Exocelina utowaensis 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 : 30-31

23. Exocelina utowaensis Shaverdo, Hendrich & Balke sp. n. Figs 14 A–F, 40

Type locality.

Indonesia: Papua Province: Nabire/Paniai Regencies, road Nabire-Enarotali, 80th km, 03°33.86'S, 135°46.47'E.

Type material.

Holotype: male "IRIAN JAYA: Paniai Prov. road Nabire-Ilaga, km 80 12.9.1996, 200m leg. M. Balke (96 # 22)" (NHMW). Paratypes: 23 males, 12 females with the same label as the holotype (NHMW). 3 males, 4 females "IRIAN JAYA: Paniai Prov. road Nabire-Ilaga, km 80 1.9.1996, 200m leg. M. Balke (96 # 10)" (NHMW). 12 males, 6 females "IRIAN JAYA: Nabire Prov. Nabire-Ilaga, km 35 Kali Cemara, 27.9.1997 leg. M. Balke (96 # 5)" (NHMW). 7 males, 4 females "IRIAN JAYA: Paniai Prov. road Nabire-Ilaga, km 65 29.8.1996, 250m leg. M. Balke (96 # 7)" (NHMW). 15 males, 10 females "IR 21-W. New Guinea, track Nabire-Ilaga KM 65, Kali Utowa, 250M, 18.-19.vii.1991 Balke & Hendrich leg." (ZSM, NHMW). 8 males, 14 females "West New Guinea/Paniai Prov./IR 21 track Nabire-Ilaga km 65 Kali Utowa, 250m, 18.&19.7.1991 leg: Balke & Hendrich" (CLH). 1 male "IR 20-W. New Guinea, track Nabire-Ilaga KM 59, ca.750m, 18.vii.1991, Balke & Hendrich leg." (ZSM). 4 males, 7 females "West New Guinea/Paniai Prov./IR 22 track Nabire-Ilaga km 62 250m, 24.7.1991, forest pools leg: Balke & Hendrich" (CLH). 3 exs. "Indonesia: Papua, Road Nabire-Enarotali KM 55, 774m, 22.x.2011, 03 29.796S 135 43.885E, Uncen (PAP09)", two of them additionally with labels "DNA M. Balke 4914", "DNA M. Balke 4915", (NHMW, ZSM). 24 exs. "Indonesia: Papua, Road Nabire-Enarotali KM 62, 340m, 22.x.2011, 03 31.684S 135 42.802E, Uncen (PAP11)", two of them additionally with labels "DNA M. Balke 4904", "DNA M. Balke 4905", (NHMW, ZSM). 16 exs. "Indonesia: Papua, Road Nabire-Enarotali KM 95, 160m, 22.x.2011, 03 34.193S 135 49.246E, Uncen (PAP13)" (MZB, NHMW, ZSM). 3 exs. "Indonesia: Papua, Road Nabire-Enarotali KM 111, 100m, 23.x.2011, 03 31.192S 135 55.426E, Uncen (PAP15)" (NHMW, ZSM).

Diagnosis.

Beetle small, piceous, shiny; pronotum without lateral bead; male antennomeres 3-10 slightly enlarged; sternite 7 concave; male protarsomere 4 with large, thick, strongly curved anterolateral hook; median lobe long, with very weak submedian constriction and apex narrow in ventral view; paramere large, with strong notch on dorsal side and subdistal part very broad, subquadrate, with dense, long, relatively thick, curved at apex setae. The species is well recognizable by its characteristic male genitalia and concave (also in females) abdominal sternite 7.

Description.

Size and shape: Beetle small (TL-H 3.4-3.8 mm, TL 3.85-4.1 mm, MW 1.85-2.05 mm), with oblong-oval habitus, broadest at elytral middle. Coloration: Head uniformly piceous or with dark brown anterior part; pronotum piceous, with reddish-brown anterior parts of sides, yellowish in anterior angles; elytra uniformly piceous or with narrow dark brown sutural bands; head appendages yellow, legs distally darker (reddish-brown), hind legs to dark brown; teneral specimens dark brown (Fig. 40).

Surface sculpture: Head with dense punctation (spaces between punctures 1-3 times size of punctures), evidently finer and sparser anteriorly; diameter of punctures smaller than diameter of cells of microreticulation. Pronotum with much finer and sparser punctation than on head. Elytra with extremely sparse and fine punctation. Head, pronotum, and elytra with weakly impressed microreticulation, dorsal surface, thus, shiny. Head with microreticulation stronger. Metaventrite and metacoxa distinctly microreticulate, metacoxal plates with longitudinal strioles and transverse wrinkles. Abdominal sternites with distinct microreticulation, strioles, and fine sparse punctation, coarser and denser on two last abdominal sternites.

Structures: Pronotum without lateral bead. Base of prosternum and neck of prosternal process with distinct ridge, anteriorly smooth, without anterolateral extensions. Blade of prosternal process lanceolate, narrow, convex, with distinct bead and few setae; neck and blade of prosternal process evenly jointed. Abdominal sternite 7 concave apically.

Male: Antennomeres 3-10 slightly enlarged (Fig. 14A). Protarsomere 4 with large, thick, strongly curved anterolateral hook. Protarsomere 5 ventrally with anterior row of 15 short setae and posterior row of 4 short setae (Fig. 14B). Abdominal sternite 7 very distinctly concave apically, with 8-17 lateral striae on each side (Fig. 14C). Median lobe long, with very weak submedian constriction and apex narrow in ventral view (Figs 14D, E). Paramere large, with strong notch on dorsal side and subdistal part very broad, subquadrate, with dense, long, relatively thick, curved at apex setae (Fig. 14F).

Female: Antenna distinctly more slender than in male; abdominal sternite 7 only slightly concave apically, without striae.

Distribution.

Indonesia: Papua Province: Nabire and Paniai Regencies. This species is known from the lower Utowa River area and one of its tributaries (Fig. 50).

Etymology.

The species is named for Utowa River from which many specimens have been collected. The name is an adjective in the nominative singular.