Maechidius riedeli sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: C67FBA17-03C1-45B1-A5DD-716FBBCB7A7B

Figs 78, 165, 248, 339, 411, 513, 700–702

Differential diagnosis

This new species is primarily peculiar in the shape of the male parameres.

Etymology

Patronymic. The species is named after its collector, Alexander Riedel (Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Karlsruhe, Germany), a well-known coleopterist and explorer of Eastern Indonesia.

Type material

Holotype

INDONESIA • ♂; “ IRIAN JAYA, Japen [sic ♂] Isl., Kontiunai, road to Ambaidru, 600-700 m, 23-25. XII.2000, leg. A. RIEDEL”; SMNS.

Description

MEASUREMENTS. Holotype, total body length 6.60 mm. Head 1.10 mm long, across eyes 1.30 mm wide. Pronotum 1.60 mm long, maximum width 2.20 mm. Elytral length 3.90 mm, maximum combined width 2.90 mm.

Body uniformly pale brown. Head glossy dorsally and ventrally, frons flattened dorsally. Male labroclypeus (Fig. 165) broadly deeply emarginate on anterior margin, its anterolateral angles rounded, strongly protruding. Lateral margins of labroclypeus sinuous in both dorsal and lateral views, raised up at angle of nearly 80° to frons in lateral view. Anterior and lateral margins of labroclypeus smooth. Upper- and underside of labroclypeus with sparse long setae along anterior and lateral margins. Canthus broadly rounded in dorsal view. Head dorsal punctures circular, in part annular. Intervening spaces glossy, variably large. Head setae scale-like, elongate, appressed; each seta rises from anterior margin of puncture, generally longer to much longer than length of corresponding puncture. Three extraordinarily long erect setae along inner margin of either compound eye and additional one on either canthus. Antenna 9-segmented, club 3-lamellate. Pronotum glossy dorsally and laterally. Anterior margin of pronotum sinuous, anterolateral angles protruding anteriad, basal margin broadly rounded. Lateral margin of pronotum in dorsal view broadly rounded, delicately crenulate all along (Fig. 248). Long erect, more or less strongly curved seta present between every two crenulae. Lateral margin of pronotum nearly straight in lateral view. Pronotal punctures circular to ovoid, variably large, dense and shallow; inner margin of punctures with delicate membrane. Intervening spaces glossy, in part microreticulate, generally as large as punctures except near lateral margins where punctures are denser. Setae similar to those on frons. Lateral margin, antero- and posterolateral angles partly covered with dense microscopical velvety pubescence. Hypomeron separated from prosternum by low nearly straight carina, with long setae on anterolateral margin opposite of compound eye. Antennal pocket shallow. Median anterior process of prosternum long brushy setose, short, strongly raised. Scutellar shield pointed apically. Elytron subopaque, with vague tracks of two glabrous longitudinal carinae. Sutural striae or carinae not present. Punctures of elytral disc linear (long and narrow), incision-shaped (Fig. 339). Intervening spaces opaque to subopaque, microscopically wrinkled, much larger than incisions. Elytral setae appressed, not surpassing length of corresponding incisions. Male pygidium slightly convex dorsally, with large and shallow annular punctures which are denser in median part (Fig. 513). Setae of pygidium suberect, moderately long in anterior, longer in apical half. Male protibia modified on inner margin, concave predistally. Male protibia with three distal teeth on external margin, median and distal ones rather acute (Fig. 411). Male terminal protibial spur absent. Aedeagus as in Figs 700–702.

Sexual dimorphism

Female is unknown.

Ecology

Occurs in lowland rainforests.

Distribution

Hitherto only known from Yapen Island, Cenderawasih Bay of New Guinea.