Mesoceration curvosum, Perkins, 2008

Perkins, Philip D., 2008, Facial affect recognition in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis, Zootaxa 1864, pp. 1-124 : 49-50

Mesoceration curvosum new species

( Figs. 69 , 72 , 102 )

Type Material. Holotype (male): South Africa: KwaZulu­Natal Province, Umtamvuna River , stones in fast current, NAT 146Q, 31° 4' S, 30° 11' E, 6 June 1972. Deposited in the AMG.

Differential Diagnosis. Among concavum group members, M. curvosum individuals are recognized by the curving, broad body form, the wide and very convex elytra with arcuate margins, and the deep metaventral impression ( Fig. 69 ). The aedeagus of M. curvosum , although being curved like others in the concavum group, is otherwise quite distinct ( Fig. 72 ).

Description. Size (length/width, mm) holotype: body (length to elytral apices) 1.68/0.77; head 0.28/ 0.41; pronotum 0.41/0.53; elytra 0.97/0.77. Head and pronotal disc piceous, maxillary palpi and legs brown, venter brown.

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

Pronotum cordate, widest near midlength; anterior angles obsolete, posterior rectangular; sides margined, feebly crenulate; anterior margin shallowly arcuate over median 3/4, without hyaline border; moderately con­ vex, finely punctate on shining discal reliefs, punctures separated by about 2xpd, anteriorly and posteriorly very strongly and distinctly, almost rugosely, punctate; with 10 distinct foveae as follows: two median, an anterior elongate and round posterior; a small round anterior and a larger, deeper, oblique, oval posterior admedian; and a very large anterior and smaller round deep posterior adlateral on each side, foveae dull; each puncture with a fine short seta.

Elytra very convex over posterior declivity, sides rounded, apices truncate; sutural apices rectangular; sides smooth, weakly explanate. Serial punctures quite large at base, progressively finer apically, basal punctures slightly larger than largest pronotal punctures, separated by about 1xpd; most punctures on disc with minute granule on anterior margin; seven series between suture and carina, 6th interval discrete to base; anterior rim of socket of each punctural seta with minute granule. Intervals, except 8th, flat, shining, width on disc about 2xpd, each with very sparse, unilinear row of minute granules,; 8th distinctly carinate from near humerus to distal 3/4. All punctures bearing a short fine indistinct seta.

Thoracic ventrites and abdominal ventrites 1–4 densely clothed with short setae, except glabrous midlongitudinal ridge on proventrite, mesoventrite plaques, and small glabrous strongly shining triangular area basomedially on metaventrite. Metaventrite with concave disc, basomedially with deep impression. 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 one spiniform seta on apical protarsomere. Femora and tibiae effacedly microreticulate, femora thickened.

Wings fully developed on holotype.

Aedeagus length ca. 0.57 mm; main­piece sinuate in both ventral and lateral views, thick, especially in basal 1/2; distal piece markedly arcuate, lobate basally in ventral view; right paramere slightly shorter than main­piece, left paramere missing in holotype ( Fig. 72 ).

Etymology. Named in reference to the shape of the aedeagus and the convexity of the dorsum.

Distribution. Currently known only from the type locality, which is very near the coast in KwaZulu­ Natal Province ( Fig. 102 ).

Figures

FIGURE 69. Mesoceration curvosum, dorsal and lateral habitus of holotype.

FIGURES 71–74. Mesoceration, aedeagi of holotypes. —71. M. bispinum. —72. M. curvosum. —73. M. longipennis. —74. M. natalensis.

FIGURES 101–102. Geographical distributions of Mesoceration species.