Mecynotarsus armifer, Kejval & Cz, 2013

Kejval, Zbyněk, 2013, Taxonomic revision of the Australian Notoxinae (Coleoptera: Anthicidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (suppl.) 53, pp. 1-98 : 20-21

Mecynotarsus armifer sp. nov.

( Figs 22–25 )

Type locality. Australia, 70 km SW of Greenvale.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: ♂, ‘QLD. 70 km SW GREENVALE. 15-24 FEB 95 A. J. WATTS [p] // SAMA Database No. 25-029040 [p]’ ( SAMA) . PARATYPES: 1 ♂, ‘ Qld. Greenvale 70 km SW at light. 14-24 Mar 1995 A. J. Watts [p] // SAMA Database No. 25-028961 [p]’ ( SAMA) ; 1 ♂, ‘ Qld. Greenvale 70 km SW At light 1-10 Mar. 95 A. J. Watts [p] // SAMA Database No. 25-028948 [p]’ ( SAMA) ; 1 ♀, ‘ Qld Greenvale 70 km SW at light. 12-21 Apr 1995 A. J. Watts [p] // SAMA Database No. 25-028956 [p]’ ( SAMA) ; 1 ♀, ‘ Qld Greenvale 70 km SW at light 1-13 Jan. 96 A. J. Watts [p] // SAMA Database No. 25-029045 [p]’ ( SAMA) ; 1 ♀, ‘N Queensland 17.1.2000 Laura Sv. Bílý leg.’ ( NMPC) ; 1 ♀, ‘ AUSTRALIA NT., 25 km S of Katherine , 168 m, 14°31′S, 132°25′E, 16.- 17.1.2009, Sv. Bílý leg.’ ( NMPC) ; 2 ♀♀, ‘ 17.25S 124.56E WA Lennard River 29 April 1992 P. J. Gullan at light [p] // AUST. NAT. INS. COLL. [p]’ ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀, ‘ Bessie Springs 16.40S 135.51E 8 km ESE of Cape Crawford, NT. 26 Oct. 1975 M. S. Upton [p] // AUST. NAT. INS. COLL. [p]’ ( ANIC) ; 1 ♂ 3 ♀♀, ‘ AUSTRALIA, N. Territory, West MacDonnell Nat. Park , SIMPSON GAP, 23°40′S 133°43′E, 600 m, 3.- 5.01.2009, St. Jakl leg. [p]’ ( ZKDC, NMPC) ; 2 ♂♂ 1 ♀, same data, except: 11.01.2009 ( ZKDC) .

Description (holotype, male). Body length 2.8 mm. Reddish, elytra slightly paler; legs and antennae reddish.

Antero-lateral margins of frons projecting into conspicuous, thorn-like, apically pointed process ( Fig. 23 ). Gular rugules of different sizes, anteriorly larger, contiguous and ordered as in Fig. 138 . Clypeal granules minute. Setation of head vertex mostly short and appressed, with some long setae in median line, especially at base, somewhat coarser around eyes and ventro-laterally.Antennae conspicuously long; antennomeres V–VII most elongate, 2.8 times as long as wide, antennomere II slightly shorter than III, antennomere X 1.4 times as long as wide; basal five antennomeres with rather coarse, nearly scaly setation.

Pronotum 1.7 times as long as wide, its lateral margins evenly convex in dorsal view; posterior collar very distinct; surface largely with numerous, evenly scattered, pointed granules (dorsally) to larger hook-like projections (dorso-laterally). Pronotal horn rather robust, moderately wide, its posterior angles moderately indicated in dorsal view; horn margins armed with 4 rounded lobules on each side, apical lobule simple, widely rounded; horn crest distinct, raised, rather short and narrow, with coarse, separate rugules on margins; submarginal rugules distinct; 5 median rugules, partly fused. Setation whitish to silvery, clearly double, comprised of short, very fine, appressed undersetae that cover the entire surface, and much longer, subdecumbent, coarse to scale-like setae that are rather linear and are truncate apically; antebasal paired setae are probably present both laterally and medially, difficult to recognize owing to presence of numerous more or less raised tactile setae (mainly on lateral sides).

Elytra 1.8 times as long as wide; omoplates and postbasal impression absent. Setation pale reddish and brownish, forming paired, transverse spot behind mid-length, scaly, appressed and evenly ordered; scales rather linear, truncate apically, densely but distinctly spaced (surface visible); several erect tactile setae scattered in basal portion.

Male characters. Sternum VII moderately produced medially, rather sparsely setose ( Fig. 22 ). Tergum VIII and aedeagus as in Figs 24, 25 .

Variation. Body length (♂ ♀) 2.5–2.8 mm. Horn margins with 3–4 lobules on each side; 2–5 median rugules.

Differential diagnosis. Mecynotarsus armifer sp. nov. can be easily recognized by the combination of the granulate pronotum (granules quite distinct, forming small hook-like projections dorso-laterally), and the presence of conspicuous, thorn-like projections of the frontal margins.

Etymology. The species name is a Latin adjective, armifer , -a, -um (= bearing arms, armed); refering to the conspicuous, thorn-like projections of the frontal margin.

Distribution. Australia: Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia.

Figures

Figs 15–22. 15–18 – Mecynotarsus auceps sp. nov.: 15 – tergum VIII and apex of spiculum, 16 – tegmen in dorsal view, 17 – the same, lateral view, 18 – median lobe in dorsal view. 19–21 – M. auripilosus sp. nov.: 19 – sternum VII, 20 – tergum VIII, 21 – aedeagus in dorsal view. 22 – M. armifer sp. nov., sternum VII. Scale (0.5 mm):A – Figs 15–18; B – Figs 20–22, 25; C – Fig. 19.

Figs 23–32. 23–25 – Mecynotarsus armifer sp. nov.: 23 – frontal process, 24 – tergum VIII, 25 – aedeagus in dorsal view. 26 – M. bicornis sp. nov., frontal process. 27–29 – M. bidens sp. nov.: 27 – frontal process, 28 – tergum VIII, 29 – aedeagus in dorsal view. 30–32 – M. bidentatus sp. nov.: 30 – frontal process, 31 – tergum VIII, 32 – aedeagus in dorsal view. Scale (0.5 mm): A – Figs 25, 28; B – Figs 29, 31, 25; C – Figs 23, 24, 26, 32; (0.1 mm): D – Figs 27, 30.

Figs 133–140. 133 – Mecynotarsus setulosus sp. nov., head in lateral view (paratype, Fowlers Gap), 134 – M. excavatus sp. nov., apex of elytra in female (paratype, Aoue-Enga), 135 – M. grandior sp. nov., apex of elytron in male (paratype, Kimberley Research Station), 136 – M. obesus sp. nov., metatibia with tarsus (paratype, Hull River), 137 – M. excavatus sp. nov., male protibia (paratype, Aoue-Enga). 138–140 – head in ventral view: 138 – M. auripilosus sp. nov. (paratype, Kambah Pool), 139 – M. bullatus sp. nov. (paratype, Regans Ford), 140 – M. ziczac King, 1869 (Swain Reefs).