Mataranka, Hlaváč, Peter, 2016

Hlaváč, Peter, 2016, Mataranka bilyi, a new peculiar genus and species of Clavigeritae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae) from Australia, Zootaxa 4072 (1), pp. 126-134 : 127

Mataranka gen. nov.

( Figs. 1−3 )

Type species: Mataranka bilyi sp. nov. Present designation.

Diagnosis. Medium-sized Clavigerine of the subtribe Clavigerodina with antennae composed of 6 antennomeres, two terminal antennomeres enlarged and strongly modified, this is most probably sexual character of males, trichomes weakly defined and located only on fused paratergites, male lacking any sexual characters on midlegs.

Description. Body ( Fig. 1 ) reddish-brown, antennae and legs slightly lighter.

Head widest across eyes, rostrum strongly projecting, about as long as half length of head, anterior margin straight, posterior part wider, eyes large, prominent, hemispherical. Head capsule with short sparse setation, clearly separated by occipital constriction from neck region which is dorsally entirely retracted into pronotum. Antennae long, with six antennomeres, scape small, hardly visible dorsally, II −IV subequal, V and VI strongly modified. Ventral part of head with strong, uneven microsculpture, with two posterior tentorial pits and median triangular depression.

Pronotum about as long as wide, widest in posterior portion, surface rugose, with well-defined median antebasal fovea, slightly shorter than head.

Mesoventrite short, with strongly elevated, sharp mesoventral carina; almost whole surface of metaventrite with elongate, dense, almost evenly parallel furrows, disc of metaventrite with large, deep depression, hind corners of metaventral depression in front of metacoxae with sharp horn-like processes, posterior metaventral process wide, slightly concave, with shagreened surface. First visible sternite (III) about half as long as second (IV), with tuft of golden setae medially, third visible sternite (V) slightly longer than first (III).

Elytra about 1.4 times as long as pronotum, lacking basal foveae, with well-defined, entire discal and sutural striae, surface unevenly striated with sparse setation, posterior margin with longer, gold setae. Posterior angles rounded.

Abdomen with composite tergite (IV −VI) with deep, median, basal impression interrupted by short but prominent median keel, disc of composite tergite strongly convex, unevenly longitudinaly striated with sparse uneven setae. Paratergites of composite tergite well-developed, fused, bearing very small trichomes.

Legs simple, slender, lacking modification, with sparse long setae.

Aedeagus ( Figs. 2−3 ) symmetric, parameres fused to median lobe, with bifurcate sclerite, basal bulb robust, distinctly longer and well-delimited from small pointed apical lobe, dorsal diaphragm large, oval.

Sexual dimorphism. Female unknown.

Differential diagnosis. The new genus differs from all other members of the subtribe Clavigerodina by the combination of following characters: 1) the antennae with 6 antennomeres, the two terminal antennomeres strongly modified in male, 2) the composite tergite of abdomen with a deep, basal impression interrupted by a median keel, 3) the middle legs simple, lacking spines or any other modifications.

Distribution. Australia (Northern Territory).

Etymology. The name of the new genus refers to Mataranka , the locality where the new species was collected. Gender feminine.

Figures

FIGURES 1. Mataranka bilyi gen. & sp. nov., male holotype: habitus.

FIGURES 2 – 3. Mataranka bilyi gen. & sp. nov., male holotype: 2, aedeagus, dorsal view; 3, aedeagus, lateral view.