Mecyclothorax laterovatulus Liebherr, 2018
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publication ID |
https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/dez.65.21000 |
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publication LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:pub:73DEE0F3-2BB0-4A21-B445-5E168FE50F54 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/A6065519-5F9F-4AE9-8BD3-F5A0A46CF137 |
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taxon LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:act:A6065519-5F9F-4AE9-8BD3-F5A0A46CF137 |
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treatment provided by |
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scientific name |
Mecyclothorax laterovatulus Liebherr |
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sp. n. |
9. Mecyclothorax laterovatulus Liebherr sp. n. Figures 16D View Figure 16 , 17G-H View Figure 17 , 18D View Figure 18 , 19 View Figure 19
Diagnosis.
This and the following species M. najtae (Fig. 16D-E View Figure 16 ) are characterized by very obtuse pronotal hind angles that are rounded apically, pronotal lateral margins straight to only indistinctly concave before the very obtuse angles. The elytra are broader basally in beetles of this species, with the humeri extended anterad and the basal groove narrowly rounded near the base of stria 6, and elytral length is relatively longer than in M. najtae , with MEW/EL = 0.85. The outer elytral striae 5-7 are well impressed at midlength in this species, versus obsolete to entire absent laterally in M. najtae . The configuration of the male aedeagal internal sac-with elongate, curved flagellum and flagellar sheath and a dorsal plate (Fig. 17G View Figure 17 ) - indicates this species’ true relatives (Fig. 7 View Figure 7 ); M. laterorectus (Fig. 10F View Figure 10 ) and M. laterosinuatus (Fig. 10C-D View Figure 10 ). Chaetotaxy +/+//+/-//+/2/+/+.
Standardized body length 4.1 mm.
Description
(n = 1). Head capsule broad, foreshortened, eyes small, moderately convex, ocular lobe meeting gena at very obtuse angle; 15-16 ommatidia along horizontal diameter of eye; ocular ratio 1.39, ocular lobe ratio 0.89, EyL/EyD = 3.13; frontal grooves nearly straight from posterior terminus inside anterior supraorbital seta to deepest point just posterad clypeus, briefly and shallowly extended onto clypeus; mandibles moderately elongate, mandibular ratio 1.8; ligular anterior margin narrowly rounded to ligular seta, concave between setae, the two setae separated by one to two setal diameters; paraglossae thin, extended as far beyond ligular margin as their basal length to margin; antennae elongate, antennomere 9 length 2.5 × maximal breadth; antennomere 3 glabrous except for apical ring of setae. Pronotum vase-shaped, hind angles broadly subangulate, lateral margins only slightly concave anterad angles (Fig. 16D View Figure 16 ); MPW/ BPW = 1.66, MPW/PL = 1.24; front angles only slightly protruded, broadly obtuse, APW/BPW = 0.93; median base coplanar relative to disc, unmargined; laterobasal depression with longitudinal tubercle inside hind angle, defined medially by longitudinal border with median base; median longitudinal impression fine and shallow on disc, posteriorly terminated at deep lenticular pit anterad median base, terminated anteriorly at very broad and shallow anterior transverse impression; proepisternum separated anteriorly from prosternum by fine shallow groove, distinctly separated ventrally by smooth, deep groove; prosternal process deeply, narrowly depressed between procoxae, that depression extended 1/4 distance toward anterior prothoracic margin. Elytra broadly ellipsoid to hemiovoid, humeri extended laterally, humeral angle rounded outside pronotal hind angles; MEW/EL = 0.85; basal groove extended anterad from scutellum to humerus, with depressions at bases of sutural and elytral striae 4-5; sutural stria deep throughout length, striae 2 and 5-7 almost as well developed, striae 3-4 shallower though still evident; striae 1-2 and 7 evident apically, elytra appressed and conjoined apically, sutural intervals narrower and upraised at apex. Pterothoracic mesepisternal anterior furrow with five pitlike depressions in one vertical row; metepisternum maximum width/lateral length = 0.88; mesosternal-mesepisternal suture complete (as in Fig. 3A View Figure 3 ); metepisternal-metepimeral suture incomplete, shallower and incomplete laterally. Abdomen with deep crescent-shaped depression along suture between first and second ventrite, second ventrite depressed within crescent; suture between second and third ventrites reduced, incomplete laterally; ventrites 2-6 with broad, shallow, linear plaques near lateral margin. Microsculpture of frons and vertex an evident transversely stretched isodiametric mesh; pronotal disc and base covered with elongate transverse mesh, sculpticell breadth 3-4 × length, surface iridescent, sculpticells in laterobasal depressions less transverse, breadth 2-3 × length; elytra iridescent, disc with dense transverse lines loosely connected into a mesh, apex covered with transverse lines. Femora rufobrunneous, a piceous cloud in basal 2/3.
Male genitalia (n = 1). Antecostal margin of abdominal mediotergite IX angulate, not extended (Fig. 17H View Figure 17 ); right paramere narrow, narrowly extended apically (Fig. 18D View Figure 18 ), with two setae on the ventral margin complementing a single apical seta; left paramere narrow basally, extended as an elongate, whiplike extension with a single apical seta; aedeagal median lobe robust, broad dorsoventrally, apex evenly narrowed dorsally and ventrally to a narrowed rounded tip (Fig. 17G View Figure 17 ); aedeagal median lobe internal sac with dorsal plate, dorsally curved flagellum and flagellar sheath.
Type - Holotype male (MNHN): NEW CALEDONIA 11665 / 21°11'S 165°16'E. / Aoupinie, summit. 1000 m / 2Oct2004. G.Monteith / pyrethrum, trees&logs // QUEENSLAND / MUSEUM LOAN / DATE: July 2005 / No. LE 05.24 // New Caledonia Mecyclothorax revision / measured specimen 1 / J.K. Liebherr 2016 ♂1 // genitalia in polyethylene vial with glycerine // HOLOTYPE / Mecyclothorax / Mecyclothorax laterovatulus / J.K.Liebherr 2017 (black-bordered red label) /
Etymology.
Though this species is separated in the dichotomous key and therefore in the species treatment sequence from its broad-bodied phylogenetic relatives (Fig. 9AC), this species is given the compound adjectival epithet Mecyclothorax laterovatulus to signify the broad body and ovoid pronotum coupled with rounded pronotal hind angles (Fig. 16D View Figure 16 ), thereby making the species name reiterate the names of those other species; M. laterobustus , M. laterorectus , and M. laterosinuatus .
Distribution and habitat.
The lone holotype of this species was collected on Aoupinié summit at 1000 m elevation via application of pyrethrin spray to trees and logs (Fig. 19 View Figure 19 ). Based on restriction of its adelphotaxon, M. laterorectus + M. laterosinuatus , as well as the closely related M. laterorobustus (Fig. 7 View Figure 7 ) to ground-level microhabitats, it is predicted that additional specimens of this species will be collected predominantly in ground level litter, or from mossy subcortical microhabitats.
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