Sicilicula sexplanata, Perkins, 2017

Perkins, Philip D., 2017, Hydraenidae of Madagascar (Insecta: Coleoptera), Zootaxa 4342 (1), pp. 1-264 : 207-209

Sicilicula sexplanata , new species

Figs. 199 (habitus), 201 (aedeagus), 304 (map)

Type Material. Holotype (male): Antsiranana, Mt. Tsaratanana [Maromokotro], cascade, elev. 1500 m, 14° 2' S, 48° 58' E, X 1949, R. Paulian ( MNHN). Paratypes (23): Same data as holotype (17 MNHN); Marojejy, etang, pond, elev. 2030 m, 14° 27' S, 49° 44' E, 1–30 vi 1959, P. Soga (6 MNHN).

Differential Diagnosis. Differentiated from other members of the genus by the combination of the reticulate dorsum and the depressed body form. Females additionally recognized by the parallel-sided elytra that have a very wide explanate margin. The aedeagus has a sinuate distal process that ends in a very fine point ( Fig. 201). This species is brachypterous, having non-folded wings that are about ½ as long as the elytra.

Description. Size: holotype (length/width, mm): body (length to elytral apices) 1.67/0.67; head width 0.47; pronotum 0.41/0.55, PA 0.34, PB 0.36; elytra 0.94/0.67.

Dorsum black, maxillary palpi and legs brown.

Head with labrum/clypeus/frons length rations as 10/7/9. Labrum effacedly microreticulate, finely sparsely punctulate, dull. Clypeus and frons effacedly microreticulate, dull, clypeus finely sparsely punctulate, frons even more sparsely punctulate, size of punctures ca. 1xef. Anteocellar sulci deep. Ocelli distinct.

Pronotum cordate, widest in front of middle; anterior angles obtuse, posterior rectangular; sides finely margined, minutely denticulate at lateral lobes; anterior margin shallowly arcuate over median 3/4, without hyaline border; discal reliefs dull or only very weakly shining in places, very finely and very sparsely punctulate, without setae. Anterior and posterior ¼ and lateral lobes coarsely deeply punctate. Discal foveae, median groove, and lateral lobes microreticulate ( Fig. 199 ), large and deep.

Elytra dull, disc very slightly depressed in front of midlength, sutural interval raised over posterior declivity, sides weakly arcuate, widest at posterior 2/3, apices conjointly rounded, sutural apices minutely dehiscent; sides smooth, explanate (but much more in female); posterior declivity gradual. Serial punctures rather small, without discernable setae, on disc smaller than largest pronotal punctures, interstices ca. 3–4xpd; without granules. Series deeply striate-impressed, series one and two more weakly so in posterior 1/2 than other series. Intervals rounded, width on disc about 4xpd; intervals without setae.

Mentum finely sparsely punctulate, microreticulate, dull; submentum more finely and sparsely punctulate, very weakly effacedly microreticulate, weakly shining. Metaventral disc with oval impression in basal 1/2. Thoracic ventrites and abdominal ventrites 1–5 clothed with dense setae except glabrous midlongitudinal prosternal ridge, glabrous dull mesoventral plaques and small glabrous strongly shining inverted V-shaped basomedian area on mesoventrite in front of intercoxal sternite. Ventrite 1 with weak sublateral and submedial basal carina on each side; ventrite 6 effacedly microreticulate, dull, with sparse short setae in posterior 1/2. Tibiae straight. Brachypterous, wings about ½ as long as elytra, not folded.

Aedeagus ( Fig. 201) length ca. 0.40 mm, main piece 0.29 mm, distal process beyond main piece 0.11 mm; main piece slightly widened in distal ½ in ventral view; basal ring and basal 1/3 of main piece large; distal process sinuate, tapering distally to point; setae of main piece rather sparse.

Female: size (length/width, mm): body (length to elytral apices) 1.72/0.67; head width 0.48; pronotum 0.39/ 0.48, PA 0.36, PB 0.39; elytra 1.02/0.67. Explanate elytral margin very wide, widest at ca. posterior ¾, explanation ended well before apices; apices truncate in dorsal view, conjointly forming arcuate line in posterior view; sutural apices dehiscent.

Etymology. Named in reference to the very wide explanate margin of the female elytra.

Figures

FIGURE 199. Sicilicula sexplanata, habitus, holotype male dorsal (right) and lateral, and female paratype (left).