Amaurodera latisulcata spec. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org: act: FA0BB6D1-AA68-4368-8640-CC5B576FB393

(Figs 11, 49–50, 133–135)

Type material: Holotype ♂: “ JAVA: W Java, Cibodas, 50 km E Bogor, 1400 m, 3–6.XI.1989, Agosti, Löbl, Burckhardt #2a / Holotypus ♂ Amaurodera latisulcata sp. n., det. V. Assing 2016” (MHNG) . Paratypes: 6 exs.: same data as holotype (MHNG, cAss) .

Etymology: The specific epithet (Latin, adjective) alludes to the conspicuously broad median sulcus of the pronotum.

Description: Body length 4.3–4.7 mm; length of forebody 2.1–2.2 mm. Other measurements: head width: 0.60–0.65 mm; length of pronotum: 0.88–0.95 mm; width of pronotum: 0.62–0.66 mm; elytral length at suture: 0.36–0.39 mm; elytral width: 0.70–0.77 mm. Coloration (Figs 11, 49): forebody reddish; abdomen yellowish-red with segments VI–VII more or less distinctly darker; legs yellowish; antennae yellowish with antennomeres IV–VIII more or less distinctly darker; maxillary palpi dark-yellowish with the terminal palpomere pale-yellowish.

Head (Fig. 49) oblong, 1.05–1.10 times as long as broad, broadest behind eyes; postero-lateral outline between eyes and posterior constriction broadly convex in dorsal view; median dorsal portion not impressed; punctation sparse and very fine; interstices with very shallow microreticulation and glossy. Eyes small and weakly convex, approximately half as long as distance from posterior margin of eye to posterior constriction. Antenna (Fig. 11) long and slender, 2.3–2.6 mm long; antennomeres IX and X 2 and 1.5 times as long as broad, respectively.

Pronotum (Fig. 50) without sexual dimorphism; dorsal surface, except for the glossy median sulcus, with very dense microgranules and opaque, antero-median portion with reduced shine; midline with rather broad and deep median sulcus reaching neither anterior nor posterior margins; antero-lateral portions with numerous moderately short setae.

Elytra (Fig. 49) very short, approximately 0.4 times as long as pronotum; punctation fine and moderately dense; interstices with very shallow microreticulation. Hind wings reduced. Metatarsomere I slightly longer than the combined length of II and III.

Abdomen broader than elytra; tergites III–V with moderately deep anterior impressions; tergites III–VII with sparse punctures on disc and at posterior margin; tergite VIII with sparse setiferous punctation in posterior third; all tergites with shallow microreticulation; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe; posterior margin of tergite VIII truncate to weakly convex and serrate.

♂: posterior margin of sternite VIII nearly truncate; median lobe of aedeagus (Figs 133–134) approximately 0.8 mm long; ventral process weakly curved and very acute apically (lateral view).

♀: spermatheca as in Fig. 135.

Comparative notes: The only other species previously recorded from Java are A. kraepelini and A. nigra CAMERON, 1925 (possibly a synonym of A. kraepelini). Amaurodera latisulcata is readily distinguished from both of them by much paler coloration, much smaller eyes, a much broader and more glossy median sulcus of the pronotum, and shorter and narrower elytra. The similar shapes of the aedeagus and the spermatheca suggest that A. latisulcata is closely allied to the widespread A. kraepelini . The median lobe of A. latisulcata, however, is slightly larger and the ventral process is slightly broader (ventral view) apically more strongly curved (lateral view). The spermatheca has the median portion longer and more slender.

Distribution and natural history: The type locality is situated to the east of Bogor in West Java. The specimens were collected at an altitude of 1400 m.