Maurodus owenensis, Leschen & Reid & Nadein, 2020

Leschen, Richard A. B., Reid, Chris A. M. & Nadein, Konstantin S., 2020, Generic Review of New Zealand Chrysomelinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Zootaxa 4740 (1), pp. 1-66 : 44-45

Maurodus owenensis , sp. nov.

( Figs 8A,B ; map Fig. 19B )

Diagnosis. Body broadly oval and tricoloured; pronotum bicoloured. Antennal groove well-developed with inner ridge; internal surface glabrous. Prosternal lines in front of procoxae parallel. Elytra with midbasal puncture present; maculae broad with outer edges sinuate and contacting broadly at midline; microsculpture absent or weakly impressed. Ventrites dark-coloured, with hypomera bicoloured and epipleura uniformly white-coloured. Legs unicoloured black.

Description. Length 3.7 mm (greatest depth 1.8 mm). Body broadly oval and tricoloured with head, most of the pronotum, midbasal puncture, ventral surfaces, mouthparts, and legs black; antennae, anterior portion of pronotum and hypomera, epipleura, abdominal ventrie 5 yellow-orange; elytral maculae deep to yellow orange with darker margins and sinuate along lateral edge. Microsculpture indistinct. Clypeus very weakly punctate, trapezoidal, anterior margin straight; frontoclypeal suture present with weak medial line and well-developed lateral postclypeal lines; vertex very weakly punctate. Ratio of antennomere lengths: 1.1/0.8/0.9/0.7/0.6/0.6/0.7/0.8/0.9/0.9/1.1.Antennal groove well-developed with inner ridge; internal surface glabrous. Pronotum transverse (2.75 x wider than long), lateral margins, converging anteriorly; punctures non-uniform, coarse at base and progressively diffuse anteriorly, those at base as strong as those contained in the elytra striae. Prosternal lines or carinae in front of procoxae parallel; intercarinal space flat. Elytra widest at basal 1/3 and broad (1.11x the greatest elytral width), 3.62x longer than pronotal length; punctation moderately striate, more impressed at center of elytral disc; midbasal puncture shallow.

Comments. This new species most closely resembles M. lepidus but can be distinguished from it by the colouration and the shape of the prothorax which is less convex at the sides and less convergent anteriorly. The type locality, Mt. Owen, is accessible by walking, and additional attempts should be made to collect more material. The single specimen was not dissected.

Distribution. South Island: NN.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the place name, Mt Owen.

Type examined. Holotype ( AMNZ); not sexed [originally card mounted but removed and pointed], “ Mt Owen Nelson 13-3-38 C.E. Clarke // C.E.Clarke Collection ” [41.552011S, 172.541345E].

Figures

FIGURES 8A–F. Habitus of Maurodus spp.; A, Maurodus owenensis, dorsal; B, Maurodus owenensis, ventral; C, Maurodus plagiatus, dorsal; D, Maurodus plagiatus, ventral; E, Maurodus plagiatus, lateral; F, Maurodus plagiatus, dorsal holotype.

FIGURES 19A–B. A and B, South Island.