Mesoceration rapidensis, Perkins, 2008

Perkins, Philip D., 2008, Facial affect recognition in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis, Zootaxa 1864, pp. 1-124 : 34-35

Mesoceration rapidensis new species

( Figs. 44 , 50 , 104 )

Type Material. Holotype (male): South Africa: Western Cape Province, S. W. Cape Mts., Hawequas SE, water coll. in rapid, elev. 1100 m, 33° 41' S, 19° 6' E, 5 November 1973, Endrödy­Younga (#203). Deposited in the TMSA . Paratypes: Same data as holotype (6 TMSA) .

Differential Diagnosis. Differentiated from rivulare group members, except M. rivulare , by the proportionally small prothorax and wide elytra, and the more elongate maxillary palpi ( Fig. 44 ). M. rapidensis individuals are differentiated from those of M. rivulare by the pronotal foveae, with the anterior median fovea more elongate and more narrowly separated from the posterior median fovea, the deeper, larger elytral punctures, the narrower elytra, and the less reflective dorsum. Additionally, females of M. rapidensis are recognized by the produced, thickened and slightly upturned elytral apices and the semi­lobate anterior angles of the pronotum; males lack the two papillae which are present on the 5th ventrite of M. rivulare males. The aedeagi of the two species are quite distinct ( Fig. 50 ).

Description. Size (length/width, mm) holotype: body (length to elytral apices) 1.70/0.66; head 0.32/ 0.40; pronotum 0.34/0.43; elytra 1.04/0.66. Dorsum of head piceous to dark brown, pronotum and elytra dark brown, maxillary palpi and legs brown, venter dark brown. Body form quite flat. Eyes in dorsal aspect with about 7 facets in longest series.

Head with labrum microreticulate; clypeus effacedly microreticulate and moderately densely punctate; frons disc shining, finely, moderately densely punctate, laterally microreticulate; anteocellar sulci deep. Ocelli distinct. Mentum and submentum microreticulate.

Pronotum cordate, widest before midlength; anterior angles obtuse in male, more produced, semi­lobate, in female; posterior angles rectangular; sides finely margined, markedly crenulate; anterior margin shallowly arcuate over median 3/4, without hyaline border; discal reliefs strongly shining, very finely, very sparsely punctate, interstices ca. 3–8xpd; anteriorly and posteriorly with few much larger and deeper punctures; with 10 foveae as follows: two median, an anterior elongate and round posterior, well separated; a small anterior and larger, deeper posterior admedian; and a large anterior and large deep posterior adlateral on each side; foveae with few punctures, otherwise shining; each puncture with extremely fine, short, decumbent seta.

Elytra with sides smooth, arcuate, explanate margin well developed, continuing posteriorly to apices, wider in female than male; apices narrowly rounded in male, in female more produced, more acute, thickened, and slightly upturned. Serial punctures small, smaller than largest pronotal punctures, some ca. 1xef, interstices 1–2xpd. Seven series between suture and carina, except series 1–2 confluent over posterior 1/2, and series 5–6 confluent over anterior 1/4; series 1 very weakly striate­impressed; serial punctures non­granulate. Intervals, except 8th, flat or nearly so, strongly shining, each with unilinear row of very minute, sparse punctures, non­granulate; 8th interval sharply carinate. All punctures bearing a short fine seta.

Thoracic ventrites and abdominal ventrites 1–4 densely clothed with short setae, except glabrous proventral midlongitudinal area, mesoventral plaques, and small glabrous strongly shining subtriangular area basomedially on metaventrite. Disc of metaventrite moderately concave. Abdominal ventrites as follow: 5th slightly longer than 4th, similarly clothed except with large rectangular median area glabrous and shining; 6th glabrous and shining, with transverse band of piliferous punctures.

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

Wings fully developed on holotype and all dissected males.

Aedeagus length ca. 0.34 mm; main­piece straight in ventral view, apex extended as process about 1/2 length of distal piece, in lateral view main­piece slightly widened at origin of distal piece; distal piece sinuate in lateral view; parameres almost attaining level of apex of distal piece ( Fig. 50 ).

Etymology. Named in reference to the microhabitat.

Distribution. Currently known only from the type locality in southwestern Western Cape Province ( Fig.

104).

Figures

FIGURE 44. Mesoceration rapidensis, dorsal and lateral habitus of holotype.

FIGURES 47–50. Mesoceration, aedeagi of holotypes. —47. M. periscopum. —48. M. splendorum. —49. M. maluti. —50. M. rapidensis.

FIGURES 103–104. Geographical distributions of Mesoceration species.