Novius marek Ślipiński and Pang, 2020

Pang, Hong, Tang, Xue-Fei & Ślipiński, Adam, 2020, A New Species Of Novius Mulsant From New Caledonia (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Noviini), Annales Zoologici 70 (1), pp. 25-32 : 26

Novius marek Ślipiński and Pang sp. nov.

( Figs 30–49 )

Etymology. Dedicated to our friend Prof. Marek Wanat of the Wroclaw University, Poland acknowledging his dedication to study of beetles in New Caledonia. The species name “ marek ” is derived from the first name of Marek Wanat and should be treated as a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. This is the largest species of Novius known so far with its body length over 6.5 mm distinctly exceeding the length of the largest known Asian species reaching up to 5.1 mm. The elongate and almost completely flattened body and the characters of male genitalia will immediately distinguish this species from all larger species of the genus.

Description. Length 6.5–7.1 mm. Body elongate, 1.4–1.5 times longer than broad; dorsum weakly convex, almost flat ( Figs 39–43 ), covered by very dense inclined yellowish pubescence, forming irregular pattern of spirals and concentric circles. Colour yellow or yellowish brown; head on vertex and pronotum with central part darker; elytra with irregular darker zigzag pattern, in some specimens hardly visible at all.

Head with frontal area shallowly concave; eyes separated by about 2 widths of an eye. Antenna relatively long and loosely articulated, length 1.0–1.3 times frontal width between eyes; three terminal segments form very weak serrate club. Pronotum transverse, 2.4–2.5 times broader than long, broadest slightly before mid-length; lateral sides arcuate more strongly narrowing posteriorly than towards broadly rounded anterior angles. Elytra 1.2–1.3 times as long as broad and about 4 times as long as pronotum. Scutellum triangular, 1.1–1.2 times broader than long. All femora and tibiae slender, not much expanded. Pretarsal claw with large and pointed basal tooth in female, apically split in male. Male genitalia as in Figs 48–52 . Female genitalia as in Figs 45–47 .

Holotype male. New Caledonia, -21.6216 / 165.8774, Plateau de Dogny , 9.11. 2010, 960m, leg. R. Ruta ( MNHN).

Paratypes all females. New Caledonia, Bourail, 10-20 December 1998, On U.V. light, leg. G.& K. Hangay (1, AM); Nov. 8.1944, Wilfred Crabb (1, USNM); – 21.6387 / 165.7697, rd to Parc des Grandes Fougeres (araucarias 1 km before gate), 7.11. 2010, 470m, at light. Leg. R.Ruta, M. Wanat (1, NHMUW); – 21.76674 / 166.00540, Mt Do, 5.11. 2008, 850m, at light. Leg. M. Wanat; DNA voucher CSR 214 (1, ANIC ).

Figures

Figures 26–34. Novius lydiae (Chazeau): (26) colour pattern; (27) abdomen, ventral; (28–30) penis; (31, 32) tegmen, inner and lateral; (33) bursa copulatrix and spermatheca; (34) female terminalia.

Figures 35–38. Novius pronubus (Chazeau): (35) colour pattern, teneral specimen?; (36) abdominal postcoxal area; (37, 38) female genitalia.

Figures 39–52. Novius marek Ślipiński and Pang sp. nov.: (39–41) holotype male; (42–44) paratype female; (45) female genitalia; (46) spermatheca; (47) female abdomen; (48, 49) tegmen lateral and inner; (50–52) penis and variation of apical piece of penis.