Nothochaetes howensis, Lawrence, John F., Slipinski, Adam, Jäger, Olaf & Pütz, Andreas, 2013

Lawrence, John F., Slipinski, Adam, Jäger, Olaf & Pütz, Andreas, 2013, The Australian Byrrhinae (Coleoptera: Byrrhidae) with descriptions of new genera and species, Zootaxa 3745 (3), pp. 301-329 : 311

Nothochaetes howensis sp. n. (Figs 4D–E, 5A–C, 11C–D, 12F)

Diagnosis. This species differs from N. fasciculatus in its larger size and lack of pronotal and elytral fascicles, and in having the anterior edge of the pronotum straight (not anteriorly produced), the hypomeral carina straight and oblique (not strongly curved), the postcoxal lines on the metaventrite sharply defined, the phallobase about twice as long as wide and anteriorly rounded and the penis with a distinctive arrowhead-like apex ( Fig. 12 F). Description. Length 2.6–3.2 mm. Body length/elytral width 1.20–1.36. Color of dorsal surfaces dark reddish-brown to black; ventral surfaces similar or slightly lighter; antennae, legs and palps reddish-brown. Dorsal vestiture of long and short, erect, thickend acute, reddish-brown bristles and a number of very short, fine setae; bristles on pronotum somewhat curled but not forming fascicles; surfaces usually covered with debris. Ventral surfaces with short, fine hairs. Punctation of head, pronotum, elytra and ventral surfaces coarse and dense. Pronotum about 0.38–0.44 times as long as wide; anterior edge straight, not produced forward; sides sinuate with sharp lateral carinae; posterior pronotal angles acute. Hypomeral carina straight and oblique. Elytra about 0.82–0.97 times as long as wide and 2.17–2.57 times as long as pronotum. Metaventrite with sharply defined postcoxal lines; discrimen about half as long as ventrite. Metacoxal plates gradually narrowed laterally. Abdominal ventrite 5 with posterior impression, deeper in male. Phallobase about twice as long as wide, broadly rounded anteriorly; parameres subequal in length to phallobase, gradually narrowed to middle, then slender, parallel-sided and narrowly rounded at apex; penis slender and parallel-sided, with enlarged, arrowhead-like apex.

Distribution. Known only from Mt. Gower on Lord Howe Island.

Type specimens: Holotype, male: AUSTRALIA: NEW SOUTH WALES: Lord Howe Island: Gower Summit, D. Gully, 850m, 16.xi.1979, QM Berlesate, moss on trees, G. B. Monteith (QMB); Paratypes: 21, same data as holotype (QMB, ANIC, AMS, MVM, SMZ); 5, Lord Howe Island. Gower Summit (NE), 850m, 9.xi.1979, moss on trees, G. B. Monteith (QMB, ANIC); 5, Lord Howe Island. Gower, 850m, 26.v.1980, berlese rotted wood with fungi & moss, S. & J. Peck (ANIC); 1, Lord Howe Island. Big Creek at at Mountain Inn, 11.xi.1979, sieved litter, G. B. Monteith (QMB).

Figures

FIGURE 12. Byrrhinae aedeagi: A, Notolioon griffithi (Lea); B, Akidomorychus comatus (Oke); C, Notolioon bryophagus (Lea); D, Notolioon nodipennis (Lea); E, Notolioon simplicicornis (Lea); F, Nothochaetes howensis sp. n.; G. Brachybyrrhulus malleecola sp. n.; H, Notolioon cadamine sp. n.