Hydraena fortipes, Perkins, 2017

Perkins, Philip D., 2017, Hydraenidae of Madagascar (Insecta: Coleoptera), Zootaxa 4342 (1), pp. 1-264 : 19-20

Hydraena fortipes , new species

Figs. 8 (habitus), 12 (aedeagus), 234 (map)

Type Material. Holotype (male): Antsiranana, Forêt d' Antsahabe, 11.4 km 275° W Daraina , sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood) tropical dry forest, elev. 550 m, 13° 12' S, 49° 33' E, 12 xii 2003, B.L.Fisher (BLF 10116) ( CAS) . Paratypes (27): Same data as holotype (24 CAS); Antsiranana, Forêt d' Antsahabe, 11.4 km 275° W Daraina , malaise trap, tropical dry forest, elev. 550 m, 13° 12' S, 49° 33' E, 12 xii 2003, B.L.Fisher ( BLF 10117 ) (2 CAS); Forêt d' Antsahabe, 11.4 km 275° W Daraina , yellow pan trap, elev. 550 m, 13° 12' S, 49° 33' E, 12 xii 2003, B.L.Fisher ( BLF 10115 ) (1 CAS).

Differential Diagnosis. Very similar in size, habitus and plaques to H. genuvela ; differing therefrom in the slightly less coarsely and less densely punctate dorsum. Reliable determinations will require examining the aedeagi, which differ in shapes of the main piece and the rigid gonopore bearing distal tube ( Figs. 12, 13).

Description. Size: holotype (length/width, mm): body (length to elytral apices) 1.78/0.86; head width 0.50; pronotum 0.37/0.70, PA 0.59, PB 0.60; elytra 1.19/0.86.

Dorsum dark brown, frons darkest; legs, pronotal hypomeron, and elytral epipleura light brown; venter dark brown; maxillary palpi light brown to testaceous, distal ½ of last palpomere not darker.

Frons and pronotum densely moderately coarsely punctate, clypeus more finely and sparsely punctate than frons. Punctures of pronotum larger than those of head, each puncture with short recumbent seta; interstices varying from narrow ridges to ca. 1xpd, interstices very weakly shining. Mentum sparsely finely punctulate and moderately setose, dull; postmentum subrugulose, dull. Genae raised, weakly rugulose, dull, with posterior ridge, interrupted in midline.

Pronotum widest at posterior 0.3, sides between anterior angles and widest part straight, converging very slightly, almost parallel, slightly sinuate behind middle; anterior margin distinctly emarginate behind eyes, very weakly emarginate behind frons; PF1 and PF2 shallow; PF3 and PF4 deep, area between them tumid.

Elytra nearly parallel sided over midlength area, arcuate posteriorly; summit of posterior declivity near midlength; lateral explanate margins very wide, margin minutely serrate, distance between serrations in posterior 0.5 ca. 2x those in anterior 0.5, row of punctures at base of explanate margin very large and very deep; serial punctures round, each with minute granule at anterior margin, separated by ca. 1xpd, ca. 1xpd of largest pronotal punctures. Even numbered intervals 2–10 raised and granulate. Sutural interval slightly peaked over posterior declivity. Odd numbered intervals flat, ca. 1xpd, shining. Apices in dorsal aspect separately weakly rounded, in posterior aspect margins do not form angle with one another.

P1 and P2 very narrow, subequal in width. P1 median carina weakly sinuate in profile. P2 with sides converging to pointed apex. Plaques moderately large, surface irregular and sparsely setose, located at sides of deep median depression. Metaventrite with very short point on each side, extended posteriorly from margin of each mesocoxal cavity. AIS width at slightly arcuate posterior margin ca. 3x P2. Legs short, stout. Male fifth abdominal ventrite with low transverse raised glabrous ridge. Abdominal apex with large apicomedian notch. Etymology. Named in reference to the strongly built legs, with robust femora.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Hydraena fortipes, holotype, habitus dorsal, lateral, and ventral.