Stilicoderus meraukeanus n. sp.

Holotype (♂): Irian Jaya, Merauke, Senggo, trail to

Abau, ca. 100 m, 15.–17.VI.1994, leg. A. RIEDEL (SMNS).

P a r a t y p e: 1 ♂, same data as holotype (CRO) .

F u r t h e r m a t e r i a l: 1 ♀, same data as holotype (SMNS) .

Description

Body length ca. 4 mm. Proportions of holotype: length of head: 60; breadth of head: 65; diameter of eye: 26; length of antenna: 115; length of pronotum: 60; breadth of pronotum: 65; length of elytron: 75; breadth of elytra: 62; metatibia: 61; metatarsus: 35.

Pitchy black, labrum brown, mouthparts, antennae and legs rufo-testaceous, the femora slightly infuscate, the profemora less so.

Male: aedoeagus see Fig. 10, the ventral blade slender in both ventral and lateral views, curved dorsad and longer than the parameroid lobes which are not notably explanate laterally.

Differential diagnosis

S. meraukeanus n. sp. is virtually indistinguishable from other members of the hieroglyphicus group of comparable small size ( S. kolaensis, S. riedeli, S. riedelianus, S. sepikensis and S. peninsularis Rougemont 1985) except in the conformation of the aedoeagus.

Remark

The single associated female is doubtfully attributed to the new species because it differs slightly from the males in its slightly greater size and broader head, and in the slightly less dense puncturation and granulation of the elytra.