Lemodes (Lagriomorpha) angulata, Young, Daniel K., 2012

Young, Daniel K., 2012, Five new species of Lemodes (Lagriomorpha) (Coleoptera: Anthicidae: Lemodinae) from Indonesian and Papuan New Guinea with a revised key to the species, Zootaxa 3316, pp. 15-27 : 16-17

Lemodes (Lagriomorpha) angulata , new species

( Figs. 1–3 )

Description. Length 4.7 mm (n=1). Dorsal and ventral surfaces, legs, and antennae moderately densely covered with short, mostly decumbent setae, dorsum and elytra also with a few longer, semierect to erect setae.

Adult (sex not determined) (Dorsal habitus: Fig. 1 ). Head and mouthparts coppery-orange; mandibles rufopiceous, at least in part. Dorsal surface of head ( Fig. 2 ) confusedly, conspicuously, moderately coarsely punctate, lateral and ventral aspects with punctures less coarse, cranial neck coarsely punctate. Compound eyes small, moderately coarsely-faceted, slightly protruding. Tempora (measured from cranial neck constriction anteriorly to posterior rim of compound eye) 0.85X dorso-longitudinal length of compound eye. Left antenna with antennomeres 1–3 and small portion of 4 remaining; right antenna with antennomeres 1–3 intact; antennomeres 1–3 cinnamoneous-orange; antennae densely covered with stout, semierect and erect setae. Terminal segment of maxillary palpus somewhat expanded apically. Dorsal surfaces of thorax coppery-orange; visible ventrites amber; pronotum ( Fig. 3 ) strongly hourglass-shaped, widest anterad the middle, densely covered with coppery-orange setae, coarsely, closely punctate; prothoracic coxal cavities widely open externally; scutellum flat, quadrate, densely punctulate, densely clothed in retrorsely decumbent, orange to coppery setae; mesosternum, metasternum and mesothoracic episterna with scattered, large, shallow punctures. Legs coppery-orange, tibiae suffused with rufopiceous pigmentation ( Fig. 1 ); paired, dorsal tibial carinae weakly developed; tibial spurs short, stout; penultimate tarsomere slightly dilated, bilobed; tarsal claws simple. Elytra coppery-orange in basal third (measured along suture), remainder metallic blue-violet, with anterior margin of dark pigmentation conspicuously, angulately advancing along elytral sutures; each elytron bearing a vaguely defined patch of swirled setae in distal 1/2 juxtaposed between the coppery-orange and blue-violet pigment line (possibly associated with one or more glandular pores); elytra elongate, 2.44X longer than width across sub-basal humeral area, covering abdomen, margins subparallel along much of length; elytral surface rather coarsely, somewhat deeply, confusedly punctate, surface between punctures smooth to minutely, shallowly punctulate. Ventral surface of abdomen rufotestaceous to amber.

Type. Holotype (sex undetermined, point-mounted): [First label]: [ NEW GUINEA] N. Guinea: NE// Bulolo, 700m // 31.XII. 1969; [Second label]: J. Sedlacek// Collector//BISHOP; [Third label]: Auto-Montaged// digital image(s)// per D. K. Young; [Fourth label]: HOLOTYPE:// Lemodes // (Lagriomorpha)// angulata // Young. ( BPBM)

Distribution. As detailed above, L. angulata is presently known only from the type locality, the town of Bulolo, in the Morobe District of Papua New Guinea; near - 7.204574° S, 146.631785° E.

Diagnosis. The small body size (<6mm) and distinctly bicolored elytra of L. angulata , with orange pigmentation restricted to the basal 1/3 and advancing along the suture ( Fig. 1 ), are similar to those of Lemodes rugosa Young ( Fig. 16). The tempora (far more strongly produced in L. rugosa ), pronotal shape (distinctly more constricted – more strongly hourglass-shaped in L. angulata ), and elytral surface (more coarsely and deeply punctured in L. rugosa ) are a few of the many differences that easily differentiate the two species.

Etymology. The specific epithet, angulata , is derived from the Latin root, “ angul- ” (= a angle), and “- ata ” from the Greek, - atalant (= equal to). The name refers to the angulate, chevron-shaped form of the anterior edge of the dark, metallic-bluish region of the elytra.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 3. Lemodes (Lagriomorpha) angulata, sp. nov.,: Fig. 1, dorsal habitus; Fig. 2, dorsal cranium; Fig. 3, dorsal pronotum.