to acute anterior angles, recurved to linear transverse anterior margin, anterior margin membranous, basal, lateral and anterior ridges complete; disc evenly convex bearing sparse micropunctures becoming larger and denser adjacent to margins. Scutellum sparsely punctate on disc. Elytral striae linear-punctate, intervals almost impunctate, apical declivity rugulose, suture punctate-striate, epipleura nonemarginate, continuous to suture, lateral setae restricted to base adjacent to mesepimeron. Pygidium moderately convex, glabrous, disc sparsely micropunctate, denser at lateral margins, apical ridge glabrous. Prosternal process long, slender, apex angled posteriorly and setose. Metasternum and metepisternum densely punctate, laterally rugulose and bearing long, light-brown setae. Abdominal sternites with a line of sparse setae laterally adjacent to posterior margins, suture between sternites 6 and 7 wide and glossy yellow, sternite 7 bearing narrow sulcus laterally, apical margin bearing row of long setae. Protibia tridentate, denticles equidistant; meso- and metatibia unicarinate, apical cilia short, blunt and widely set; metafemur stout, anterior margin very convex; metatibia stout, flat on inner surface with dorsal margin concave post medial carina, inner spur 1.5 times length of outer spur, both broad, straight and widest pre-apically and apex at oblique angle; metatarsomeres combined longer than metatibia.

Male. Unknown.

Variation. Paratype length 19.1 mm, pronotal width 8.4 mm, elytral width 10.3 mm; elytra dark brown, pronotum laterally suffused brown; left meso- and metatibia present and longer than tibiae.

Differential diagnosis. Females of Enracius richardsi can be easily differentiated from females of Enracius longipes by the following characters (E. longipes characters in brackets): body> 19 mm long (13.5–17.5 mm); clypeofrontal ridge posteriorly arcuate (linear); ocular canthi subcontinuous with line of clypeus (angular to clypeus); maxillary palpomeres 1–3 of unequal length (subequal); mentum broader; pronotum micropunctate and evenly arcuate (bearing fine punctures becoming rugulose along lateral and anterior margins, anterior margin weakly raised medially, preceding small flat area and narrow impunctate midline); elytra stria deep (weakly impressed), intervals almost impunctate (abundantly micropunctate to rugulose), epipleural lateral setae basal (lateral setae to apical calli); pygidium moderately convex (almost flat); abdominal ventrite 7 bearing pre-apical sulcus (absent); meso-and metatibial cilia short and blunt (apical cilia long, sharp); apical spurs short and stout (metatibial inner spur 1.5 times length of outer spur).

Etymology. Named for WADA entomologist Kevin T. Richards (1932–2009) who completed a Master’s degree on potential pests in the Ord Irrigation Scheme in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia. Later in Perth, he was curator of the WADA Entomology collection of which he made many contributions. He collected both specimens of this new species.

Distribution and habitat. Known only from the southern coast of Western Australia (Fig. 14) (Köppen-Geiger climate of Csb, warm-summer Mediterranean). Both specimens have incomplete tarsomeres on most legs, and the holotype was covered in a dense layer of fine undetermined matter and moth scales along margins. The collection method is not noted on their labels, although the moth scales indicate a light trap.