Pediomorphus maximus Will, 2019

Will, Kipling, 2019, Taxonomic Review of the Australian Genus Pediomorphus Chaudoir, 1878 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Abacetini), The Coleopterists Bulletin 73 (3), pp. 629-645 : 633-634

Pediomorphus maximus Will , new species

Zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:30B9600A-D29A-4E68-A8B8-CC61AF2541E8

( Figs. 6 , 19 )

Type Material. HOLOTYPE: Female. //“ NSW; Omeo; -30:3:32; 148:54:14; Feb 2001 to [blank]; I. [Ian] Oliver, DLWC [NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation]; WALCOLOO291 (pit trap)”// “K 177034”// “U.C. Berkeley EMEC 1003862 ”// [deposited AMS].

Type Locality and Range. Only known from the type locality as given on the holotype. Omeo is the name of a homestead approximately 56 km WNW of Wee Waa ( Fig. 20 ), along Kamilaroi Highway. It is at approximately 160 m elevation and is largely open eucalyptus forest and pastureland.

Diagnosis. This species and Pediomorphus storeyi Will , new species, are the largest species in the genus, with P. maximus being slightly broader, more robust, and with a more depressed form. Its size and sulcate, nearly impunctate elytral striae distinguish it from other species in the genus.

Description. Size: sbl = 8.2 mm; greatest width across elytra = 3.1 mm. Color: Dorsal and ventral surfaces piceous to dark rufous; legs, mouthparts, and antennae paler rufous. Dorsally distinctly and ventrally moderately shiny. Iridescence not evident on head and pronotum, spectral iridescence apparent on elytra and proepisterna, otherwise not evident on ventral surface of body. Head: Dorsal microsculpture not evident at 50X magnification. Clypeal-ocular impressions broad, widening posteriorly, distinctly delimited laterally by convexity, not clearly delimited medially. Ocular ratio 1.43. Eyes relatively small, prominent, with large posterior orbital area, single subocular carina low, sharply defined. Labrum with anterior margin straight. Median tooth of mentum broad, flat across apex. Antennae moderately long, antennomeres 10–11 surpassing pronotal base. Thorax: Pronotum dorsally impunctate, microsculpture not evident at 50X magnification on anterior half, irregular, somewhat stretched mesh evident near base. Widest anteriad of middle, lateral margins distinctly sinuate in basal half.Lateral marginal bead widened near hind angles; basal margin without marginal bead; anterior angles prominent, broadly triangular; hind angles widely obtuse, not denticulate; basal impressions linear, well-impressed, reaching basal margin. Seta at hind angle in marginal bead. Elytra parallel-sided, epipleura in dorsal view evidently sinuate at level of umbilicate marginal puncture 7. Elytral striae sulcate, with very shallow, irregular punctures more conspicuous near base but not crenulate-punctate. Elytral microsculpture scarcely evident as very transversely stretched sculpticells. Intervals slightly convex. Elytral plica minute. Prosternal process rounded, with very shallowly marked margin, most evident laterally. Prosterna smooth. Meso- and metasterna coarsely punctate. Abdomen: Abdominal ventrites densely, finely punctate laterally and basally, impunctate medially and apically.

Etymology. The specific epithet is the Latin masculine nominative maximus , which is a reference to the relatively large size of these beetles.

Figures

Figs. 3–6. Pediomorphus species, dorsal habitus. 3) P. macleayi; 4) P. ruficollis; 5) P. variabilis; 6) P. maximus, holotype. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 19. Localities of Pediomorphus species based on material examined and type localities.

Fig. 20. Localities of Pediomorphus species based on material examined and type localities.