Exocelina woitapensis Shaverdo & Balke

Shaverdo, Helena, Sagata, Katayo & Balke, Michael, 2016, Taxonomic revision of New Guinea diving beetles of the Exocelinadanae group, with the description of ten new species (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Copelatinae), ZooKeys 619, pp. 45-102 : 75-76

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

15. Exocelina woitapensis Shaverdo & Balke sp. n. Figs 6, 28

Exocelina undescribed sp. MB3399: Toussaint et al. 2014: supplementary figs 1-4, tab. 2.

Type locality.

Papua New Guinea: Central Province, Woitape, 08°31.29'S; 147°13.68'E, 1700 m a.s.l.

Type material.

Holotype: male "Papua New Guinea: Central, Woitape, 1700m, i.2008, 08 31.290S 147 13.684'E, Posman (PNG 166)" (ZSM). Paratypes: 2 males, 1 female with the same label as the holotype, the male additionally with a green label "DNA M.Balke 3399" (ZSM). 1 male, 3 females "Papua New Guinea: Central, Woitape, 1500m, i.2008, 08 33.178S 147 15.481E, Posman (PNG 167)", one female additionally with a green label "DNA M.Balke 3402" (NHMW, ZSM). 1 male "Papua New Guinea: Central, Woitape, 1600m, i.2008, 08 31.581S 147 14.099E, Posman (PNG 165)" (ZSM). 1 female "Papua New Guinea: Central, Kokoda Trek, 590m, i.2008, 09 14.339S 147 36.920E, Posman (PNG 170)" (ZSM).

Diagnosis.

Beetle medium-sized; piceous, with reddish brown head and pronotum, later often with darker disc; matt, with strong punctation and microreticulation; male antennae simple; male protarsomere 4 with large, thick, strongly curved anterolateral hook-like seta; median lobe relatively broad, with slightly curved, rounded apex in lateral view and with askew truncate apex in ventral view, on both lateral sides with numerous strong setae situated broad-linearly on whole distal part of median lobe; paramere with small notch on dorsal side. The species is very similar to Exocelina kabwumensis sp. n. but differs from it in the larger body size, broader median lobe, and the presence of numerous thick distal setae laterally on the median lobe. It is also similar to Exocelina andakombensis sp. n. and Exocelina injiensis sp. n. but differs from them in the larger body size, shape of the median lobe, and more numerous and more sparsely situated thick distal setae laterally on the median lobe. From Exocelina kabwumensis and Exocelina andakombensis , it also differs in the large, thick, strongly curved anterolateral hook-like seta of protarsomere 4. This species co-occurs with Exocelina posmani sp. n., see under its diagnosis for their morphological differences.

Description.

Size and shape: Beetle medium-sized (TL-H 3.6-4.0 mm, TL 4.0-4.35 mm, MW 2.0-2.15 mm), with oblong-oval habitus, broadest at elytral mid dle. Coloration: Head reddish brown to dark brown, with small darker areas posterior to eyes and sometimes brown V-like spot in vertex; pronotum reddish brown, with darker (to piceous) disc; elytra brown to piceous, with narrow reddish sutural lines; head appendages and legs proximally yellowish red, legs distally darker, reddish brown, especially metathoracic legs (Fig. 28). Teneral specimens paler.

Surface sculpture: As in Exocelina andakombensis sp. n.

Structures: Pronotum with distinct lateral bead. Base of prosternum and neck of prosternal process with distinct ridge, slightly rounded anteriorly. Blade of prosternal process lanceolate, relatively broad, slightly convex, and smooth, with distinct lateral bead and few lateral setae; neck and blade of prosternal process evenly jointed. Abdominal ventrite 6 slightly truncate.

Male: Antennae simple. Protarsomere 4 with large, thick, strongly curved anterolateral hook-like seta. Protarsomere 5 ventrally with anterior band of ca. 60 and posterior row of 16 relatively long, thin setae (Fig. 6A). Median lobe relatively broad, with slightly curved, elongate, rounded apex in lateral view and with askew truncate apex in ventral view, on both lateral sides with numerous strong setae situated broad-linearly on whole distal part of median lobe (Fig. 6 B–C). Paramere with small notch on dorsal side and dense setae on subdistal part; proximal setae inconspicuous (Fig. 6D). Abdominal ventrite 6 with 5-8 lateral striae on each side.

Holotype: TL-H 4 mm, TL 4.5 mm, MW 2.15 mm.

Female: Without evident differences in external morphology from males, except for not modified pro- and mesotarsi and abdominal ventrite 6 without striae.

Distribution.

Papua New Guinea: Central Province (Fig. 40).

Etymology.

The species is named after Woitape Village. The name is an adjective in the nominative singular.