Exocelina brahminensis Shaverdo, Hendrich & Balke

Shaverdo, Helena V., Surbakti, Suriani, Hendrich, Lars & Balke, Michael, 2012, Introduction of the Exocelina ekari-group with descriptions of 22 new species from New Guinea (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Copelatinae), ZooKeys 250, pp. 1-76 : 9-11

7. Exocelina brahminensis Shaverdo, Hendrich & Balke sp. n. Figs 21 A–E, 47

Type locality.

Papua New Guinea: Madang Province, Adalbert Mts., near Keki, 04°42.30'S, 145°25.09'E.

Type material.

Holotype: male "Papua New Guinea: Madang, Adalbert Mts., creek nr Keki, 790m, 28.xi.1994, 04.42.300S, 145.25.089E, Binatang Boys leg. (PNG 53a)" (ZSM). Paratypes: Madang: 20 males, 27 females with the same label as the holotype (NARI, NHMW, ZSM). 2 males "Papua New Guinea: Madang, Brahmin, 150 m, 26.IX.2002 Balke & Sagata (PNG 024)" (ZSM). 6 males, 1 female "Papua New Guinea: Madang, Akameku-Brahmin, Bismarck Range, 750m, 25.xi.1994, nr 05.49.307S, 145.24.389E, Balke & Kinibel (PNG 114)", one of them additionally with a green label "DNA M.Balke 1524" (NHMW, ZSM). 20 males "Papua New Guinea: Madang, Usino, 260m, 15.iii.2007, 05.31.125S, 145.25.316E, Kinibel (PNG 158)", one of them additionally with a green label "DNA M.Balke 3319" (ZSM). 1 male, 1 female "Papua New Guinea: Madang, Highway nr. Madang, ford, 80m, 26.xi./2.-3.xii.1994, 05.24.405S, 145.38.213E, Binatang Boys, (PNG 117)", the male additionally with a green label: "DNA M.Balke 1523" (ZSM). 1 male, 2 female "Papua New Guinea: Madang, Mt. Tapo, 180 m, ii.2008 5 24.11.00 S 145 36 17 16 E, BRC leg. (PNG 178)" (ZSM). 2 males, 2 females "Papua New Guinea: Madang, Wannang, 230m 3.x.2008, 05.17.235S, 145.06.160E, Posman (PNG188)", one of them additionally with a green label "DNA M.Balke 3760" (ZSM). 3 males, 6 females "Papua New Guinea: Madang, Wannang, 270m, 31.x.2008, 05.15.458S 145.02.389, Posman, (PNG187)", one of them additionally with a green label: "DNA M. Balke 4168" (NHMW, ZSM). 29 males, 24 females "Papua New Guinea: Madang, Adalbert Mts., Sewan- Keki, 700m, 4.v.1994, 04.42.215S, 145.25.154E, Balke & Manaono (PNG 51)" (NHMW, ZSM). 14 males, 11 females "Papua New Guinea: Madang, Adalbert Mts., Keki, 850m, 5.v.1994, nr 04.42.300S, 145.25.089E, Balke & Manaono (PNG 52)" (NHMW, ZSM). 45 males, 29 females "Papua New Guinea: Madang, Adalbert Mts., below Keki, 790m, 5.v.1994, 04.42.300S, 145.25.089E, Balke & Manaono (PNG 53)" (NHMW, ZSM). 2 males, 6 females "Papua New Guinea: Madang, Adalbert Mts., Keki to Sewan, 650m, 7.v.1994, 04.41.802S, 145.25.460E, Balke (PNG 54)", one of them additionally with a green label "DNA M.Balke 1298" (ZSM). 15 males, 16 females "Papua New Guinea: Madang, Keki, Adalbert Mts., 400m, 29.xi.1994, 04.43.058S, 145.24.437E, Binatang Boys, (PNG 119)" (NHMW, ZSM). 44 males, 35 females "Papua New Guinea: Madang, Keki-Sewan, Adalbert Mts., 700m, 30.xi.1994 nr 04.41.802S, 145.25.460E Binatang Boys (PNG 120)" (NHMW, ZSM). Sandaun: 2 males "Papua New Guinea: Sandaun, Toricelli Mts., village below Sibilanga Stn., 400m, 18.iv.1994, nr 03.26.750S, 142.29.949E, Balke (PNG 42)", one of them additionally with a green label "DNA M.Balke 1293" (ZSM). 13 males, 8 females "Papua New Guinea: Sandaun, Toricelli Mts., 2h walk fr Sibilanga Stn., 350m, 19.iv.1994, 03.39.121S, 142.29.991E, Balke (PNG 44)" (NHMW, ZSM). East Sepik: 2 males, 2 females "Papua New Guinea: East Sepik, Prince Alexander Mts., Wewak, 400m, 21.iv.1994, 03.37.319S, 143.36.764E, Balke (PNG 45)", one of them additionally with a green label "DNA M.Balke 1294" (NHMW, ZSM). Morobe: 1 male "Papua New Guinea: Morobe, Herzog Mts., Bundun, 700-800m, 2.iv.1994, 06.51.598S, 146.37.07E, Balke & Sagata (PNG 27)" (ZSM).

Additional material.

8 females "Papua New Guinea: Madang, Keki, Adalbert Mts., 400m, 29.xi.1994, 04.43.058S, 145.24.437E, Binatang Boys, (PNG 119)" (NHMW, ZSM). 8 females "Papua New Guinea: Madang, Keki-Sewan, Adalbert Mts., 700m, 30.xi.1994 nr 04.41.802S, 145.25.460E Binatang Boys (PNG 120)" (NHMW, ZSM). These females most likely belong to Exocelina brahminensis sp. n. However, the sure separation from Exocelina larsoni (Balke, 1998) is not possible because of more strongly developed traces of a lateral bead of the pronotum.

Diagnosis.

Beetle small, piceous, with reddish brown head and pronotum, shiny; pronotum without lateral bead or with weak traces of lateral bead; male antennomeres simple; male protarsomere 4 with large, thick, strongly curved anterolateral hook; median lobe with weak submedian constriction in ventral view; paramere with strong notch on dorsal side, with notch tip sharply pointed, and subdistal part elongate, with upper setae thin and more numerous and lower setae shorter, thick, and flattend. The species is similar to Exocelina eme sp. n., from which it differs by simple male antennae and the shape of the male genialia, especially by the strong notch of the paramere and its sharply poined tip.

Description.

Size and shape: Beetle small (TL-H 3.15-3.3 mm, TL 3.5-3.65 mm, MW 1.7-1.8 mm), with oblong-oval habitus, broadest at elytral middle. Coloration: Head reddish-brown, darker posterior eyes; pronotum reddish-brown, with slightly darker disc; elytra piceous, with dark brown sutural bands; head appendages yellow to yellowish-red, legs distally darker, to dark brown (Fig. 47).

Surface sculpture: as in Exocelina eme sp. n.

Structures: Pronotum without lateral bead or with weak traces of lateral bead. Base of prosternum and neck of prosternal process with distinct ridge, anteriorly smooth, without anterolateral extensions. Blade of prosternal process lanceolate, relatively broad, convex, with distinct bead and few setae; neck and blade of prosternal process evenly jointed. Abdominal sternite 7 broadly rounded apically.

Male: Antenna simple (Fig. 21A). Protarsomere 4 with large, thick, strongly curved anterolateral hook. Protarsomere 5 ventrally with anterior row of 16 short setae and posterior row with 7 short setae (Fig. 21B). Abdominal sternite 7 with 6-13 lateral striae on each side. Median lobe with weak submedian constriction in ventral view (Fig. 21C). Paramere with strong notch on dorsal side, with notch tip sharply pointed, and subdistal part elongate, with upper setae thin and more numerous and lower setae shorter, thick, and flattend (Fig. 21E).

Female: Traces of the pronotal lateral bead developed stronger in some specimens; abdominal sternite 7 without striae.

Distribution.

Papua New Guinea. This species is wide distributed in the Momase Region: Sandaun, East Sepik, Madang, and Morobe Provinces (Fig. 50).

Etymology.

The name refers to the village Brahmin where this species was first discovered. The species name is an adjective in the nominative singular.