Maechidius nepenthephilus, 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 : 84-85

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.4344263
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/C34ACD72-FDCF-42C6-BCFE-0E6E5B06F38C
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:C34ACD72-FDCF-42C6-BCFE-0E6E5B06F38C
treatment provided by	Valdenar
scientific name	Maechidius nepenthephilus
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Maechidius nepenthephilus View in CoL sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C34ACD72-FDCF-42C6-BCFE-0E6E5B06F38C

Figs 65 View Figs 62–65 , 152–153 View Figs 145–156 , 237 View Figs 226–241 , 328 View Figs 317–332 , 401, 497, 679–681, 751–753

Differential diagnosis

This species is primarily different among congeners due to the shape of the aedeagus in combination with the sculpture (irregularly paired rows of linear punctures) and the setae of the dorsum.

Etymology

The name is derived from a combination of Nepenthes Linnaeus, 1753 (genus of carnivorous pitcher plants) and the Greek ‘ philia ’ (φιλία, Ancient Greek for love and friendship), indicating the association of the imago with flowers of pitcher plants.

Type material

Holotype

INDONESIA • ♂; “ INDONESIA E, New Guinea , Papua Prov. , Sentani 5.5 km W, road to Nimbokrang, Doyo Lama vill., 02°33’50”S, 140°27’20”E, 150-165 m, 31.III.2018, semidry eucalypt forest, from flowers & pitchers of Nepenthes sp.”; NME.

GoogleMaps

Paratype

INDONESIA • 1 ♀; same label as for holotype; DTC GoogleMaps .

Description

MEASUREMENTS. Holotype, total body length 7.70 mm. Head 1.30 mm long, across eyes 1.60 mm wide. Pronotum 1.90 mm long, maximum width 2.80 mm. Elytral length 4.50 mm, maximum combined width 3.40 mm. Paratype female is 6.70 mm long.

Dorsum uniformly black-brown with brown labroclypeus, antennae, legs and venter. Head transverse, subopaque dorsally and ventrally, flattened dorsally. Compound eye moderately large, occupying less than half side of head. Male labroclypeus ( Fig. 152 View Figs 145–156 ) broadly emarginate, in female ( Fig. 153 View Figs 145–156 ) shallower emarginate anteriorly. Lateral margins of labroclypeus in both sexes sinuous in both dorsal and lateral views, anterolateral angles weakly protruding, obtuse in dorsal view. 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. Head dorsal punctures circular, moderately deep and dense, filled or not with microscopical velvety pubescence. Intervening spaces glossy to delicately microreticulate, variably large. Suberect long seta rises from anterior margin of each puncture; four extraordinarily long erect setae at inner margin of either compound eye and one single on either canthus. Antenna 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 trapezoid, transverse. Pronotum strongly transverse, subopaque dorsally and laterally. Anterior margin of pronotum broadly emarginate, anterolateral angles protruding anteriad. Basal and lateral margins broadly rounded in dorsal view. Crenulae of lateral margin moderately strong; a long erect curved seta present between every two crenulae ( Fig. 237 View Figs 226–241 ). Lateral margin of pronotum slightly arched in lateral view. Pronotal punctures ovoid to oblong-ovoid, annular, deep and dense, variably large (generally larger along lateral margins and on base), filled or not with microscopical velvety pubescence. Intervening spaces in part glossy and glabrous, in part microreticulate, generally smaller than punctures except in some areas. Setae similar to those on head, somewhat stronger curved. Lateral margins partly (narrowly) covered with microscopical velvety pubescence. Hypomeron separated from prosternum by low nearly straight carina which is long setose opposite to compound eye. Antennal pocket shallow. Median anterior process of prosternum long brushy setose, short, strongly raised. Scutellar shield narrowly rounded apically. Elytra cylindrical, maximum width across midlength, opaque dorsally, with distinct humeri. Elytral disc irregularly, mainly transversely wrinkled. Punctures of elytral disc linear (elongate and narrow), incision-like, arranged in irregular paired longitudinal rows ( Fig. 328 View Figs 317–332 ). Moderately long suberect seta rises from anterior margin of each incision, surpassing its length (elytral setae shorter than those on forebody). Lateral margin of elytra all along with moderately long erect setae. Male and female pygidium flattened dorsally, shallowly impressed in apical part. Punctures of pygidium large and dense, circular, annular, very shallow. Intervening spaces much smaller than punctures, glossy to subopaque ( Fig. 497 View Figs487–503 ). Setae of pygidium suberect, sparse, moderately long. Male and female protibia with two inconspicuous distal teeth (Fig. 401), female ones generally larger. Protibial terminal spur absent in both sexes. Male tarsal claws with large pulvilli. Male aedeagus as in Figs 679–681 View Figs 667–681 .

Sexual dimorphism

Female lamellae of antennal club shorter; female labroclypeus comparatively shallower emarginate anteriorly with less protruding anterolateral angles.

Ecology

Occurs on dry nutrient-poor semidry slopes in eucalypt stands at altitudes around 150 m. Found on flowers of Nepenthes sp. ( Figs 751–753 View Figs 751–753 ).

Distribution

Hitherto only known from Sentani surroundings in North New Guinea.