Maurodus lepidus, 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 : 39

Maurodus lepidus , sp. nov.

( Figs 5D,E , 18B ; map Fig. 20A )

Diagnosis. Body nearly spherical and tricoloured; pronotum bicoloured. Antennal groove deep and well delimited by an inner ridge; internal surface not glabrous. Prosternal lines in front of procoxae convergent. Elytra with midbasal stria present; maculae broad with outer edges sinuate and contacting broadly at midline; microsculpture impressed. Ventrites dark-coloured, with hypomera bicoloured and epipleura uniformly white-coloured; male ventrite 5 not vaulted at middle. Legs unicoloured black; tarsomere 1 of male greatly enlarged.

Description. Length 5.1 mm (greatest depth 2.0 mm). Body nearly spherical and tricoloured with head, much of the pronotum, midbasal striae, ventral surfaces, antennae, mouthparts, and legs black; anterior portion of pronotum and hypomera, epipleura and ventrite 5 white or pale; elytral maculae chestnut with slightly darker lateral margin and sinuate along lateral edge. Microsculpture distinct and present on the pronotum and absent on elytra. Clypeus finely punctate, semicircular with anterior margin straight; frontoclypeal suture present with lateral postclypeal lines deeply impressed, medial line absent; vertex finely punctate and similar to clypeus. Ratio of antennomere lengths: 1.5/.8/1.2/1.1/1.0/.8/1.0/1.1/1.2/1.3/2.0. Antennal groove deep and well delimited by an inner ridge; internal surface not glabrous. Pronotum transverse (2.3 x wider than long), lateral margins, strongly converging anteriorly; punctures not uniform, coarse at base and progressively diffuse anteriorly, those at base as strong as those contained in the elytral striae. Prosternal lines or carinae in front of procoxae convergent with the anterior width 0.17x narrower than procoxal width; intercarinal space flat. Elytra widest at basal 1/3 and broad (0.96x the greatest elytral width), 2.8x longer than pronotal length; punctation moderately to coarsely striate, more impressed at the apical 1/3 and towards the midline; midbasal stria relatively deep. Male ventrite 5 not vaulted at middle. Tarsomere 1 of male greatly enlarged.

Comments. This new species is distinctive and can be distinguished from all other Maurodus species by the nearly spherical shape of the body. It most closely resembles M. owenensis but can be distinguished from it by the colouration and the shape of the prothorax which is highly convex and strongly convergent anteriorly. It also is like M. cinctiger , but differs from it by having a deep antennal groove and by its colouration, most notably having unicoloured black legs. The single specimen is a male and was not dissected. The locality, Karamea Bluff, is easily accessible and additional attempts should be made to collect more material.

Distribution. South Island: NN.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin word lepidus meaning attractive.

Type Examined. Holotype ( NZAC): male, “ NEW ZEALAND NN, Karamea Bluff , 9 Feb 1999, R. Leschen, R. Hoare berlesate // RL275 41º31’S 172º 01’E [41.50692; 172.01681]”.

Figures

FIGURES 5A–H. Habiti and structures of Maurodus spp.; A, Maurodus impressus, dorsal view of holotype, length 3.1 mm; B, Maurodus cinctiger, frontal view of head; C, Maurodus cinctiger, dorsal view of head and pronotum; D, Maurodus lepidus, dorsal; E, Maurodus lepidus, dorsal; F, Maurodus maculatus, dorsal; G, Maurodus maculatus, lateral; H, Maurodus maculatus, oblique lateral.

FIGURES 18A–E. Subantennal grooves (ventral view of heads, A–C) and prothoracic glandular ducts. A, Maurodus cinctiger; B, Maurodus lepidus; C, Maurodus maculatus; D, Chalcolampra sp., dorsal view through cleared prothorax; E, same, detail.

FIGURES 20A–B. South Island with subantarctic Snares Island (insert).