Philaccolilus kirana sp. nov.

Figs 2A, 3A, 4, 5C, 6A, B, 8A, B, 10A-D

Type locality.

Arfak Mts., Testega, Bird’s Head Peninsula, West Papua.

Holotype.

Male. Indonesia, West Papua, Testega, 1,210 m, 3.v.2015, -1,3686, 133,5908, UNIPA team (BH054) (MZB).

Paratypes.

(MZB, KSP, ZSM) 38 exs, same label data as holotype; 8 exs, Indonesia, West Papua, Testega, 1,100 m, 1.v.2015, -1,3827, 133,5967, UNIPA team (BH052).

Description of holotype.

Larger member of the genus. TL 5.6 mm; TW 3.1 mm.

Color. Body surface black except for orange head; anterior angle of pronotum very dark orange; elytron with broad, dark yellow subbasal band that reaching lateral margin; with small apical spot (Figs 2A, 3A).

Structures. Hind margin of last ventrite emarginate in the middle (Fig. 8A).

Genitalia. Median lobe of aedeagus as in Fig. 6A, B.

Female. Hind margin of last ventrite in the middle projected ("dwarf hat shape)" (Fig. 8B).

Variation. Size variation of the paratypes is (N=27) TL 5.0-5.6 mm (av. 5.3 mm); TW 2.9-3.2 mm (av. 3.0 mm). The subbasal elytral band is more or less constantly developed; apical spot is not evident in some specimens. One specimen has the apical portion of the right elytron paler, orange, and there are two small orange postmedial spots on the left elytron.

Etymology.

Named after Maruscha Kirana Balke, daughter of first author. The species name is a noun in the nominative singular standing in apposition.

Comparative notes.

Distinguished from the other Philaccolilus species based on the following combination of features: body size; pronotum black; whole head orange; elytron usually with only a broad, dark yellow subbasal band reaching the lateral margin and usually small apical spot; shape of median lobe (except for P. intania Fig. 6C, D).

Distribution.

So far only known from the type locality and nearby, situated in the southern Arfak Mts. of the Bird’s Head Peninsula of New Guinea (Fig. 4).

Habitat.

Collected from a small lower order stream hidden in dense montane forest (Fig. 10D). Few specimens collected from a more or less sun exposed stream (Fig. 10A-C), together with P. febrina .

Definition of the Philaccolilus ameliae complex

Philaccolilus ameliae Balke et al. (2000) was described from Morobe and Madang provinces in the eastern part of Papua New Guinea (Fig. 4), while the subspecies Philaccolilus ameliae weylandensis Balke et al. (2000) from much further west on the island, in the Weyland Mts. of Papua (Fig. 4). The subspecies was suggested based on the slightly narrower curvature of the median lobe in ventral view in Philaccolilus a. weylandensis (Balke et al. 2000). We find that the shape of the median lobe shows slight variation among specimens and possibly populations (Fig. 7A-D, G-J), and differences are indeed subtle. The discovery of Philaccolilus ameliae -like specimens on the Bird’s Head Peninsula and different areas in central New Guinea prompted an integrative taxonomic investigation of what we refer to as the Philaccolilus ameliae complex. We diagnose the complex as follows: moderately to larger sized beetles in the genus; pronotum black; whole head orange; elytral pattern dark yellow: narrow subbasal band with characteristic shape as depicted in Fig. 2D-H (basically three spots that can be isolated or more or less fused); a medio-discal dot or extended into longitudinal spot (in few specimens of P. ameliae extended posteriorly and reaching the postmedial band); postmedial band (of three isolated spots, rarely fused); an apical spot. The elytral color pattern is therefore variable, but constantly of the same general pattern and configuration (Fig. 2G). The outer spot of subbasal band can reach the lateral elytral margin (Fig. 3C), or hardly so (Fig. 3D) or not at all (Fig. 3E). Hind margin of male last ventrite truncate (Fig. 8C), in the female ("dwarf hat shape)" (Fig. 8D).