Pediomorphus minor Will, 2019

Will, Kipling, 2019, Taxonomic Review of the Australian Genus Pediomorphus Chaudoir, 1878 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Abacetini), The Coleopterists Bulletin 73 (3), pp. 629-645 : 636

Pediomorphus minor Will , new species

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( Figs. 8 , 19 , 27 )

Type Material. HOLOTYPE: Male. //“ 34.03S 140.43E GPS Calperum HS.SA. 13-14 Dec. 1995 at light, K.R.Pullen ”// “ Calperum Station / Bookmark Biosphere Reserve Invertebrate Survey ”// U.C. Berkeley EMEC705,261 ”// [deposited ANIC, Reg. No. 25-067868 ].

Type Locality and Distribution Range. Only known from the location on the holotype label, 34.03° S 140.43° E, which is at approximately 55 m elevation, at the Calperum Station Homestead, South Australia ( Fig. 19 ).

Diagnosis. Small beetles with a contrasting, darkly infuscated head ( Fig. 8 ) and relatively narrow pronotum, a combination that is distinct from all other species.

Description. Size: sbl = 4.0 mm; greatest width across elytra = 1.5 mm. Color: Dorsal and ventral surfaces brunneous, head dorsally infuscated black; legs, mouthparts, and antennae concolorous with ventral surface. Dorsally distinctly and ventrally slightly shiny. Dorsally and ventrally without iridescence. Head: Dorsal microsculpture not evident at 50X magnification. Clypeal-ocular impressions not evident. Ocular ratio = 1.40. Eyes relatively large, prominent, with moderate size posterior orbital area, single subocular carina long, sharply defined. Labrum with anterior margin slightly convex. Median tooth of mentum broad, rounded across apex. Antennae long, antennomeres 9–11 surpassing pronotal base. Thorax: Pronotum dorsally with a few very small punctures near base in and around basal impressions, microsculpture not evident at 50X magnification. Pronotum widest slightly anteriad of middle, lateral margins converging to base, not sinuate. Lateral marginal bead narrow and ended just at hind angles; basal margin without marginal bead; anterior angles not prominent, broadly rounded; hind angles obtuse, not denticulate; basal impressions linear, well-impressed, reaching basal margin. Seta at hind angle in marginal bead. Elytra parallel-sided, slightly convex, epipleura in dorsal view evidently sinuate at level of umbilicate marginal puncture 7. Elytral striae finely, shallowly crenulate-punctate. Elytral microsculpture not evident at 50X magnification. Intervals flat. Elytral plica minute. Prosternal process rounded, shallowly margined, more distinct laterally. Pro-, meso- and metasterna not punctate. Abdomen: Abdominal ventrites densely, finely, shallowly rugose. Aedeagus: Medium lobe short with thin apical portion in lateral view, tip rounded in ventral view, small field of spines near tip and linear of field of spinules at bend in median lobe visible on endophallus in repose.

Etymology. The specific epithet is the Latin masculine nominative minor , which is a reference to the relatively small size of these beetles.

Figures

Figs. 7–10. Pediomorphus species, dorsal habitus. 7) P. crenulatus, holotype; 8) P. minor, holotype; 9) P. semilaevis, paratype; 10) P. punctatus, paratype. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 19. Localities of Pediomorphus species based on material examined and type localities.

Figs. 21–32. Pediomorphus species, aedeagi, left lateral view (A) and ventral view of tip (B). 21) P. planiusculus; 22) P. elongatus; 23) P. macleayi; 24) P. ruficollis; 25) P. variabilis; 26) P. crenulatus; 27) P. minor; 28) P. semilaevis; 29) P. punctatus; 30) P. robustus; 31) P. storeyi; 32) P. obtusus.