Mecynotarsus nobilis, Kejval & Cz, 2013

Kejval, Zbyněk, 2013, Taxonomic revision of the Australian Notoxinae (Coleoptera: Anthicidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (suppl.) 53, pp. 1-98 : 63-65

Mecynotarsus nobilis sp. nov.

( Figs 82, 83 , 178 )

Type locality. Australia, Northern Territory, Keep River Xing [= crossing], 1 km ENE of Jarrnarm, Keep River National Park, 15°45′S 129°06′E.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: ♂, ‘ 15°45′S 129°06′E GPS NT: Keep River Xing 1km ENE Jarrnarm Keep River Nat. Pk. 25–27 May 2001 T.Weir & P. Bouchard [p] //ANIC Specimen [p; green label]’ ( ANIC). PARATYPES: 1 ♂, ‘ Qld. Greenvale 70 Km SW at light 22-31 Oct. 95 A.J.Watts [p] // SAMA Database No. 25-029010 [p]’ ( SAMA) ; 1 ♂, ‘ Australien, QLD Carnarvon Nat. P. Sekt. Salvator Rosa 1.97, leg. Wachtel [p] // Mecynotarsus amabilis Lea det. G. Uhmann 2002 [p] // compared with type [p]’ ( ZSMC) ; 1 ♀, ‘ Christmas Ck, 15 km W. of Fairview, via Laura, N. Qld. 26–27.vi.1975 G.B. Monteith’ ( QMBA) .

Description (holotype, male). Body length 2.6 mm. Body, legs and antennae reddish to reddish brown.

Antero-lateral margins of frons slightly raised near insertion of antennae. Gular rugules coarser and somewhat ordered anteriorly as in Fig. 138 . Clypeal granules minute to indistinct. Setation of head rather hairy, mostly appressed, with some long, more raised setae medially on vertex and basally. Antennae conspicuously long; antennomere II distinctly shorter than III, antennomeres V–VII most elongate, 2.2–2.5 times as long as wide, X 1.6 times as long as wide; basal 4–5 antennomeres with coarser to scaly setation.

Pronotum 1.8 times as long as wide, its lateral margins somewhat unevenly convex in dorsal view; posterior collar distinct; surface of pronotal disc with numerous scattered granules (sparser and coarser dorso-laterally), posterior collar medially with a pair of similar minute granules. Pronotal horn rather long, moderately wide, its posterior angles at most slightly indicated in dorsal view; horn margins armed with 4 rather long, apically rounded lobules on each side, apical lobule widely rounded and slightly emarginate medially; horn crest distinct, moderately wide, with coarse, separate rugules on margins; submarginal rugules distinct, numerous, somewhat unevenly spaced; about 7 median rugules, rather coarse and well-spaced. Setation whitish to silvery and pale reddish, rather heterogeneous, comprised of very fine, bifurcate to somewhat frayed undersetae (covering also dorsal side of pronotal horn), longer and coarser subdecumbent setae, and very long tactile setae; subdecumbent setae on pronotal disc linear and truncate apically; antebasal paired setae present both laterally and medially, somewhat difficult to recognize laterally owing to presence of numerous additional tactile setae (articulated near granules).

Elytra 1.8 times as long as wide; omoplates and postbasal impression absent. Setation scaly, whitish to pale reddish and brownish, forming brownish markings ( Fig. 178 ); scales of two sizes, shorter scales appressed, longer scales subdecumbent, both linear and rounded to subtruncate apically, evenly ordered, densely spaced (surface barely visible); several short tactile setae present near base.

Male characters. Sternum VII moderately produced and rounded medially. Tergum VIII and aedeagus as in Figs 82, 83 .

Variation. Body length (♂ ♀) 2.6–3 mm. Pronotal horn with 5–7 median rugules. Tactile setae of elytra longer and more numerous, present even in apical half for all three specimens from Queensland.

Differential diagnosis. Mecynotarsus nobilis sp. nov. appears to be closest to M. granulatus sp. nov. in sharing similarly widened to moderately lobed parameres, but differs clearly by the more heterogeneous setation of the elytra that is comprised of shorter appressed scales, somewhat longer, subdecumbent scales and tactile setae (elytral setation uniformly appressed in the latter species), as well as by the angled median margin (distally) and rather simply rounded apex of parameres.

Etymology. The species name is a Latin adjective, nobilis , -is, -e (= noble, high-born, famous); named in reference to the conspicuous setation of the elytra.

Distribution. Australia: Northern Territory, Queensland.

Figures

Figs 82–87. 82–83 – Mecynotarsus nobilis sp. nov.: 82 – tergum VIII, 83 – aedeagus in dorsal view. 84–85 – M. obesus sp. nov.: 84 – tergum VIII, 85 – aedeagus in dorsal view. 86–87 – M. parvulus sp. nov.: 86 – tergum VIII, 87 – aedeagus in dorsal view. Scale (0.2 mm): A – Fig. 86; B – Fig. 87; (0.5 mm): C – Fig. 85; D – Figs 84; E – Figs 82, 83.

Figs 177–185. Setation of elytra: 177 – Mecynotarsus kingii MacLeay, 1872 (Shoalhaven River), 178 – M. nobilis sp. nov., 179 – M. obesus sp. nov., 180 – M. parvulus sp. nov., 181 – M. phanophilus sp. nov., 182 – M. pilbarensis sp. nov., 183 – M. regalis sp. nov., 184 – M. speciosus sp. nov., 185 – M. weiri sp. nov.

Figs 133–140. 133 – Mecynotarsus setulosus sp. nov., head in lateral view (paratype, Fowlers Gap), 134 – M. excavatus sp. nov., apex of elytra in female (paratype, Aoue-Enga), 135 – M. grandior sp. nov., apex of elytron in male (paratype, Kimberley Research Station), 136 – M. obesus sp. nov., metatibia with tarsus (paratype, Hull River), 137 – M. excavatus sp. nov., male protibia (paratype, Aoue-Enga). 138–140 – head in ventral view: 138 – M. auripilosus sp. nov. (paratype, Kambah Pool), 139 – M. bullatus sp. nov. (paratype, Regans Ford), 140 – M. ziczac King, 1869 (Swain Reefs).