Mecynotarsus mollis, Kejval & Cz, 2013

Kejval, Zbyněk, 2013, Taxonomic revision of the Australian Notoxinae (Coleoptera: Anthicidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (suppl.) 53, pp. 1-98 : 62-63

Mecynotarsus mollis sp. nov.

( Figs 80, 81 )

Type locality. Australia, Northern Territory 12°35′S 132°52′E.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: ♂, ‘ 12.35S, 132.52E Magela Creek, 2km N. of Mudgibarry HS., N.T. 14.xi.72, M.S. Upton [p] //AUST. NAT.INS. COLL. [p; green label]’ ( ANIC). PARATYPES: 4♂♂ 1♀, same data as holotype ( ANIC, 1 spec. ZKDC) ; 1 ♂, ‘[p] // AUST. NAT. INS. COLL. [p; green label]’ ( ANIC); 1 ♂, ‘ 16.08S 136.06E 22km WSW of Borroloola , NT. 2 Nov. 1975 M.S. Upton [p] // AUST. NAT. INS. COLL. [p; green label]’ ( ANIC) ; 1 ♂, ‘ 12.52S 132.47E Nourlangie Creek, N.T. 8km E of Mt.Cahill , 22.v.73, at light, E.G. Matthews [p] //AUST. NAT.INS. COLL. [p; green label]’ ( ANIC) ; 1 ♂, ‘ 12.52S, 132.50E Koongarra , 15km E. of Mt. Cahill, N.T. 15.xi.1972, M.S.Upton [p] // ANIC Specimen [p; green label]’ ( ANIC) ; 1 ♂, ‘ Bessie Spring 16.40S 135.51E 8 km ESE of Cape Crawford, N.T. 12.iv.1976, at light J.E. Feehan [p] // ANIC Specimen [p; green label]’ ( ANIC) ; 1♂ 1♀, ‘ AUSTRALIA, N.Territory Nitmiluk National Park, Edit Falls , 37 m alt, 14°10′S 132°06′E, 3.12.2008, St. Jakl leg. [p]’ ( ZKDC) .

Description (holotype, male). Body length 2.2 mm. Body, legs, and antennae reddish to reddish brown; elytra with vague brownish markings.

Antero-lateral margins of frons simple (not raised / lobed near insertion of antennae). Gular rugules somewhat coarser and ordered anteriorly as in Fig. 138 . Clypeal granules indistinct. Setation of head vertex mostly fine, appressed (no long raised setae), distinctly coarser around eyes and ventro-laterally.Antennae conspicuously long; antennomere II at most slightly shorter than III, antennomeres III–V 2.6–2.7 times as long as wide, X nearly twice as long as wide; basal 4–5 antennomeres with coarser setation.

Pronotum 1.7 times as long as wide, its lateral margins somewhat unevenly convex in dorsal view; posterior collar quite distinct; surface of pronotal disc with minute granules, especially medially near base of pronotal horn. Pronotal horn moderately robust and wide, its posterior angles at most indicated in dorsal view; horn margins armed with 4 rather long, apically rounded lobules on each side, apical lobule simple, widely rounded; horn crest distinct, with coarser, separate rugules on margins; submarginal rugules small, partly serial; about 7 distinct median rugules, well-spaced. Setation whitish to pale reddish, scaly, mostly appressed to subdecumbent, with a few erect setae, finer and sparser on pronotal horn dorsally, indistinct subapically; scales on pronotal disc of two sizes, smaller scales appressed, larger scales subdecumbent, linear and truncate apically; antebasal paired setae present both laterally and medially; several additional tactile setae present laterally on each side.

Elytra 1.7 times as long as wide; omoplates and postbasal impression absent. Setation whitish to pale reddish and brownish, somewhat mixed and also forming vague brownish markings, scaly, appressed to subdecumbent and evenly ordered; scales linear, somewhat unevenly long but not clearly double (uniform), rounded to subtruncate apically, moderately dense (surface visible); erect tactile setae absent.

Male characters. Sternum VII moderately produced and rounded medially. Tergum VIII and aedeagus as in Figs 80, 81 .

Variation. Body length (♂ ♀) 2.1–2.5 mm. Pronotal horn with 5–8 median rugules. Brownish markings of elytra vaguely indicated to quite distinct.

Differential diagnosis. Mecynotarsus mollis sp. nov. resembles M. regalis sp. nov. by the longer and sparser setation of the elytra (scales linear, surface visible), but differs by the somewhat more slender body, less conspicuous granules of the pronotum, lack of tactile setae on the elytra, and mainly by the shape of the parameres of the aedeagus (cf. Fig. 81 versus 107).

Etymology. The species name is a Latin adjective, mollis , -is, -e (= soft, delicate, subtle); named in reference to its delicate appearance.

Distribution. Australia: Northern Territory.

Figures

Figs 74–81. 74–75 – Mecynotarsus magelae sp. nov.: 74 – tergum VIII, 75 – aedeagus in dorsal view. 76–79 – M. mastersii MacLeay, 1872: 76 – sternum VII, 77 – tergum VIII, 78 – tegmen in dorsal view, 79 – median lobe in dorsal view. 80–81 – M. mollis sp. nov.: 80 – tergum VIII, 81 – aedeagus in dorsal view. Scale (0.2 mm): A – Fig. 75; (0.5 mm): B – Fig. 76; C – Fig. 77; D – Figs 80, 81; E – Figs 74, 78, 79.

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).