Mesoceration disjunctum, Perkins, 2008

Perkins, Philip D., 2008, Facial affect recognition in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis, Zootaxa 1864, pp. 1-124 : 28-29

Mesoceration disjunctum new species

( Figs. 36 , 41 , 101 )

Type Material. Holotype (male): South Africa: Eastern Cape Province, Nature's Valley Res., river stones, 33° 58' S, 23° 34' E, 10 December 1977, Endrödy­Younga (#1416). Deposited in the TMSA . Paratypes (12): Eastern Cape Province, Same data as holotype (6 TMSA) ; Diep River, near Klein Langkloof , stones in current, SCR 122, 33° 45' S, 24° 4' E, 1 December 1993, F. C. de Moor & H. M. Barber­James (1 AMG) ; Rachels River, at Nooitgedacht Farm , SOC, SCR 117, 33° 47' S, 24° 15' E, 1 December 1993, F. C. de Moor & H. M. Barber­James (1 AMG) ; Wit River (trib. of Gamtoos River), stones in current, (fish), GAM Stn. 1: 3BD, 33° 39' S, 24° 31' E, 13 August 1986, F. de Moor & N. Köhly (2 AMG) ; Wit River (trib. of Gamtoos River), stones in current, Stn. 2: GAM 12A4, 33° 39' S, 24° 31' E, 24 February 1987, F. de Moor & N. Köhly (1 AMG) ; Western Cape Province, Uniondale , elev. 800 m, 33° 45' S, 22° 58' E, 1 January 1994, Wewalka (1 NMW) .

Differential Diagnosis. Among distinctum group members, similar to M. distinctum in having shiny, non­microreticulate pronotal reliefs; differing therefrom in having shorter elytra compared to the width of the pronotum, granulate elytral series and intervals, and larger body size (ca. 1.77 vs. 1.53 mm) ( Fig. 36 ). The aedeagi of the two species bear some resemblance, while distinct ( Fig. 41 ).

Description. Size (length/width, mm) holotype: body (length to elytral apices) 1.77/0.71; head 0.32/ 0.42; pronotum 0.38/0.48; elytra 1.06/0.71. Dorsum black or piceous, moderately dull, maxillary palpi piceotestaceous, venter piceous, mentum rufescent, legs rufescent.

Head with labrum microreticulate, dull. Clypeus microreticulate laterally, obsoletely microreticulate medially. Frons shining, microreticulate only at sides, sparsely finely punctulate on disc, punctures separated by about 3xpd; anteocellar sulci moderately deep. Ocelli distinct. Mentum microreticulate.

Pronotum cordate, widest in front of middle; anterior angles obsolete, posterior rectangular; sides finely margined, feebly crenulate; anterior margin very shallowly arcuate over median 3/4, without hyaline border; moderately convex, finely sparsely punctate on discal reliefs, anteriorly and posteriorly very strongly and distinctly, rugosely, punctate; with 10 distinct foveae disposed as follows: two median, an anterior elongate and more nearly round posterior, a small round anterior and larger oval posterior admedian and a large anterior and large deep posterior adlateral on each side; each puncture with very minute, if perceptible, seta.

Elytra almost parallel­sided, apices widely rounded; sutural apices rectangular; sides smooth, weakly explanate. Serial punctures quite large at base, progressively finer apically, basal punctures separated by about 1xpd or less; seven series between suture and carina, series 5 and 6 separated by 6th interval; serial punctures without granules. Intervals, except 8th, flat or very weakly rounded; each interval with sparse unilinear row of minute granules; interval width on disc about 2–3xpd; 8th interval strongly costate. All punctures with very minute, if perceptible, seta.

Thoracic ventrites and abdominal ventrites 1–4 densely clothed with short setae, except glabrous midlongitudinal ridge on proventrite, mesoventrite plaques, and glabrous strongly shining midlongitudinal subtriangular groove basomedially on metaventrite. Abdominal ventrites as follow: 1st with sublateral basal carina on each side; 5th similarly clothed basally and laterally, leaving a semicircular posterior area glabrous and shining; 6th glabrous and obsoletely microreticulate, with posterior band of piliferous punctures.

Legs of male with two spiniform setae on apical protarsomere. Femora and tibiae microreticulate.

Females with elytral explanate margin slightly wider, elytral apices slightly more truncate; pronotal anterior angles more produced than in males.

Wings fully developed on holotype and all dissected males.

Aedeagus length ca. 0.32 mm; main­piece almost straight in ventral view, arcuate and rather thick in lateral view; distal piece sinuate, widened in midlength in ventral view ( Fig. 41 ).

Etymology. Named in reference to the separated 5th and 6th elytral series.

Distribution. Currently known from southwesternmost Eastern Cape Province, and one locality in southeasternmost Western Cape Province ( Fig. 101 ).

Figures

FIGURE 36. Mesoceration disjunctum, dorsal and lateral habitus of holotype.

FIGURES 40–43. Mesoceration, aedeagi of holotypes. —40. M. durabilis. —41. M. disjunctum. —42. M. repandum. —43. M. reticulatum.

FIGURES 101–102. Geographical distributions of Mesoceration species.