Exocelina tomhansi, Shaverdo, Helena, Wild, Michael, Sumoked, Bob & Balke, Michael, 2017

Shaverdo, Helena, Wild, Michael, Sumoked, Bob & Balke, Michael, 2017, Six new species of the genus Exocelina Broun, 1886 from Wano Land, New Guinea (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Copelatinae), ZooKeys 665, pp. 93-120 : 93-95

2. Exocelina tomhansi sp. n. Figs 4, 12

Type locality.

Papua: Puncak Jaya Regency, 03°36'42.5"S; 137°31'40.1"E.

Type material.

Holotype: male "Indonesia: Papua, Wano Land, S of pass to lake plains, 1700m, 2.ix.2014, -3,6117913 137,5277983, Balke & Wild (Pap022)", "M.Balke 6512" [green text] (MZB). Paratypes: 1 female with the same label as the holotype and with an additional label "M.Balke 6513" [green text] (ZSM). 1 female "Indonesia: Papua, Wano Land, creek @ jungle helipad, 870m, 4.ix.2014, -3,584077 137,5042947, Balke & Wild (Pap027)" (ZSM).

Diagnosis.

Beetle medium-sized, oblong-oval, piceous, with brown sides of pronotum, dorsal punctation inconspicuous, microreticulation weakly impressed; pronotum without lateral bead; male antennae simple; male protarsomere 4 with large, thick, strongly curved anterolateral hook-like seta; median lobe evenly curved, pointed in lateral view and evenly tapering, with broadly pointed apex in ventral view, on both lateral sides with numerous short, thick setae situated on anterior half of distal part of median lobe; paramere robust, with notch on dorsal side and very dense, strong setae on subdistal part; proximal setae sparse and fine. The new species is very similar to E. ascendens in shape of the median lobe and in shape and setation of the paramere but distinctly differs from it having smaller body size, shiny dorsal surface due to much more weakly impressed microreticulation, larger anterolateral hook-like seta on the male protarsomere 4, longer setae of the male protarsomere 5 and, especially in absence of the pronotal bead.

Description.

Size and shape: Beetle medium-sized (TL-H 4.5-4.75 mm, TL 4.8-5.1 mm, MW 2.35-2.45 mm), with oblong-oval habitus, broadest at elytral middle. Coloration: Dorsally piceous, with reddish brown to brown narrow anterior margin of head and sides of pronotum; one female with head paler; head appendages and legs yellowish red to reddish brown, metathoracic legs darker distally (Fig. 4).

Surface sculpture: Head with sparse punctation (spaces between punctures 2-3 times size of punctures), evidently finer and sparser anteriorly; diameter of punctures smaller than to almost equal to diameter of cells of microreticulation. Pronotum with much sparser and finer punctation than head. Elytra with extremely sparse and fine punctation, almost invisible. Pronotum and elytra with slightly impressed microreticulation, dorsal surface shiny. Head with microreticulation stronger. Metaventrite and metacoxae distinctly microreticulate, metacoxal plates with longitudinal strioles and transverse wrinkles. Abdominal ventrites with distinct microreticulation, strioles, and very fine and sparse punctation.

Structures: Pronotum without lateral bead. Base of prosternum and neck of prosternal process with distinct ridge, smooth and slightly rounded anteriorly. Blade of prosternal process lanceolate, narrow, slightly convex, with distinct lateral bead and few setae; neck and blade of prosternal process evenly jointed. Abdominal ventrite 6 broadly rounded or slightly truncate apically.

Male: Antenna simple (Fig. 4). Pro- and mesotarsomeres 1-3 not dilated. Protarsomere 4 cylindrical, narrow, with large, thick, strongly curved anterolateral hook-like seta. Protarsomere 5 ventrally with anterior band of 26 and posterior row of six relatively long, not pointed setae (Fig. 12D). Median lobe evenly curved, pointed in lateral view and evenly tapering, with broadly pointed apex in ventral view, on both lateral sides with numerous short, thick setae situated on anterior half of distal part of median lobe. Paramere robust, with notch on dorsal side; subdistal part large and elongate, with very dense, strong setae; proximal setae sparse and fine (Fig. 12 A–C). Abdominal ventrite 6 slightly truncate ventrally, with 18-19 fine lateral strioles on each side.

Holotype: TL-H 4.75 mm, TL 5.1 mm, MW 2.45 mm.

Female: Pro- and mesotarsi not modified. Abdominal ventrite 6 without lateral strioles.

Distribution.

Papua: Puncak Jaya and Puncak Regencies (Fig. 19).

Etymology.

The species is named in honour of helicopter pilot Tom Hans who has served the Papuan people for many years. The name is a noun in the genitive case.