Pseudonthobium monteithianum Montreuil & Thery, new species

Pseudonthobium monteithianum Montreuil & Théry, new species

Habitus: Fig. 7.

Type specimens. Holotype male: NOUVELLE CALEDONIE, 22°05’S 166°20’E, 350m, Mt Mou base, 18 Apr 2005, Monteith leg. [MNHN]. Paratypes (7): 3 males and 1 female — same data as holotype [QM]; 1 male — NEW CALEDONIA, Mont Mou base, 2 February 2004, Monteith leg., 22°05’S 166°22’E, rainforest, 350m, sieved litter [QM]; 1 male and 1 female — NEW CALEDONIA, Mont Mou base, 15 Nov 2001, Monteith leg., 22°05’S 166°22’E, rainforest, 200m, sieved litter [QM].

Description (male). 3.5–4.0 mm. Reddish-brown, setae yellowish-brown. Tegument dull.

Head. Frons flat, clypeus feebly depressed at middle. Clypeus with lateral margins subconvex.

Pronotum. Base feebly bilobate, straight or feebly concave at middle, obliquely divergent and straight on each side. Posterior angles obtuse. Lateral margin straight, anteriorly feebly convergent to strongly convergent. Anterior angles not sharp.

Elytra. Interstriae flat, smooth, with imperceptible microreticulation; punctation fine, evenly dispersed; punctures much smaller than those on pronotum, separated by about 1–2 times their diameter; interstriae bearing 1–2 rows of setae. Anterior margin straight, projecting obliquely from base of 5th striae to fit basal margin of pronotum. Side of elytra evenly curved.

8th tergite. Smooth with fine, superficial punctation. Inner margins completely bordered by superficial furrow, apex with feebly enlarged margin.

Sternites. Last sternite strongly enlarged; tegument microreticulate, covered with superficial punctation similar to that on 8th tergite. Other sternites normally developed, strongly microreticulate, dull, punctate only on sides.

Legs. Outer margin of protibia tridentate in apical third, basal tooth obsolete, median and apical teeth strong. Inner margin with tooth-like lamella in front of median external tooth and sinuate before apex (Fig. 24).

Aedeagus (Fig. 16). Left paramere projected laterally in apical third, more strongly projected on inner margin side. Right paramere short, straight, even in dorsal view; evenly curved, apex rounded but prominent in lateral view.

Notes. Female similar to male, with simple inner margin of protibia.

Distribution. This species is known only from Mt. Mou in southeast New Caledonia.

Etymology. This species is named in honor of Geoff Monteith (QM), who has collected numerous dung beetles from New Caledonia.