Macratria areare Telnov, 2011

Telnov, Dmitry, 2024, Contribution to the knowledge of the Anthicidae Latreille, 1819 (Coleoptera) of the Solomon Archipelago with notes on some Indo-Pacific Sapintus Casey, 1895, Zootaxa 5507 (1), pp. 79-103 : 94-96

Macratria areare Telnov, 2011 ( Figs 10 , 15 )

Telnov (2011a: 112, 270, 271, 279, pl. 17 figs 11‒12) original description, key, ecology, checklist, figures.

Type material. BMNH.

New material examined. 1 specimen BMNH; 2157 // SOLOMON IS. Guadalcanal KauKau 20.viii.1934 R A Lever // Pres by Com Inst Ent B M 1967-3 ; 1 specimen BMNH: 3163 // SOLOMON IS. Guadalcanal Lavoro H. T. Pagden 3. ix. 1934 Wila fig. // Pres by Com Inst Ent B M 1967-3 ; 17♂ ♀ BMNH: SOLOMON ISLANDS, Choiseul Is., Sasamugga area, Vanami vill. NE env. Vavudu stream valley, 7°01’46”S 156°45’55”E, 26–30.iv.2023, 20–25 m, disturbed lowland rainforest on basalt, riverside, underside of Ficus sp. leaves, leg. D.Telnov ; 14♂ ♀ BMNH: SOLOMON ISLANDS, Choiseul (Lauru) Is., Kolombangara River valley , along Bislata stream, 1 km around 6°59’34”S 156°46’33”E, 28.iv.2023, 40–60 m, primary lowland rainforest, leg. D.Telnov ; 1♂ BMNH: SOLOMON ISLANDS, Guadalcanal Is. , Honiara ~ 13 km WNW, 9°23’0”S 159°51’18”E, 6.v. 2023, 20 m, secondary vegetation at riverside, leg. D.Telnov.

First record from Choiseul Province and Choiseul Island, first record of the family Anthicidae for Choiseul Island.

Ecology. Specimens observed accumulated in considerable numbers on the underside of leaves of young Ficus sp. and other riverside vegetation in shady conditions in primary and disturbed lowland rainforest. Specimens were active at midday time, actively flying and escaping the collector’s net and exhauster.

Distribution. Endemic to the Solomon Islands and most widely distributed across the archipelago. Yet recorded from Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Malaita, and Santa Isabel ( Fig. 15 ). ‘Kaukau’ on some labels to be read Kaoka.

Morphology. The figures of male aedeagus as provided in the original description are suboptimal. Additional illustration is therefore provided herein ( Fig. 10 ).

Figures

FIGURE 10. Aedeagus of Macratria areare Telnov, 2011, specimen from Choiseul Island, Kolombangara River. A–General view; B–Apex of the apicale [not to scale].

FIGURE 15. Distribution records of Macratria Newman, 1838 in the Solomon Archipelago. White square–M. abscondita Telnov, 2011; Black and white circles–M. areare Telnov, 2011; squares–M. nguzunguzu Telnov, 2011; white and red circles–M. pamelaschmidti Telnov, 2011; star–M. vaturanga Telnov, 2011. Black line: schematic Pleistocene landmasses of the Greater Bukida and Greater Gatumbangara islands and other sea-minimum landmasses in the Solomon Archipelago.