Protozantaena malagasica, Perkins, 2009

Perkins, Philip D., 2009, Revisions of the genera Parhydraena Orchymont, Protozantaena Perkins, Decarthrocerus Orchymont, and Parhydraenopsis nomen novum, aquatic and humicolous beetles from Africa and Madagascar, and comparative morphology of the tribe Parhydraenini (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae), Zootaxa 2038, pp. 1-119 : 43-44

Protozantaena malagasica new species

( Figs. 1, 27, 68, 70, 100)

Type material. Holotype (male): Madagascar: Antsiranana, Parc National Montagne d’Ambre , malaise trap MA-01-01A-06, elev. 960 m, 12° 30' S, 49° 10' E, 11–12.ii.2001, R. Harin’Hala. Deposited in the CAS . Paratypes (101): Madagascar: Antsiranana, Parc National Montagne d'Ambre , 12.2 km 211° SSW Joffreville, sifted litter in montane rainforest, elev. 1300 m, 12° 35' S, 49° 9' E, 2–7.ii.2001, Fisher, Griswold et al. (BLF 2808) (2 CAS) ; Parc National Montagne d’Ambre , malaise trap MA-01-01A-02, elev. 960 m, 12° 30' S, 49° 10' E, 26–29.i.2001, M.E. Irwin, E.I. Schlinger & R. Harin’Hala (3 CAS) ; Parc National Montagne d’Ambre , malaise trap MA-01-01A-06, elev. 960 m, 12° 30' S, 49° 10' E, 11–12.ii.2001, R. Harin’Hala (9 CAS) ; Parc National Montagne d’Ambre , malaise trap MA-01-01A-08, elev. 960 m, 12° 30' S, 49° 10' E, 4–19.iii. 2001, R. Harin’Hala (4 CAS) ; Parc National Montagne d’Ambre , malaise trap MA-01-01D-07, elev. 1125 m, 12° 31' S, 49° 10' E, 5–21.iv.2001, R. Harin’Hala (5 CAS) ; Diego-Suarez , 7 km N of Joffreville, dry forest; malaise trap MA-01-07-10, elev. 360 m, 12° 20' S, 49° 15' E, 7–27.iv.2001, R. Harin’Hala (2 CAS) ; Montaigne Francais , malaise along forested limestone ridge MA-01-06-06, elev. 150 m, 12° 18' S, 49° 38' E, 15.ii–6.iii.2001, R. Harin’Hala (13 CAS) ; Toamasina, Botanic garden near entrance to Andasibe National Park , malaise trap - tropical forest, elev. 1025 m, 18° 55' S, 48° 24' E, 8–16.x.2001, M. Irwin, R. Harin'Hala (MA-01-08B-15) (20 CAS) ; same locality, elev. 1025 m, 18° 55' S, 48° 24' E, 24.x–1.xi.2001, M. Irwin, R. Harin'Hala (MA-01-08B-17) (1 CAS) ; same locality, elev. 1025 m, 18° 55' S, 48° 24' E, 7–16.xi.2001, M. Irwin, R. Harin'Hala (MA-01-08B-19) (13 CAS) ; same locality, elev. 1025 m, 18° 55' S, 48° 24' E, 16–23.xi.2001, M. Irwin, R. Harin'Hala (MA-01-08B-20) (29 CAS) .

Differential diagnosis. Distinguished from P. palpalis by the shorter maxillary palpi; from P. ankaratra and P. grebennikovi by the sides of the prothorax with a single thin rim. Males additionally distinguished from all members of the genus by the metaventrite with median groove bordered on each side with pubescent ridge ( Fig. 68). The aedeagus indicates a relationship with P. labrata ( Figs. 69, 70).

Description. Size (length/width, mm) holotype: body (length to elytral apices) 1.35/0.63; head 0.22/0.42; pronotum 0.32/0.56, PA 0.46, PB 0.49; elytra 0.84/0.63. Color light brown to brown; maxillary palpi light testaceous, distal mere acuminate, apex not darker.

Head with eyes moderately large, in dorsal aspect ca. 7 convex facets in longest series. Ocelli indistinct, round small shining, each located at base of very shallow oblique interocular fovea. Frons effacedly microreticulate, weakly shining, finely punctate, ca. 1xef on disc, finer anteriorly, interstices ca. 2–6xpd. Clypeus effacedly microreticulate, punctures similar to finest punctures of frons. Labrum dull, length subequal that of clypeus, apicomedially weakly emarginate; laterally fringed with short arcuate setae. Maxillary palpi short, combined lengths of meres much less than width of head (ratio ca. 14/30); ratios of meres 2–4 ca. 5/2/7. Mentum and submentum sparsely finely punctulate, interstices shining.

Pronotum broad, anterior margin very weakly arcuate, ca. median 1/2 with narrow hyaline border. Anterior angles obtuse, rounded. Sides weakly rounded, widest slightly before midlength, almost equally arcuate in front of and behind middle, in lateral view margin a single thin rim. Posterior angle obtusangulate. Discal relief finely sparsely punctate, punctures U-shaped, very shallow, ca. 1xef, interstices effacedly microreticulate, dull, 1–3xpd; anterior and posterior impressions very shallow, almost obsolete, punctures deeper and larger than those on relief, each puncture with anterior margin extended posteriorly as narrow ridge, dividing puncture into a pair of two smaller punctures each of which slightly less than 1xef, short recumbent seta arising from posterior extreme of dividing ridge. Lacking impression at each posterior angle. Punctures laterally about same size as largest punctures in impressions, slightly denser, U-shaped.

Elytra very weakly shining, broad, attenuate posteriorly, sides arcuate, explanate margins moderately wide, distinct from shoulder for 5/6 of length, apices separately rounded. Ten-seriate punctate, not striateimpressed, punctures on disc small, round, ca. 2xef, interstices ca. 1xpd, each puncture with minute granule at base of minute recumbent seta, punctures becoming much smaller and shallower over posterior declivity; intervals ca. 3xpd, each with unilinear row of short recumbent setae very similar in size and spacing to setae of serial punctures.

Metaventrite in male with deep, moderately wide, midlongitudinal groove in post 2/3, sides carinate in posterior 1/2 of groove, carinae pubescent similar to remainder of metaventrite; in female groove shallower and lacking carinae; midlongitudinal shining carina between anterior extreme of groove and mesoventral intercoxal process. Metaventrite and abdominal ventrites 1–4 hydrofuge pubescent. Ventrites 5 and 6 similar in sexes, effacedly microreticulate, shining. Ventrite 5 hydrofuge pubescent in anterior 1/5, posterior 1/2 with very sparse, long pubescence in transverse band. Ventrite 6 very sparsely pubescent in transverse band across posterior 1/2. Male: last ventrite very sparsely pubescent, free margin markedly arcuate; last tergite with moderately wide apicomedian notch, and bearing long setae. Female: last ventrite sparsely pubescent, free margin markedly arcuate; last tergite apically with very small tubercle on each side of midline, small tuft of setae above each tubercle.

Legs short, femora broad, metafemora width/metatarsus length ratio ca. 9/13; combined lengths of metatibia and metatarsus slightly less than width of head (ratio ca. 27/30), ratio of lengths of metatibia/ metatarsus ca. 15/12. Basal 3 protarsomeres, in male, with pad of suction setae.

Wings fully developed in holotype and all dissected males.

Aedeagus length ca. 0.58 mm (measured from base to bend in flagellum); gonopore bearing flagellum very long, rigid, arcuate over distal 1/3, slightly longer than main-piece; supporting flagellum ca. 1/2 length of gonopore bearing flagellum; main-piece in ventral view very weakly arcuate over most of length, curving in setose area, in lateral view arcuate, widest at setose area: parameres very short, each with two setae ( Fig. 70). Spermatheca as illustrated ( Fig. 27).

Etymology. Named in reference to the geographical distribution.

Distribution. Madagascar, currently known from two disjunct areas, northernmost and eastern central ( Fig. 100).