Maechidius perlatus (Frey, 1969) comb. nov.

Figs 74, 166–167, 246, 277, 337–338, 409, 510, 557, 694–696

Paramaechidius perlatus Frey, 1969: 507 .

Type material

Holotype

PAPUA NEW GUINEA • ♂; “ TYPE [p, red label]// Bismarck Geb. v. Guinea [h] //Type Paramaechidius perlatus n. sp. [h] det. G.Frey,1967/68 [p]”; NHMB.

New material

INDONESIA • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; “ IRIAN JAYA, Japen [sic ♂] Isl., Kontiunai, road to Ambaidru, 600-700 m, 23- 25.XII.2000, leg. A. RIEDEL”; SMNS • 1 ♂; same label as for preceding; DTC • 1 ♂; “ IRIAN JAYA, Wandammen Bay, Wondiwoi Mts. Wasior, 300-850 m, 5.I.2001, leg. A. RIEDEL”; SMNS .

Description

MEASUREMENTS. Total body length 7.50–9.00 mm.

Dorsum uniformly black to black-brown with castaneous brown labroclypeus, mouthparts and antennae. Entire dorsum covered with dirty yellowish dense microscopical fur-like velvety pubescence (Fig. 338), surface structure therefore almost completely hidden. Head transverse, opaque dorsally and ventrally, convex between eyes. Compound eye large, occupying about half side of head. Male labroclypeus (Fig. 166) deeply and broadly emarginate anteriorly, its lateral margins sinuous in both dorsal and lateral views, male anterolateral angles strongly protruding, acute in dorsal view, bent up at ~90° to frons in lateral view. Female labroclypeus (Fig. 167) with broad anterior emargination, its anterolateral angles broadly rounded and not protruding, sinuous in both dorsal and lateral views. Upper- and underside of labroclypeus with sparse long setae along anterior and lateral margins. Canthus nearly straight in dorsal view. Anterior and lateral margins of labroclypeus smooth. Dorsal punctures of irregular ovoid shape, very deep. Intervening spaces generally distinctly larger than punctures. Dirty-yellow suberect seta rises from anterior margin of each puncture; setae vary in size and shape from longer than to not surpassing length of corresponding punctures. Antenna in both sexes 9-segmented, club 3-lamellate. Scape large, with bulbous predistal projection on dorsal side, provided with two very long setae near distal margin. Antennomere 2 transverse. Pronotum anterior margin broadly emarginate. Basal margin of pronotum obtusely angulate medially. Lateral margin of pronotum widened towards obtuse postmedian angulation and afterwards broadly emarginate before base (Fig. 246). Lateral margin somewhat flattened and expanded laterally, delicately crenulate all along – a scale-like appressed seta present between every two crenulae. Lateral margin of pronotum nearly straight in lateral view. Punctures deep, of irregular ovoid shape, on disc generally larger than those on head, near lateral margins small. Intervening spaces variably large, generally larger than punctures. Setae scale-like, longer on anterior margin facing frons and at posterolateral angles, but medially generally short and not surpassing length of corresponding punctures. Conspicuous rather short appressed brush of clustered setae rises from each puncture along lateral margins of pronotum. Hypomeron emarginate and very long setose on anterior margin which is flange-like (Fig. 277), covered by fur-like pubescence.Antennal pocket deep. Median anterior process of prosternum long brushy setose, short, slightly raised. Scutellar shield narrowly rounded apically. Elytra with maximum width across midlength, with distinct humeri. Tracks of four convex longitudinal carinae on each elytron (including sutural one) formed by irregular large glossy glabrous humps. Remnants of sutural carinae indicated by more delicate humps. Punctures of disc of irregular oblong shape, deep, generally smaller than those on forebody (Fig. 337). Entire elytral surface covered with velvety furlike setae (Fig. 338). Ordinary setae scale-like, moderately long, suberect, arranged in irregular paired longitudinal rows (Fig. 74). Each seta rises from anterior margin of corresponding puncture. Pygidium in both sexes slightly convex, deeply irregularly oblong-shaped punctate, intervening spaces covered with fur-like pubescence (Fig. 510). Setae elongate clavate, rather long, suberect. Venter covered with sparse small shallow punctures, each provided with a very short seta, in part covered with microscopical velvety pubescence. Legs long and slender. Male protibia nearly straight on external margin, with complete dorsal carina. Two small obtuse distal teeth on protibia in both sexes (Fig. 409). Male protibial terminal spur large, curved, female one shorter and straight. Male metatibial terminal spurs paired, almost equally long, subacute, lower one curved; female ones shorter, nearly straight, obtuse. Tarsal claws with pulvilli in both sexes. Spiculum gastrale as in Fig. 557. Male aedeagus as in Figs 694–696.

Sexual dimorphism

Female body generally larger, labroclypeus shallower emarginate on anterior margin; lamellae of antennal club shorter; terminal spur of protibia straight.