Pseudonthobium paniense Montreuil & Théry, 2011

Montreuil, Olivier & Théry, Thomas, 2011, Revision of the New Caledonian genus Pseudonthobium Paulian, 1984 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Epilissini), Zootaxa 2863, pp. 49-62 : 56-57

Pseudonthobium paniense Montreuil & Théry , new species

Habitus: Fig. 6 .

Type specimens. Holotype male: NOUVELLE CALEDONIE, Mt Panié refuge, 1300 m, 20°34’S 164°46’E, 16– 18 Nov 2000, Bouchard, Burwell & Monteith leg. [ MNHN]. Paratypes (3): 2 males and 1 female — same data as holotype [QM].

Description (male). 8.0– 8.5 mm. Reddish-brown, with coppery sheen on pronotum, and olive- coppery sheen on elytra. Setae yellowish-brown. Tegument dull.

Head. Punctation fine, separated by less than their diameter. Frons flat, clypeus feebly depressed at middle. Clypeus bidentate, lateral margins subconvex.

Pronotum. Punctation more densely distributed than on head, surface of pronotum rugulose. Base bilobate, distinctly concave at middle, obliquely divergent and feebly concave on each side. Posterior edge obtuse. Lateral margin straight, becoming feebly then strongly convergent anteriorly. Anterior edge not sharp. Posterior part of pronotum with distinct furrow at middle.

Elytra. Interstriae flat, with fine microreticulations, with fine punctation evenly and densely dispersed; punctures much smaller than pronotal punctures, separated by about 1–2 times their diameter. Anterior inner margin straight then abruptly projecting obliquely from base of 5th stria to fit basal margin of pronotum. Side of elytra evenly curved. Setae numerous, with patchy distribution on odd interstriae.

8th tergite. Smooth, shiny, with fine and sparse punctation. Superficial furrow along inner side of margins. Apical margin strongly enlarged, notched at middle of inner border.

Sternites. Last sternite strongly enlarged, tegument shiny, completely covered by even and superficial punctation. Other sternites normally developed, feebly microreticulate, less shiny, punctate only on sides.

Legs. Outer margin of protibia tridentate in apical third; median tooth closer to apical tooth, basal tooth obsolete. Outer margin indistinctly crenulate at base and between teeth; crenulations bearing short, white setae. Inner margin evenly enlarged at middle, deeply notched before apex, inner anterior edge strongly curved and hookshaped ( Fig. 23 ). Posterior margin of mesofemora distinctly angulate at middle.

Aedeagus ( Fig. 15 ). Left paramere strongly projected laterally in apical third, with notch on outer margin before apical angle. Right paramere straight in dorsal view, large, evenly acuminate, feebly curved at apex in lateral view.

Notes. Female similar to male, with simple inner margin of protibia and normal mesofemora. Apical margin of 8th tergite not enlarged, furrow obscured at middle near apical margin.

Distribution. This species is known only from Mt Panié in northwest New Caledonia.

Etymology. This species is named after its type locality.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 9. Habitus of Pseudonthobium. 1, P. fracticolloides Paulian, male; 2, P. doense n. sp., male; 3, P. genieri n. sp., male; 4, P. sinuatotibiale n. sp., male; 5, P. humboldtense n. sp., male; 6, P. paniense n. sp., male; 7, P. monteithianum n. sp., male; 8, P. foveolatum n. sp., female; 9, P. fracticolle (Fauvel), male. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURES 18 – 25. Right protibia of male Pseudonthobium, dorsal view. 18, P. fracticolloides Paulian; 19, P. doense n. sp.; 20, P. g e n i e r i n. sp.; 21, P. sinuatotibiale n. sp.; 22, P. humboldtense n. sp.; 23, P. paniense n. sp.; 24, P. monteithianum n. sp.; 25, P. fracticolle (Fauvel). Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURES 10 – 17. Parameres of Pseudonthobium, right, dorsal and left views. 10, P. fracticolloides Paulian; 11, P. doense n. sp.; 12, P. g e n i e r i n. sp.; 13, P. sinuatotibiale n. sp.; 14, P. humboldtense n. sp.; 15, P. paniense n. sp.; 16, P. monteithianum n. sp.; 17, P. fracticolle (Fauvel). Scale bar: 1 mm.