Mesoceration reticulatum, Perkins, 2008

Perkins, Philip D., 2008, Facial affect recognition in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis, Zootaxa 1864, pp. 1-124 : 31-32

Mesoceration reticulatum new species

( Figs. 39 , 43 , 103 )

Type Material. Holotype (male): South Africa: Western Cape Province, S. W. Cape, Nuweberg For. Sta., river stones, 34° 3' S, 19° 4' E, 14 November 1973, Endrödy­Younga (#247). Deposited in the TMSA . Paratypes (19): Eastern Cape Province, Tsitsikamma Mts. , 40 km E Plattenberg Bay, 34° 5' S, 23° 21' E, 7 March 1997, Hess & Heckes (17 NMW) ; Western Cape Province, Mt. Helderfontein , river stones, elev. 1150 m, 33° 55' S, 20° 52' E, 31 October 1978, Endrödy­Younga (#1497) (1 TMSA) ; Outeniqua Pass, North side, FRW 175J, stones in current; with W. hygrometrica & other moss, 33° 56' S, 22° 28' E, 3 November 1960 (1 AMG) .

Differential Diagnosis. Recognized among distinctum group members by the uniformly microreticulate and very finely punctate head and pronotum ( Fig. 39 ). The aedeagus is quite distinct from the other members of the group ( Fig. 43 ).

Description. Size (length/width, mm) holotype: body (length to elytral apices) 1.81/0.72; head 0.30/ 0.42; pronotum 0.38/0.46; elytra 1.12/0.72. Dorsum black or piceous, moderately shining, maxillary palpi piceo­testaceous, venter piceous, mentum rufescent, legs testaceous.

Head dull, labrum microreticulate. Clypeus microreticulate and sparsely obsoletely punctulate. Frons entirely microreticulate, sparsely finely punctulate on disc, punctures separated by about 3xpd; anteocellar sulci deep. Ocelli distinct. Mentum microreticulate.

Pronotum microreticulate, dull, cordate, widest in front of middle; anterior angles obtuse, posterior rectangular; sides finely margined, feebly crenulate; anterior margin shallowly arcuate over median 3/4, without hyaline border; moderately convex, finely punctate on discal reliefs, posteriorly with a few large, deep punctures; with 10 distinct foveae as follows: two deep median, an anterior elongate and round posterior, shallowly confluent, sharply margined; a smaller anterior and larger oval posterior admedian and a large anterior and small round deep posterior adlateral on each side, foveae dull; each puncture with a fine short seta.

Elytra widest at about distal 2/3, sides gradually weakly rounded, attenuate to apices; sutural apices acute; sides smooth, moderately explanate. Serial punctures small, about 1xpd of largest pronotal punctures, progressively slightly finer apically; seven series between suture and carina, 6th interval discrete to base; anterior rim of socket of each punctural seta simple, not at all granuliform. Intervals, except 8th, flat, width on disc about 2xpd, as are interstices between serial punctures; each interval with unilinear row of small but distinct, well separated, granules; 8th strongly costate for entire length. All punctures bearing a short fine seta.

Thoracic ventrites and abdominal ventrites 1–4 densely clothed with short setae, except glabrous midlongitudinal ridge on proventrite, mesoventrite plaques, and small glabrous shining triangular area at base of deep midlongitudinal groove on basal 2/3 of metaventrite. Abdominal ventrites as follow: 1st with sublateral basal carina on each side; 5th similarly clothed except glabrous subrectangular area occupying median 1/2 apically; 6th glabrous and obsoletely microreticulate, with posterior band of piliferous punctures.

Legs of male with two spiniform setae on apical protarsomere. Femora and tibiae effacedly microreticulate.

Females with explanate elytral margin very similar to males; elytral sutural apices slightly more acute; glabrous area of 5th ventrite rectangular, occupying all of median 1/2.

Wings fully developed on holotype and all dissected males.

Aedeagus length ca. 0.36 mm; main­piece produced apically, forming process more than 1/2 as long as distal piece, basal ring strong; distal piece straight or very weakly arcuate, depending on view; parameres terminating slightly beyond apex of main­piece ( Fig. 43 ).

Etymology. Named in reference to the microreticulate head and pronotum.

Distribution. Currently known from three localities in southernmost Western Cape Province, and one locality in southernmost Eastern Cape Province; all localities at about the same latitude ( Fig. 103 ).

Figures

FIGURE 39. Mesoceration reticulatum, dorsal and lateral habitus of holotype.

FIGURES 40–43. Mesoceration, aedeagi of holotypes. —40. M. durabilis. —41. M. disjunctum. —42. M. repandum. —43. M. reticulatum.

FIGURES 103–104. Geographical distributions of Mesoceration species.