Hexarhopalus (Hexarhopalus) becvari, Purchart, Luboš, 2010

Purchart, Luboš, 2010, Review of the genus Hexarhopalus Fairmaire, 1891 (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Stenochiinae) from Borneo with description of new species, Zootaxa 2476, pp. 1-13 : 4-5

Hexarhopalus (Hexarhopalus) becvari sp. nov.

( Fig. 2 )

Type locality. Borneo, Sabah, Mount Trus Madi.

Type material. Holotype (♀ BMNH): BORNEO, Sabah, Mount Trus Madi, 12. iv. 2005, S. Chew leg., BMNH {E} 2006-36.

Differential diagnosis. Within the entire genus Hexarhopalus this species comes, due to corrugated surface of elytra and transversely connected interstriae, closest to H. sculptilis Kaszab, 1960 and H. birmanicus Kaszab, 1960 . It is, however very easily distinguishable as follows: pronotum longer than broad, oblique indentation in posterior angles large and deep, continuing with shallow groove anteriad, anterior half of pronotum dorso-laterally with two large swellings separated by a large, deep midlongitudinal depression situated in the first two thirds of pronotum, some elytral interstriae costate (in both above mentioned species pronotum is approximately as long as broad or slightly broader, oblique indentation in posterior angles extremely slightly indicated, pronotum without or with only slightly developed swellings and without large and deep depression, elytral interstriae convex, but not costate).

Description. Size of holotype 10.8 x 4.6 mm. Dark brown, dull, with labrum, maxillary palpi, antennae, tibiae, tarsi, basal portion of femora and elytral interstriae pale brown. Body elongate oval, glabrous.

Head smooth, glabrous, shagreened, entire surface simply and finely punctate. Narrower than pronotum in ratio 1:1.5. Frontoclypeal sulcus at the base U-shaped, very deep, almost reaching the clypeal margin. Distance between eyes 1.4 times as wide as their diameter (DV). Ocular sulcus normally developed, deep. Vertex very slightly depressed centrally. Antenna slender, 1.2 times as long as pronotum.

Pronotum glabrous, shagreened, slightly dilated towards the anterior margin, broadest in anterior third, PW:PL ratio is 1:0.9. Base of pronotum rimmed, roughly and densely punctate (size of punctures approximately as large as an eye facet). Anterior half of pronotum with two large swellings situated dorsolaterally. The latter extremely finely and simply punctate. The space between the swellings depressed midlongitudinally and very finely sculptured. Oblique indentation in posterior angles deep, continuing with lateral shallow groove, reaching anterior third of pronotum. Lateral carina normally developed, only slightly obliterated anteriorly, bent upwards and creating rim of anterior margin of pronotum. The latter obliterated at middle.

Elytra elongate oval, dilated posteriad, broadest behind middle and then directly narrowing towards the apex of elytra. 1.4 times as long as its width and 2.1 times longer and 1.4 as wide as pronotum. The basal margin of the elytra strongly carinated. Elytral suture flat. Each elytron with three corrugated costae, all of which end in two thirds of the elytral length. The first costae (inner – those nearest to elytral suture) not coalescent with the costa at elytral base but separated from them by approximately the distance of the combined length of the third and fourth antennomeres. The space between basal margin and the beginning of each first inner costa transversely with two large tubercles approximately as large as scutellum. Second and third costae coalescent with basal costa, apically (on elytral declivity) continuing with large longitudinal tubercles. The costae are connected by transverse wrinkles. The space between, and also after third (outer), costae with two rows of deep punctures. Elytral disc slightly convex (LV). Elytral declivity moderately steep. Scutellum triangular.

Prosternum, prosternal process, mesosventrite and metaventrite as smooth as prothoracic hypomeron and micropubescent. Metaventrite, 0.7 of length of mesocoxa. Abdominal ventrites smooth and micropubescent.

Legs smooth, simply and finely punctate. Femora glabrous. Apical half of tibiae with relatively long yellowish setae underneath. Tarsi sparsely pubescent above and with brush-like yellowish setae underneath.

Distribution. Borneo, Sabah, Mt. Trus Madi.

Etymology. I am very pleased to name this new species in honour of my dear colleague and friend Stanislav Beĕvář jr. ( Czech Republic), who kindly allowed me to participate in his recent revision of the genus Hexarhopalus (Beĕvář & Purchart 2008) .

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Habitus, dorsal view. 1. Hexarhopalus barclayi sp. nov. (holotype); 2. H. becvari sp. nov. (holotype); 3. H. ferreri sp. nov. (holotype); 4. H. iwani sp. nov. (holotype); 5. H. murudensis sp. nov. (holotype); 6. H. rolandi sp. nov. (holotype).