Asytesta gazella

Setliff, Gregory P., 2012, 3462, Zootaxa 3462, pp. 1-125 : 68-77

Asytesta gazella species group

Asytesta aucta Faust

( Figures 48–49, 139–140, 192)

Asytesta aucta Faust, 1898: 164 [key], 168 [description]. Lectotype, here designated, in SMTD. Labeled “N. Guinea Ighibirei, Loria. VII–VIII 90/ aucta Faust / Type.” Type locality: Papua New Guinea: Ighibirei.

Asytesta granulifera Lea, 1928: 75 , new synonymy, Zimmerman, 1992 [figured]. Lectotype, here designated, in SAM. Labeled “Kuranda, Dodd/ granulifera, Lea , Co-type/ Asytesta granulifera, Coll. on N. Guinea ". Type locality: Australia: Queensland [in error, see comments below].

Diagnosis. This species is very close to A. verecunda in general appearance, but is a slightly smaller species that has more uniform vestiture of light tan scales on the elytra at the humeri and the second profemoral tooth is very small. Asytesta propinqua is also similarly clothed, but has the pronotum and elytra are more uniformly dark and the vittae and maculae stand out in sharp contrast unlike the more muted vittae and maculae of A. aucta and A. verecunda that blend in with the lighter mottling.

Redescription. Measurements (n = 19): body length 5.2–6.9 mm (mean 6.2 mm), body width 2.5–3.4 mm (mean 3.1 mm), pronotal length 2.2–3.0 mm (mean 2.7 mm), elytral length 2.8–4.3 mm (mean 3.6 mm), rostral length 1.3–2.5 mm (mean 2.7 mm).Body oval, 1.8–2.3 X longer than broad; integument dark reddish-brown, antennae and tarsi light reddish-brown. Densely covered with patchy brown scales and dirty white to light tan scales, with more densely distributed whitish scales in vittae, not in sharp contrast to background squamae except apical portion of dorsomedian vitta on pronotum. Vertex of head, pleura, coxae, basal portion of femora, and venter more densely clothed in dirty white to tan scales; vestiture on femora and tibia interspersed with evenly distributed, white, hair-like setae; male with suberect, hair-like setae along ventral margin of protibia, setae longer than elsewhere on legs; tarsi clothed with sparse, white, hair-like setae. Pronotal disk with dorsolongitudinal vitta from apex to base; circular maculae indistinct; short, sublateral longitudinal vittae at anterior margin reduced, reaching middle of pronotum; lateral vittae present in some specimens, reaching middle of pronotum, parallel to sublateral vittae; faint transverse vittae from center of dorsal margin of procoxae to dorsolateral portion of pronotal disk. Anterolateral region of pronotum with distinct, well defined ring of white scales enclosing area from lateral margin of prosternal canal to anterior margin of procoxae, with darker background scales in center (as in Figure 104); dorsal portion of ring extending beyond procoxa to basal pronotal margin. Elytra with thin fascia spanning entire anterior margin in most specimens, margin between intervals 5 bare in some specimens, fasciae reaching epipleural margin; humeri with faint tan, longitudinal vittae on intervals 5 from humeri to subapex, vittae not broadened apically, restricted to intervals 5, often obscured by background scales; faint sutural stripe of tan scales from midline to near apex; epipleural margin with dirty white to tan scales from base to apex. Mesosternum and metasternum covered with dense white scales except transverse glabrous line at suture between sclerites, ventrites evenly covered in sparse, white, hair-like setae, ventrites 2–4 not glabrous in middle. Scales fine (indistinct under low magnification), appressed to suberect.

Head. Visible in dorsal view, with semicircular, crown-like carinae on vertex above eyes (as in Figure 102), interrupted at back by glabrous V-shaped area where head articulates on pronotum, medial longitudinal carinae absent. Eyes weakly convex, large, subcordate to nearly circular, posterior margin weakly truncate; interocular distance narrower than subbasal width of rostrum. Rostrum shorter than pronotum, parallel sided to just before apex, slightly broadened at apex, with small medial interocular pit at base often obscured by squamae. Basal 1/3 of male rostrum rugose, coarsely punctate to apex, with suprascrobal carinae on lateral margins straight, not produced or forming lateral tooth-like process. Basal 1/3 of female rostrum less rugose than male, apical 2/3 smooth, finely punctate to apex. Clypeus truncate. Antennal club oval.

Thorax. Pronotum 1.0–1.4 X broader than long, broadest at base; medial area weakly produced, posterior margin subtruncate. Pronotal disk evenly convex at base, weakly rugose with small rasp-like, setose granules; granules evenly distributed; punctures not obscured by vestiture, shallow, evenly distributed, spaces between punctures less than 1/2 diameter of puncture, each bearing one white to tan, hair-like seta. Prosternal canal deep, lateral walls vertical; mesosternal receptacle very shallow, nearly obliterated, lateral margins weakly produced, posterior margin broadly open. Scutellum visible, diameter subequal to punctures at base of elytra. Elytra 1.0–1.4 X longer than broad, anterior margin truncate, declivity gradually declining to apex; punctures as on pronotum, basalmost punctures of each stria at anterior margin like all remaining punctures. Humeri not flattened or produced, subcontiguous with posterolateral margin of pronotum. Intervals convex, granulate. Granulate prominence on third intervals weakly elevated slightly before middle of elytra; prominence raised slightly above adjacent intervals, not distorting outline of dorsal contour in lateral view, terminating gradually at declivity; fourth intervals granulate, weakly produced in same region as third intervals, not elevated above fifth intervals, all other intervals not produced, lacking granulate prominences. Hind wing fully developed.

Legs moderately long, hind femora exceeding elytral apices by 1/3 their length; mesofemora exceeding elytral apices. Profemora bidentate; apical profemoral tooth not larger than teeth on meso- and metafemora; teeth simple, distal margin entire; secondary denticle greatly reduced, sometimes absent (not visible in Figures 48 and 49). Protibia strongly compressed laterally, ventral margin with flange distinct, obtuse, tooth-like in male, broader, gradually tapering to apex in female ( Figures 48–49); dorsal margin weakly convex. Dorsal margin of middle and hind tibiae similarly convex. Apex of protibia with distinct supra-uncal process; uncus and premucro well developed, broadly separated with small flange situated between, supporting terminal setal brush. Tarsomere 2 short, trapezoidal, strongly flattened (as in Figure 64).

Abdomen. Ventrite 1 distended, as long as or longer than remaining ventrites combined, on significantly lower plane than remaining ventrites, not overlapping ventrite 2; ventrite 2 partially folded into declivity of ventrite 1, slightly longer than ventrite 3 and 4. Intercoxal process on ventrite 1 broader than length of ventrite 1.

Male terminalia. Tergite VII broader than long, anterior margin convex, posterior margin emarginate at middle, wing binding patch distinct, with two rows of 6–7 minute plectral tubercles reaching posterior margin, tubercles greatly reduced, distinct under high magnification.

Female terminalia. Tergite VII longer than broad, anterior and posterior margins broadly convex, wing binding patch distinct, with two rows of 5–6 minute plectral tubercles; plectral rows not reaching posterior margin; tubercles visible minute, distinct under high magnification. Bursa more or less indistinct from vagina; vagina with walls weakly sclerotized; no internal sclerites visible.

Material examined. Lectotype (here designated): ♂, "N. Guinea Ighibirei , Loria. VII–VIII 90/ aucta Faust / Type " ( SMTD) . Paralectotypes: 1 ♂, "N. Guinea Ighibirei , Loria. VII–VIII 90/ aucta Faust / Type " ( SMTD) ; 1 ♂, 2 ♀, "N. Guinea Ighibirei , Loria. VII–VIII 90/ Syntypus, Asytesta aucta Faust 1989 " ( MSNG) . Non-type material: 1 ♂, "Br. N. Guinea, Papua Golf, E. Weiske/ 14822" ( SMTD) ; 1 ♂, "Neuguinea [illegible]/ Asytesta auctella [sic]" ( SMTD) ; 1 ♂, "N. Guinea, Pt. Moresby 3322/ Laloki, Papua, F. Nuir, 1909" ( SMTD) ; 3 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, "New Guinea: Papua, Brown River , May.21.1965/ E. J. Ford, Junior, collector" ( BPBM) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, "New Guinea: Papua, Brown River , May.21.1965/ E. J. Ford, Junior, collector" ( GPSC) ; 2 ♂♂, " Victoria , N. Guinea Coll. Doherty / Asytesta propinqua Faust , det. K. M. Heller 1912" ( MSNG) ; 1 ♂, "N. Guinea S.E., Loria. II 93/ Asytesta aucta Faust 1990 " ( MSNG) ; 2 ♀♀, "N. Guinea S.E., Hughibagu, Loria, V-IX 93/ Asytesta aucta Faust " ( MSNG) ; 1 ♂, "New Guinea, 76-32" ( BMNH) ; 2 ♂♂, "Laloki, Papua, F. Muir, 1909/ G.A.K Marshall, Coll., B.M.1950-255." ( BMNH) ; 2 ♀♀, " T. K. Scheibel, Rorona Papua, 22–6–23” [one with 29–6–23] ( UMO) ; 1 ♂, " New Guinea: betw. Vanapa and Brown riv. ca. 28 mil. N. of Pt. Moreseby, 2.IV.1965./ Coll. Dr. J. Balogh et Dr. J. J. Szent-Ivany " ( CWOB) . Lectotype for A. granulifera Lea (here designated): ♀, " Kuranda , Dodd / granulifera, Lea , Co-type / Asytesta granulifera, Coll. on N. Guinea " ( SAM) .

Distribution. Papua New Guinea: Central Province: Ighibirei (Astrolabe Range). Faust (1899: 69) reported additional specimens from Ighibirei, Hughibagu, and the Astrolabe Mountains.

Remarks. Faust (1898: 164) cites the paired lateral vittae on the pronotum that run parallel to the sublateral vittae in separating this species from A. verecunda and A. propinqua , which entirely lack lateral vittae. However, this character is unstable even within Faust’s type material for A. aucta as illustrated in Figure 139. I have selected one of the specimens labeled “type” from Faust’s collection as the lectotype to fix the name to a single specimen. Lea (1928: 76) notes that the type locality for A. granulifera (Kuranda, in North Queensland, Australia) is in error, adding that the specimens are likely from the Astrolabe range in Papua New Guinea where F. P. Dodd (the collector of that species’ type series) worked. I agree with Lea that his specimen most likely came from the Astrolabe range, not Australia. It is clear from my examination of one of Lea’s cotypes, that A. granulifera is conspecific with A. aucta . I have selected the cotype that was made available to me for examination (label data already provided) as the lectotype for A. granulifera in the case that the other cotypes that I was unable to examine are not conspecific.

Asytesta gazella (Olivier)

( Figures 159–160, 192)

Rhynchaenus gazella Olivier, 1807: 175 , pl. xxii Figure 303. Holotype not examined, presumably in the Swedish Museum of

Natural History. Tragopus gazella (Olivier) ; transferred Lacordaire, 1866: 160. Asytesta gazella (Olivier) ; transferred Dorn, 1879: 364. Arachnopus roundipennis Chevrolat, 1877: 189 synonymy by Heller, 1908: 23, also see Heller, 1933: 19. Holotype, not examined (depository unknown).

Diagnosis. This species lacks a dorsomedian longitudinal vitta on the pronotum and the background vestiture is immaculate and dark. There are several other species of Asytesta that are primarily covered in dark background scales with sharply contrasting white longitudinal vittae as in A. gazella (viz., A. arachnopus , A. fayae new species, A. gestroi , A. versuta , A. vittae ). However, all of these species either have the dorsum mottled with whitish or tan bloches or maculae (as in A. vittata ) and/or has a dorsomedian longitudinal vitta on the pronotum. Asytesta gazella is also the only species in the genus that has both sublateral and lateral longitudinal vittae and short transverse vittae on the sides of the pronotum.

Redescription. Measurements (n = 6): body length 5.4–6.5 mm (mean 6.1 mm), body width 2.5–3.0 mm (mean 2.9 mm), pronotal length 2.2–2.9 mm (mean 2.7 mm), elytral length 3.2–4.0 mm (mean 3.5 mm), rostral length 1.9–2.2 mm (mean 2.0 mm). Body oval, 1.9–2.2 X longer than broad; integument dark brown to black, antennae and tarsi light reddish-brown. Sparsely covered with dark brown scales, with densely distributed bright white scales in vittae, in sharp contrast to background squamae. Vertex of head, base of rostrum, pleura, coxae, basal portion of femora, and venter more densely clothed in brown to whitish scales; vestiture on femora and tibia interspersed with evenly distributed, white, hair-like setae; male with suberect, hair-like setae along ventral margin of protibia, setae longer than elsewhere on legs; dorsal edge of all tibiae lined with white scales; tarsi clothed with sparse, white, hair-like setae. Pronotal disk with pair of sublateral longitudinal vittae from anterior margin to base, slightly divergent past cervical constriction; pair of lateral longitudinal vittae at anterior margin entire; distinct transverse vittae from center of dorsal margin of procoxae intersecting lateral longitudinal vittae, not reaching sublateral vittae. Anterolateral region of pronotum with distinct, well defined ring of white scales enclosing area from lateral margin of prosternal canal to anterior margin of procoxae, with darker background scales in center (as in Figure 104); dorsal portion of ring extending beyond procoxa to basal pronotal margin. Elytra with fascia spanning entire anterior margin, fasciae reaching epipleural margin; humeri with pair of white, longitudinal vittae on intervals 5 from humeri to subapex, vittae not broadened apically, restricted to fifth interval; distinct sutural stripe of white scales from base to apex; epipleural margin with white scales from base to apex; dark areas without mottling. Mesosternum and metasternum and ventrites covered with sparse brown scales, ventrites 2–4 glabrous in middle. Scales fine (indistinct under low magnification), appressed to suberect.

Head. Visible in dorsal view, with semicircular, crown-like carinae on vertex above eyes (as in Figure 104), interrupted at back by glabrous V-shaped area where head articulates on pronotum, medial longitudinal carinae absent. Eyes flat, large, subcordate to nearly circular, posterior margin weakly truncate; interocular distance narrower than subbasal width of rostrum. Rostrum shorter than pronotum, parallel sided to just before apex, slightly broadened at apex, with small medial interocular pit at base often obscured by squamae. Basal 1/3 of male rostrum rugose, coarsely punctate to apex, with suprascrobal carinae on lateral margins straight, not produced or forming lateral tooth-like process. Basal 1/3 of female rostrum less rugose than male, apical 2/3 smooth, finely punctate to apex. Clypeus truncate. Antennal club oval.

Thorax. Pronotum 1.0–1.3 X broader than long, broadest at base; medial area weakly produced, posterior margin subtruncate. Pronotal disk evenly convex at base, weakly rugose with small rasp-like, setose granules; granules evenly distributed; punctures not obscured by vestiture, shallow, evenly distributed, spaces between punctures less than 1/2 diameter of puncture, each bearing one white to dark brown, hair-like seta. Prosternal canal deep, lateral walls vertical; mesosternal receptacle mesosternal receptacle slightly cavernous, lateral margins produced, posterior margin slightly open. Scutellum visible, diameter subequal to punctures at base of elytra. Elytra 1.1–1.3 X longer than broad, anterior margin truncate, declivity gradually declining to apex; punctures as on pronotum, basalmost punctures of each stria at anterior margin like all remaining punctures. Humeri not flattened or produced, subcontiguous with posterolateral margin of pronotum. Intervals convex, granulate. Granulate prominence on third intervals weakly elevated slightly before middle of elytra; prominence raised slightly above adjacent intervals, not distorting outline of dorsal contour in lateral view, terminating gradually at declivity; fourth intervals granulate, weakly produced, not elevated above fifth intervals, all other intervals not produced, lacking granulate prominences. Hind wing fully developed.

Legs moderately long, hind femora exceeding elytral apices by 1/3 their length; mesofemora exceeding elytral apices. Profemora bidentate; apical profemoral teeth not larger than teeth on meso- and metafemora; teeth simple, distal margin entire. Protibia strongly compressed laterally, ventral margin with flange distinct, tapering to apex, male flange terminating before tibial apex, female flange tapering to apex (as in Figures 45–46); dorsal margin weakly convex. Dorsal margin of middle and hind tibiae similarly convex. Apex of protibia with distinct suprauncal process; uncus and premucro well developed, broadly separated with small flange situated between, supporting terminal setal brush. Tarsomere 2 short, trapezoidal, strongly flattened (as in Figure 64).

Abdomen. Ventrite 1 distended, as long as or longer than remaining ventrites combined, on significantly lower plane than remaining ventrites, not overlapping ventrite 2; ventrite 2 partially folded into declivity of ventrite 1, slightly longer than ventrite 3 and 4. Intercoxal process on ventrite 1 broader than length of ventrite 1.

Male and female terminalia. As in generic description.

Material examined. 3 ♀♀, " Nuova Guinea, Ramoi Giug, 72, L. M. D. Albertis / Asytesta gazella Ol. , det. Pascoe " ( MSNG) ; 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀, " New Guinea, Ramoi II, Beccari 1873/ Asytesta gazella Ol. det. Pascoe " ( MSNG) ; 1 ♂♂, 1 ♀, Irian Jaya , Sorong Prov., leg. A. Riedel / road to Makbon, near Warsamsom Bridge, 100 m . 30.I.2001 ( ARC) .

Distribution. West Papua: Manokwari Province: Ramoi.

Remarks. This species is part of a complex of similarly marked species that includes A. vittata and other undescribed species. The unavailability of Olivier’s type material impedes the resolution of this species complex. My redescription is based only on a series of specimens from the MSNG that were identified by Pascoe and that closely match the illustration accompanying Olivier’s original description ( Olivier 1807: pl. xxii Figure 303) and three specimens collected by Alexander Riedel. As in Olivier’s figure (reproduced in Figure 2), these specimens lack a dorsomedian longitudinal vitta on the pronotum and the dark areas of the vestiture are not mottled with lighter scales. Although I am reasonably confident in Pascoe’s determination, I do not designate a neotype here based on his material in the hope that the original type material will be located. All other members of this complex have mottled elytra and a dorsomedian vita. Pascoe (1885: 259) reported additional specimens of A. gazella from Aru Island, Batchian (= Bacan Island), and Ramoi (West Papua), and Marshall (1915: 521) reported four specimens from Utakwa River (West Papua). Some of these specimens are unlikely to be conspecific with A. gazella and these range extensions require verification. Additional study is required to sort out the species included in this complex.

Asytesta propinqua Faust

( Figures 171–172, 192)

Asytesta propinqua Faust, 1898: 165 [key], 170 [description]. Lectotype, here designated, in SMTD. Labeled “Fergusson I., ix.x.xi.xii.94, (A.S. Meek)/ propinqua, Faust / type.” Type locality: D’Entrecasteaux Islands: Fergusson Island and Goodenough Island.

Diagnosis. The pronotum in this species is uniformly dark with a dorsomedian longitudinal vitta from apex to base and 12–14 evenly distributed, small, circular maculae arranged in 2 transverse rows and one pair at apex behind head. The vitta and maculae are in sharply contrasting with the darker background squamae. The elytra are primarily clothed in dark brown scales with lighter mottling created by patchy light tan scales. There is a whitish fascia at the elytral margin and short humeral vittae that stand out from dark brown scales. Two species, A. aucta and A. verecunda , are similarly clothed; however the vestiture in both of these species is much lighter in color and the vittae and maculae do not stand out against the background scales. There are usually only two small maculae visible on the pronotal disk of these species probably due to the concolorous light mottling covering most of the pronotal disk. Additionally, all three species have bidentate profemora; however the second or more proximal profemoral tooth is greatly reduced in A. aucta and A. verecunda and is barely visible in some specimens. Asytesta propinqua always has a distinct second profemoral tooth.

Redescription. Measurements (n = 4): body length 6.6–7.4 mm (mean 7.1 mm), body width 3.2–3.9 mm (mean 3.4 mm), pronotal length 2.7–3.1 mm (mean 2.9 mm), elytral length 3.9–4.4 mm (mean 4.1 mm), rostral length 2.1–2.7 mm (mean 2.5 mm). Body oval, 1.9–2.3 X longer than broad; integument dark reddish-brown, antennae and tarsi light reddish-brown. Densely covered with dark brown scales interspersed with large patches of tan scales, with more densely distributed dirty white to tan scales in vittae and maculae, not in sharp contrast to background squamae except on dark pronotal disk. Vertex of head, pleura, coxae, basal portion of femora, and venter more densely clothed in tan to brown scales; vestiture on femora and base of tibia interspersed with evenly distributed, white, hair-like setae; male with suberect, hair-like setae along ventral margin of protibia, setae longer than elsewhere on legs; tarsi clothed with sparse, white, hair-like setae. Pronotal disk with dorsolongitudinal vitta from apex to base; 12–14 evenly distributed, small, circular maculae arranged in transverse rows; one pair at apex behind head, one row of 4–6 maculae just before midline, one pair at midline very close to medial vitta, and one row of 4–6 just behind midline; maculae in sharp contrast to background squamae; short, sublateral longitudinal vittae reduced to small, circular, maculae at anterior margin; anterolateral region of pronotum with distinct, well defined ring of white scales enclosing area from lateral margin of prosternal canal to anterior margin of procoxae, with darker background scales in center (as in Figure 104); dorsal portion of ring extending beyond middle of procoxa to basal pronotal margin. Elytra with thin fascia spanning entire anterior margin in most specimens, margin between intervals 5 bare in some specimens, fasciae reaching epipleural margin; humeri with pair of white, longitudinal vittae on intervals 5 from humeri to subapex, vittae not broadened apically, restricted to intervals 5; faint sutural stripe of yellowish-white scales from midline to apex; epipleural margin with white scales from base to apex. Mesosternum and metasternum covered with dense white scales except transverse glabrous line at suture between sclerites, ventrites evenly covered in evenly distributed, hair-like setae, ventrites 2–4 not glabrous in middle. Scales fine (indistinct under low magnification), appressed to suberect.

Head. Visible in dorsal view, with semicircular, crown-like carinae on vertex above eyes (as in Figure 102), interrupted at back by glabrous V-shaped area where head articulates on pronotum, medial longitudinal carinae absent. Eyes flat, large, subcordate to nearly circular, posterior margin weakly truncate; interocular distance narrower than subbasal width of rostrum. Rostrum shorter than pronotum, parallel sided to just before apex, slightly broadened at apex, with small medial interocular pit at base often obscured by squamae. Basal 1/3 of male rostrum rugose, coarsely punctate to apex, with suprascrobal carinae on lateral margins straight, not produced or forming lateral tooth-like process. Basal 1/3 of female rostrum less rugose than male, apical 2/3 smooth, finely punctate to apex. Clypeus truncate. Antennal club oval.

Thorax. Pronotum 1.1–1.3 X broader than long, broadest at base; medial area weakly produced, posterior margin subtruncate. Pronotal disk evenly convex at base, weakly rugose with small rasp-like, setose granules; granules evenly distributed; punctures not obscured by vestiture, shallow, evenly distributed, spaces between punctures less than 1/2 diameter of puncture, each bearing one tan to brown, hair-like seta. Prosternal canal deep, lateral walls vertical; mesosternal receptacle very shallow, nearly obliterated, lateral margins weakly produced, posterior margin broadly open. Scutellum visible, diameter subequal to punctures at base of elytra. Elytra 1.1–1.4 X longer than broad, anterior margin truncate, declivity gradually declining to apex; punctures as on pronotum, basalmost punctures of each stria at anterior margin like all remaining punctures. Humeri not flattened or produced, subcontiguous with posterolateral margin of pronotum. Intervals convex, granulate. Granulate prominence on third intervals weakly elevated slightly before middle of elytra; prominence raised slightly above adjacent intervals, not distorting outline of dorsal contour in lateral view, terminating gradually at declivity; fourth intervals granulate, weakly produced, not elevated above fifth intervals, all other intervals not produced, lacking granulate prominences. Hind wing fully developed.

Legs moderately long, hind femora exceeding elytral apices by 1/3 their length; mesofemora exceeding elytral apices. Profemora bidentate; apical profemoral teeth not larger than teeth on meso- and metafemora; teeth simple, distal margin entire. Protibia strongly compressed laterally, ventral margin with flange distinct, obtuse, tooth-like in male, broader, gradually tapering to apex in female (as in Figures 48–49); dorsal margin weakly convex. Dorsal margin of middle and hind tibiae similarly convex. Apex of protibia with distinct supra-uncal process; uncus and premucro well developed, broadly separated with small flange situated between, supporting terminal setal brush. Tarsomere 2 short, trapezoidal, strongly flattened (as in Figure 64).

Abdomen. Ventrite 1 distended, as long as or longer than remaining ventrites combined, on significantly lower plane than remaining ventrites, not overlapping ventrite 2; ventrite 2 partially folded into declivity of ventrite 1, slightly longer than ventrite 3 and 4. Intercoxal process on ventrite 1 broader than length of ventrite 1.

Male terminalia. Tergite VII broader than long, anterior margin convex, posterior margin emarginate at middle, wing binding patch distinct, with two rows of 5–6 minute plectral tubercles reaching posterior margin, tubercles greatly reduced, distinct under high magnification.

Female terminalia. Tergite VII longer than broad, anterior and posterior margins broadly convex, wing binding patch distinct, with two rows of 6–7 minute plectral tubercles; plectral rows not reaching posterior margin; tubercles visible minute, distinct under high magnification. Bursa more or less indistinct from vagina; vagina with walls weakly sclerotized; no internal sclerites visible.

Material examined. Lectotype (here designated): ♀, "Fergusson I., ix.x.xi.xii.94, (A.S. Meek)/ propinqua, Faust / type" ( SMTD) . Paralectotypes (here designated): 1 ♂, "Fergusson I., ix.x.xi.xii.94, (A.S. Meek)/ propinqua, Faust / type" ( SMTD) ; 1 ♂, "IS. Goodenough, Gennaio 1899, L.Loria / Coll. J. Faust, Ankauf 1900" ( SMTD) ; 1 ♀, "IS. Goodenough, Gennaio 1890, L.Loria / Coll. J. Faust, Ankauf 1900/ 217" ( MSNG) . Non-type material: 1 ♂, "Fergusson Is., A.S. Meek 1894/ Museum Paris, ex. Coll., R. Oberthur " ( MNHN) ; 1 ♀, "Fergusson I. IX.X.XI.XII.94, (A.S. Meek)" ( MNHN) .

Distribution. Papua New Guinea: D’Entrecasteaux Islands: Fergusson Island, Goodenough Island.

Remarks. I have selected one the specimens that Faust labeled “type” as the lectotype for the species to ensure nomenclatural stability. Faust (1899: 69) reported additional specimens from Goodenough Island. The specimen shown in figures 171–172 is the darker form of this species. In other specimens, the dark scales of the dorsal vestiture are infused with many more light tan scales. Commonly, there are two faint transverse bands of diffused tan scales on the pronotal disk. One across the apical portion at the cervical constriction and another across the midline that is often somewhat M-shaped with the lateral arms reaching the posterior margin. Dark scales on the dorsum are then most visible as two irregular patches on either side of the medial vitta, extending from the posterior margin or base to the midline and a distinct dark band anterior of the midline and behind the cervical constriction.

Asytesta verecunda Faust

( Figures 181–182, 192)

Asytesta verecunda Faust, 1898: 164 [key], 169 [description]. Lectotype, here designated, in SMTD. Labeled “ Milne Bay, Staudgr./ Asytesta verecunda, Faust / Coll. J. Faust, Ankauf 1900/ Type.” Type locality: Papua New Guinea: Milne Bay and Mailu Island .

Diagnosis. This species is very close to A. aucta in general appearance, but is slightly larger and has considerably more dark scales or breaks in the whitish or tan mottling on the elytra. The second profemoral tooth is small but visible, unlike A. aucta . Asytesta propinqua is also similarly clothed, but has the pronotum and elytra more uniformly dark and the vittae and maculae stand out in sharp contrast, unlike the more muted vittae and maculae of A. verecunda and A. aucta , which blend in somewhat with the lighter background scales.

Redescription. Measurements (n = 16): body length 5.5–7.6 mm (mean 6.4 mm), body width 2.8–3.5 mm (mean 3.1 mm), pronotal length 2.5–3.4 mm (mean 2.8 mm), elytral length 3.0– 4.2 mm (mean 3.6 mm), rostral length 1.9–2.7 mm (mean 2.2 mm). Body oval, 1.8–2.3 X longer than broad; integument dark reddish-brown, antennae and tarsi light reddish-brown. Densely covered with patchy dark brown scales and light tan scales, with more densely distributed tan scales in vittae, not in sharp contrast to background squamae except apical portion of dorsomedian vitta on pronotum. Vertex of head, pleura, coxae, basal portion of femora, and venter more densely clothed in dirty white to tan scales; vestiture on femora and tibia interspersed with evenly distributed, white, hairlike setae; male with suberect, hair-like setae along ventral margin of protibia, setae longer than elsewhere on legs; tarsi clothed with sparse, white, hair-like setae. Pronotal disk with dorsolongitudinal vitta from apex to base; circular maculae indistinct; short, sublateral longitudinal vittae at anterior margin reduced, reaching middle of pronotum; faint transverse vittae from center of dorsal margin of procoxae to dorsolateral portion of pronotal disk. Anterolateral region of pronotum with distinct, well defined ring of white scales enclosing area from lateral margin of prosternal canal to anterior margin of procoxae, with darker background scales in center (as in Figure 104); dorsal portion of ring extending beyond procoxa to basal pronotal margin. Elytra with thin fascia spanning entire anterior margin in most specimens, margin between intervals 5 bare in some specimens, fasciae reaching epipleural margin; humeri with faint pair of tan, longitudinal vittae on intervals 5 from humeri to subapex, vittae not broadened apically, restricted to intervals 5; faint sutural stripe of tan scales from midline to near apex; epipleural margin with dirty white to tan scales from base to apex. Mesosternum and metasternum covered with dense white scales except transverse glabrous line at suture between sclerites, ventrites evenly covered in sparse, white, hairlike setae, ventrites 2–4 not glabrous in middle. Scales fine (indistinct under low magnification), appressed to suberect.

Head. Visible in dorsal view, with semicircular, crown-like carinae on vertex above eyes (as in Figure 102), interrupted at back by glabrous V-shaped area where head articulates on pronotum, medial longitudinal carinae absent. Eyes flat, large, subcordate to nearly circular, posterior margin weakly truncate; interocular distance narrower than subbasal width of rostrum. Rostrum shorter than pronotum, parallel sided to just before apex, slightly broadened at apex, with small medial interocular pit at base often obscured by squamae. Basal 1/3 of male rostrum rugose, coarsely punctate to apex, with suprascrobal carinae on lateral margins straight, not produced or forming lateral tooth-like process. Basal 1/3 of female rostrum less rugose than male, apical 2/3 smooth, finely punctate to apex. Clypeus truncate. Antennal club oval.

Thorax. Pronotum 1.0–1.3 X broader than long, broadest at base; medial area weakly produced, posterior margin subtruncate. Pronotal disk evenly convex at base, weakly rugose with small rasp-like, setose granules; granules evenly distributed; punctures not obscured by vestiture, shallow, evenly distributed, spaces between punctures less than 1/2 diameter of puncture, each bearing one white to tan, hair-like seta. Prosternal canal deep, lateral walls vertical; mesosternal receptacle very shallow, nearly obliterated, lateral margins weakly produced, posterior margin broadly open. Scutellum visible, diameter subequal to punctures at base of elytra. Elytra 1.0–1.3 X longer than broad, anterior margin truncate, declivity gradually declining to apex; punctures as on pronotum, basalmost punctures of each stria at anterior margin like all remaining punctures. Humeri not flattened or produced, subcontiguous with posterolateral margin of pronotum. Intervals convex, granulate. Granulate prominence on third intervals weakly elevated slightly before middle of elytra; prominence raised slightly above adjacent intervals, not distorting outline of dorsal contour in lateral view, terminating gradually at declivity; fourth intervals granulate, weakly produced, not elevated above fifth intervals, all other intervals not produced, lacking granulate prominences. Hind wing fully developed.

Legs moderately long, hind femora exceeding elytral apices by 1/3 their length; mesofemora exceeding elytral apices. Profemora bidentate; apical profemoral teeth not larger than teeth on meso- and metafemora; teeth simple, distal margin entire; secondary denticle greatly reduced, sometimes absent. Protibia strongly compressed laterally, ventral margin with flange distinct, obtuse, tooth-like in male, broader, gradually tapering to apex in female (as in Figures 48–49); dorsal margin weakly convex. Dorsal margin of middle and hind tibiae similarly convex. Apex of protibia with distinct supra-uncal process; uncus and premucro well developed, broadly separated with small flange situated between, supporting terminal setal brush. Tarsomere 2 short, trapezoidal, strongly flattened (as in Figure 64).

Abdomen. Ventrite 1 distended, as long as or longer than remaining ventrites combined, on significantly lower plane than remaining ventrites, not overlapping ventrite 2; ventrite 2 partially folded into declivity of ventrite 1, slightly longer than ventrite 3 and 4. Intercoxal process on ventrite 1 broader than length of ventrite 1.

Male terminalia. Tergite VII broader than long, anterior margin convex, posterior margin emarginate at middle, wing binding patch distinct, with two rows of 8–9 minute plectral tubercles reaching posterior margin, tubercles greatly reduced, distinct under high magnification.

Female terminalia. Tergite VII longer than broad, anterior and posterior margins broadly convex, wing binding patch distinct, with two rows of 6–8 minute plectral tubercles; plectral rows not reaching posterior margin; tubercles visible minute, distinct under high magnification. Bursa more or less indistinct from vagina; vagina with walls weakly sclerotized; no internal sclerites visible.

Material examined. Lectotype (here designated): ♂, " Milne Bay , Staudgr./ Asytesta verecunda, Faust / Coll. J. Faust, Ankauf 1900/ Type" ( SMTD) . Paralectotypes (here designated): 1 ♂, 1 ♀, " Milne Bay , Staudgr./ Asytesta verecunda, Faust / Coll. J. Faust, Ankauf 1900/ Type " ( SMTD) ; 1 ♀, " Mailu , Brit. N. G., July 95., ( Anthony )/ Coll. J. Faust, Ankauf 1900/ Type " ( SMTD) ; 1 ♂, "Mailu, Brit. N. G., July 95., (Anthony)/ 721/ Syntypus / Asytesta verecunda " (DEI) . Non-type material: 2 ♂♂, " Milne Bay , Brit N.G XII. 98, (A.S. Meek)" ( MNHN) ; 8 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀, "N. Guinea SE, Milne Bay , 14.28.2.69/ J. Sedlacek Collector, Bishop" ( BPBM) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, "N. Guinea SE, Milne Bay , 14.28.2.69/ J. Sedlacek Collector, Bishop" ( GPSC) ; 2 ♂♂, " Neuguinea / Coll. Kraatz " ( DEI) ; 1 ♂, " Milne Bay , N. Guinea, II. D.Poll / Asytesta milneana m.i.l., Det. K. M. Heller 1912" ( MSNG) ; 1 ♂, " Papua New Guinea, Milne Bay Province, Maura Village 19.11.80, Alotau, Coll. Esc. Smith / K-1798/ 34052" ( BMNH) ; 1 ♂, " New Guinea: Papua, Normanby I., Wakaiuna Sewa Bay , Dec. 11-20-1956 / W. W. Brandt, Collector, Bishop" ( BPBM) ; 1 ♂, "N. Guinea / 633/ Asytesta " ( DEI) ; 1 ♀, " Mailu , Brit. N. G., July 95., (Anthony) " ( MNHN) ; 1 ♀, " Nov. Guinea, Milne Bay ." ( MNHN) ; 6 ♀♀, " Milne Bay , Brit N.G., II.99., (A.S. Meek)" ( MNHN) ; 1 ♀, "Milne Bay, N Guinea / 943/ Buchannan, Collection/ Asytesta cinctella " (USNM) ; 1 ♀, " Milne Bay , N. Guinea, II. D.Poll / Asytesta milneana m.i.l., Det. K. M. Heller 1912" ( MSNG) .

Distribution. Papua New Guinea: Central Province: Mailu Island [type locality]; Milne Bay Province: Alotau, Milne Bay; D’Entrecasteaux Islands: Normanby Island.

Remarks. I selected a male specimen from Faust’s material that was labeled “type” as the lectotype for the species in order to fix the name to that specimen. Several specimens belonging to this species bear Heller’s determination labels with the manuscript names A. milneana and one with A. cinctella . I could not find any record of these names ever being published.

Asytesta vittata Pascoe

( Figures 185–186, 192)

Asytesta vittata Pascoe, 1865: 431 . Holotype in BMNH, labeled “Type, H.T/ Batchian/ Pascoe Coll., 93–60.” Type locality: Bacan Island [likely in error, see discussion below].

Diagnosis. This species has a dark background vestiture that is mottled with irregular patches of white scales and has a white dorsomedian longitudinal vitta, short sublateral vittae in the posterior half of the pronotal disk, complete lateral longitudinal vittae, and short transverse vittae on the sides of the pronotum that joins the anterior end of the sublateral vittae at a right angle. There are several other species of Asytesta that are primarily covered in dark background scales with sharply contrasting white longitudinal vittae as in A. vittata (viz., A. arachnopus , A. fayae new species, A. gestroi , A. versuta , A. gazella ). The short transverse vittae on the sides of the pronotum are not found in all of these species except A. gazella , in which the transverse vittae do not transect the lateral vittae or join the sublateral vittae and it also lacks a dorsomedian longitudinal vitta.

Redescription. Measurements (n = 16): body length 4.8–6.9 mm (mean 6.2 mm), body width 2.3–3.5 mm (mean 3.1 mm), pronotal length 2.0–3.0 mm (mean 2.7 mm), elytral length 2.8–3.9 mm (mean 3.5 mm), rostral length 1.7–2.1 mm (mean 1.9 mm). Body oval, 1.9–2.1 X longer than broad; integument dark brown to black, antennae and tarsi light reddish-brown. Sparsely covered with light brown to almost black scales, with densely distributed white to tan scales forming vittae and mottling on elytra, in sharp contrast to dark background squamae. Vertex of head, base of rostrum, pleura, coxae, basal portion of femora, and venter more densely clothed in brown to whitish scales; vestiture on femora and tibia interspersed with evenly distributed, white, hair-like setae; male with suberect, hair-like setae along ventral margin of protibia, setae longer than elsewhere on legs; tarsi clothed with sparse, white, hair-like setae. Pronotal disk with pair of reduced, faint, sublateral longitudinal vittae from midline to base; pair of lateral longitudinal vittae from anterior margin to base; distinct transverse vittae from center of dorsal margin of procoxae intersecting lateral longitudinal vittae, joining lateral vittae at slightly less than right angle. Anterolateral region of pronotum with distinct, well defined ring of white scales enclosing area from lateral margin of prosternal canal to anterior margin of procoxae, with darker background scales in center (as in Figure 104); dorsal portion of ring extending beyond procoxa to basal pronotal margin. Elytra with faint fascia spanning entire anterior margin, fasciae reaching epipleural margin; humeri with white, longitudinal vittae on intervals 5 from humeri to subapex, vittae not broadened apically, restricted to intervals 5; distinct sutural stripe of dirty white scales from base to apex; epipleural margin with dirty white scales from base to apex; dark areas with small, evenly distributed patches of whitish scales, more densely distributed behind midline. Mesosternum and metasternum and ventrites covered with sparse white scales, ventrites 2–4 glabrous in middle. Scales fine (indistinct under low magnification), appressed to suberect.

Head. Visible in dorsal view, with semicircular, crown-like carinae on vertex above eyes (as in Figure 104), interrupted at back by glabrous V-shaped area where head articulates on pronotum, medial longitudinal carinae absent. Eyes flat, large, subcordate to nearly circular, posterior margin weakly truncate; interocular distance narrower than subbasal width of rostrum. Rostrum shorter than pronotum, parallel sided to just before apex, slightly broadened at apex, with small medial interocular pit at base often obscured by squamae. Basal 1/3 of male rostrum rugose, coarsely punctate to apex, with suprascrobal carinae on lateral margins straight, not produced or forming lateral tooth-like process. Basal 1/3 of female rostrum less rugose than male, apical 2/3 smooth, finely punctate to apex. Clypeus truncate. Antennal club oval.

Thorax. Pronotum 1.0–1.3 X broader than long, broadest at base; medial area weakly produced, posterior margin subtruncate. Pronotal disk evenly convex at base, weakly rugose with small rasp-like, setose granules; granules evenly distributed; punctures not obscured by vestiture, shallow, evenly distributed, spaces between punctures less than 1/2 diameter of puncture, each bearing one white to dark brown, hair-like seta. Prosternal canal deep, lateral walls vertical; mesosternal receptacle mesosternal receptacle slightly cavernous, lateral margins produced, posterior margin slightly open. Scutellum visible, diameter subequal to punctures at base of elytra. Elytra 1.1–1.3 X longer than broad, anterior margin truncate, declivity gradually declining to apex; punctures as on pronotum, basalmost punctures of each stria at anterior margin like all remaining punctures. Humeri not flattened or produced, subcontiguous with posterolateral margin of pronotum. Intervals convex, granulate. Granulate prominence on third intervals weakly elevated slightly before middle of elytra; prominence raised slightly above adjacent intervals, not distorting outline of dorsal contour in lateral view, terminating gradually at declivity; fourth intervals granulate, weakly produced, not elevated above fifth intervals, all other intervals not produced, lacking granulate prominences. Hind wing fully developed.

Legs moderately long, hind femora exceeding elytral apices by 1/3 their length; mesofemora exceeding elytral apices. Profemora bidentate; apical profemoral teeth not larger than teeth on meso- and metafemora; teeth simple, distal margin entire. Protibia strongly compressed laterally, ventral margin with flange distinct, tapering to apex, male flange terminating before tibial apex, female flange tapering to apex (as in Figures 45–46); dorsal margin weakly convex. Dorsal margin of middle and hind tibiae similarly convex. Apex of protibia with distinct suprauncal process; uncus and premucro well developed, broadly separated with small flange situated between, supporting terminal setal brush. Tarsomere 2 short, trapezoidal, strongly flattened (as in Figure 64).

Abdomen. Ventrite 1 distended, as long as or longer than remaining ventrites combined, on significantly lower plane than remaining ventrites, not overlapping ventrite 2; ventrite 2 partially folded into declivity of ventrite 1, slightly longer than ventrite 3 and 4. Intercoxal process on ventrite 1 broader than length of ventrite 1.

Male and female terminalia. As in generic description.

Material examined. Holotype: ♂, "Type, H.T/ Batchian/ Pascoe Coll., 93-60" ( BMNH) . Paratypes: 1 ♂, "Wallace/ N. Guin " ( BMNH) ; 1 ♂, " Aru Islands , Moluccas " ( ZMUC) . Non-type material: 1 ♀, "Aru Wallace/ Coll. Haag " ( DEI) ; 2 ♂♂, "Isole Aru, Wokan, O.Beccam 1873/ Museum Paris, ex. Coll., R. Oberthur" ( MNHN) ; 2 ♀♀, " I. Aru, Wallace/ Collection, Desbrochers/ Museum Paris, 1965, Coll. A. CLERC." ( MNHN) ; 1 ♂, "44372/ Wallace/ N. Guinea " ( BMNH) ; 1 ♂, "Is. Aru, Coll. Jekel " ( MSNG) ; 1 ♂, "Aru-Jnsel, Wamma Dobbo, C. Ribbe 1883" ( SMTD) ; 1 ♂, "Wallace/ N.Guin, Aru Is." ( BMNH) ; 2 ♂♂, "Aru Is, Bahra/ Coll. J. Faust, Ankauf 1900" ( SMTD) ; 1 ♂, "Baly/ Bowring 6347/ Asytesta dec. (Pascoe)" ( BMNH) ; 1 ♂, " Moluques / Collection, Bovie thru, Buchanan/ Asytesta vittata, Pasc. " ( USNM) ; 1 ♀, "Aru, Asytesta vittata, Pasc. / Pasc., Jan.1870 / Coll. Roelofs / A. vittata , Moluccas Pasc. , Aru. R431." ( ISNB) ; 1 ♀, "Aru Is" ( BMNH) ; 1 ♀, "Aru-Jnseln, Ureiuning, C. Ribbe 1884/ Samml. K.F. Hartmann, Ankauf 1941.1" ( SMTD) ; 1 ♀, "Aru/ 1599" ( SMTD) ; 1 ♀, "Aru Is., Doria/ Coll. J. Faust, Ankauf 1900" ( SMTD) ; 2 ♀♀, "N. Guinea / Coll. Castelnau, Coll. Roelofs " ( ISNB) ; 1 ♀, " Coll. Castelnau, Coll. Roelofs " ( ISNB) ; 1 ♀, "44371/ Wallace/ N.Guin, Aru Is./ Asytesta vittata Pascoe, Aru Island" ( BMNH) ; 2 ♀♀, "Aru-Jnseln, Ureiuning, C. Ribbe 1884" ( MSNG) .

Distribution. Moluccas, Aru Island

Remarks. The holotype is from Batchian Island (=Bacan Island), which I suspect is in error. To my knowledge, no other specimens were collected on the island and all other material I have studied came from the Aru Islands.