Maechidius babyrousa, Telnov, 2020

Telnov, Dmitry, 2020, A revision of the Maechidiini Burmeister, 1855 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) from the Indo-Australian transition zone, and the first record of the tribe west of Wallace’s Line, European Journal of Taxonomy 721, pp. 1-210 : 26-29

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5852/ejt.2020.721.1127
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:89E62EF8-2E45-4C59-94B7-6A5603E8939B
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4344381
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/E9202A3D-800A-47B0-B9D0-884E101246ED
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:E9202A3D-800A-47B0-B9D0-884E101246ED
treatment provided by	Valdenar
scientific name	Maechidius babyrousa
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Maechidius babyrousa View in CoL sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E9202A3D-800A-47B0-B9D0-884E101246ED

Figs 25 View Figs 25–27 , 106–107 View Figs 97–108 , 203 View Figs 193–207 , 293 View Figs 286–301 , 365, 438–440, 449–450, 458–459, 538, 582–585

Differential diagnosis

This species is most similar to M. peregrinus Lansberge , M. deltouri sp. nov., M. legalovi sp. nov. and M. suwawa sp. nov. (all from Sulawesi). This new species readily differs from them and other congeners only in the shape of the male genital organs, labroclypeus, apically unidentate (males) or bidentate (females) protibiae, and the presence of a transverse median hump on the female pygidium. Two vague circular impressions on the pronotal disc are also present in M. deltouri sp. nov.

Etymology

Named after Babyrousa Perry, 1811, a genus of enigmatic Suidae endemic to Sulawesi and the Moluccas. Noun in apposition.

Type material

Holotype

INDONESIA • ♂; “ INDONESIA: SULAWESI UTARA Gng. Ambang F. R. nr Kotamobagu 30.v – 2.vi 1985. // Gng Muajat summit area ca 1780m // light [h, upper side of label] R.Ent.Soc.Lond. PROJECT WALLACE B.M. 1985-10 [underside of label]”; BMNH.

Paratypes (13 specimens)

INDONESIA • 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same labels as for holotype; BMNH • 2 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀; “ INDONESIA SULAWESI UTARA Gng. Ambang F.R. nr. Kotamobagu 18-24 May 1985. // Yellow pan trap // R.Ent. Soc.Lond. PROJECT WALLACE B.M. 1985-10”; BMNH • 1 ♀; “ INDONESIA SULAWESI UTARA Gng. Ambang F.R. nr. Kotamobagu 18-24 May 1985.// Gng. Muajat 1750-1780 m [h]// Yellow pan trap // R.Ent.Soc.Lond. PROJECT WALLACE B.M. 1985-10.”; BMNH .

Description

MEASUREMENTS (exposed abdominal ventrites not included). Male holotype, total body length 6.95 mm. Head 1.25 mm long, across eyes 1.60 mm wide. Pronotum 1.40 mm long, maximum width 2.40 mm. Elytral length 4.30 mm, maximum combined width 3.34 mm. Selected female paratype, total body length 8.20 mm. Head 1.50 mm long, across eyes 1.70 mm wide. Pronotum 1.70 mm long, maximum width 2.70 mm. Elytral length 5.00 mm, maximum combined width 3.52 mm.

Dorsum uniformly black to black-brown (elytra somewhat paler brown than forebody) with castaneous labroclypeus, mouthparts, legs and venter. Head transverse, trapezoid, slightly convex dorsally between eyes, glossy dorsally and ventrally, with large not prominent eyes occupying over half side of head. Male labroclypeus ( Fig. 106 View Figs 97–108 ) slightly emarginate on anterior margin, with lateral margins smooth, slightly sinuous in both dorsal and lateral views. Anterolateral angles not protruding anteriad, strongly obtuse, bent up almost perpendicularly to axis of frons in lateral view. Female labroclypeus ( Fig. 107 View Figs 97–108 ) rather deeply emarginate on anterior margin, with slightly protruding, strongly obtuse anterolateral angles. Punctures circular to hexagonal. Intervening spaces glossy, smaller than up to as large as punctures. Pubescence dirty yellowish, moderately long and suberect, each seta rises from anterior margin of corresponding puncture. Labroclypeus laterally and frontally with more delicate setae. Few longest setae present near eyes. Male antenna 9-segmented, club 3-lamellate. Scape large, bulbous dorsally in distal half, provided with few long erect setae on posterior and distal margins. Antennomere 2 short, slightly transverse. Pronotum transverse, glossy dorsally and laterally. Anterior margin slightly sinuous with anterolateral angles (stronger) and mesal portion (slightly) protruding anteriad. Basal margin broadly rounded. Lateral margin of pronotum evenly broadly rounded, delicately crenulate all along ( Fig. 203 View Figs 193–207 ). Pronotal disc with two vague circular postmedian impressions on either side of disc (this feature not visible in holotype). Lateral margin of pronotum hardly sinuous in lateral view. Punctures of pronotum ovoid to circular, deep and coarse. Intervening spaces glossy and glabrous, smaller than punctures on disc, becoming larger along lateral margins. Setae shorter than on head, stronger curved. Clavate scale-like seta present between every two crenulae on lateral margin of pronotum. Lateral and basal margins, antero- and posterolateral angles partly covered with microscopical velvety pubescence. Hypomeron smooth, sparsely covered by circular punctures. Hypomeron flange-like, with large emargination opposite to eye (to receive canthus separating compound eye) covered with long setae. Antennal pocket deep. Scutellar shield triangular, narrow apically. Elytra cylindrical, maximum width in median third, glossy and slightly convex dorsally, with rounded humeri and slightly elevated omoplates. Indistinct track of one–two flat longitudinal carinae on each elytron. Sutural carinae not indicated. Rather large obtuse hump on each elytron near apex. Disc and lateral sides of elytra irregularly densely punctured, punctures of irregular size and form (circular to ovoid) ( Fig. 293 View Figs 286–301 ). Intervening spaces glossy, smaller than punctures. Moderately long suberect setae arranged in irregular longitudinal paired rows. Inconspicuous very short setae not surpassing length of corresponding punctures positioned between longitudinal rows of longer setae. Each seta rises from anterior margin of each puncture. Epipleuron with row or two (in broad anterior part) of suberect setae. Male pygidium with shallow annular punctures and glossy intervening spaces ( Fig. 458 View Figs 451–468 ). Female pygidium similarly punctured as in male, with obtuse transverse median hump ( Fig. 459 View Figs 451–468 ). Seta rises from centre of each puncture of pygidium. Abdominal ventrites glossy, covered with large annular punctures, each provided with short seta. Legs slender, femora and tibiae covered with delicate whitish setae. Outer margins of meso- and metatibiae densely denticulate. Male protibia with one (apical) strong tooth on external margin, female protibia with two teeth ( Figs 449–450 View Figs 436–450 ). Male lower meso- and metatibial terminal spurs strongly curved ( Fig. 439–440 View Figs 436–450 ), female ones straight ( Fig. 438 View Figs 436–450 ). Distal margin of metatibia in both sexes with projection over basal metatarsomere. Metatibial terminal spurs paired, shorter than basal metatarsomere in male but almost as long as in female. Tarsal claws with pulvilli in both sexes. Male aedeagus as in Figs 582–585 View Figs 570–585 . Spiculum gastrale as in Fig. 538.

Sexual dimorphism

Female is generally larger, with shorter lamellae of antennal club; protibial spur slightly curved distally in male, straight in female; metatibial spurs somewhat longer in female than in male; protibia bidentate in female; female pygidium with modifications (see above); female lower meso- and metatibial terminal spurs slender, slightly curved apically.

Ecology

Occurs in lowland rainforests. Attracted to yellow pan traps (anthophilous?). Possibly nocturnal.

Distribution

Hitherto only known from North Sulawesi.