Maechidius crypticus, Telnov, 2020

Telnov, Dmitry, 2020, A revision of the Maechidiini Burmeister, 1855 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) from the Indo-Australian transition zone, and the first record of the tribe west of Wallace’s Line, European Journal of Taxonomy 721, pp. 1-210 : 38-39

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5852/ejt.2020.721.1127
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:89E62EF8-2E45-4C59-94B7-6A5603E8939B
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4344349
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/B63FE428-02B0-42E0-A347-510931841CAB
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:B63FE428-02B0-42E0-A347-510931841CAB
treatment provided by	Valdenar
scientific name	Maechidius crypticus
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Maechidius crypticus View in CoL sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B63FE428-02B0-42E0-A347-510931841CAB

Figs 32 View Figs 31–34 , 112–113 View Figs 109–120 , 207 View Figs 193–207 , 299 View Figs 286–301 , 371, 465–466, 541, 598–600

Etymology

The name of this species is derived from the Greek “κρυπτός” (‘cryptic’), referring to its strong external similarity to several Papuan congeners (see description for the list of these similar species).

Type material

Holotype

PAPUA NEW GUINEA • ♂; “Stn. No. 137. [p] // NEW GUINEA: Morobe Dist. , Herzog Mts., Vagau, C. 4,000 ft. 4-17.I.1965. [p]// M.E. Bacchus. B.M. 1965-120 [p] // P. pauxillus Hell. [h] det. G Frey. 1967/68 [p]”; BMNH.

Paratypes (7 specimens)

PAPUA NEW GUINEA • 2 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀; same labels as for holotype; BMNH .

Description

MEASUREMENTS. Male holotype, total body length 6.50 mm. Head 1.20 mm long, across eyes 1.50 mm wide. Pronotum 1.30 mm long, maximum width 2.10 mm. Elytral length 4.00 mm, maximum combined width 2.80 mm. Selected female paratype, total body length 7.85 mm. Head 1.35 mm long, across eyes

1.60 mm wide. Pronotum 1.50 mm long, maximum width 2.30 mm. Elytral length 5.00 mm, maximum combined width 3.70 mm.

With general features of M. lapsus sp. nov., M. owenstanleyi sp. nov. (see descriptions below) and M. pauxillus comb. rest. Frons strongly humped in lateral view. Male and female labroclypeus broadly emarginate on anterior margin. Anterolateral angles of labroclypeus strongly protruding, acute ( Figs 112–113 View Figs 109–120 ). Lateral margins of labroclypeus in both sexes slightly sinuous in both dorsal and lateral views. Antennae 9-segmented, club 3-lamellate. Dorsal surface in part covered with microscopic velvety pubescence. Head and pronotum with moderately long, suberect elongate scale-like setae; each seta rises from anterior margin of deep irregularly oblong puncture. Lateral margin of pronotum obtuse angulate medially, deeply emarginate postmedially ( Fig. 207 View Figs 193–207 ). Scale-like setae longer and broader on sides and anterior part of pronotal disc than along median part, also with numerous much smaller setae not surpassing length of corresponding punctures. Hypomeron flange-like produced. Antennal pocket deep. With or without tracks of two longitudinal carinae on each elytron, carinae incomplete, with interruptions. Sutural carinae incomplete and interrupted. Elytral punctures irregular in shape, deep, somewhat irregularly clustered ( Fig. 299 View Figs 286–301 ) and generally smaller than those on pronotum. Setae between puncture clusters longer, scale-like, stronger erect, arranged in several irregular longitudinal rows. Setae in puncture clusters minute, not surpassing length of corresponding punctures. Male and female pygidium deeply oblongo-punctate, with more or less dense scale-like elongate setae which point obliquely to middle (in main part) ( Figs 465–466 View Figs 451–468 ). Intervening spaces of pygidium in part covered with microscopical velvety pubescence. Protibia with inconspicuous longitudinal dorsal carina, in male with single inconspicuous distal tooth, in female with two acute teeth (Fig. 371). Metatibial terminal spurs in both sexes distinctly shorter than length of basal metatarsomere. Spiculum gastrale as in Fig. 541. Male aedeagus as in Figs 598–600 View Figs 586–600 .