Pediomorphus obtusus, Will, 2019

Will, Kipling, 2019, Taxonomic Review of the Australian Genus Pediomorphus Chaudoir, 1878 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Abacetini), The Coleopterists Bulletin 73 (3), pp. 629-645 : 641-643

Pediomorphus obtusus, Will , new species

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( Figs. 13 , 19 , 32 )

Type Material. HOLOTYPE: Male. //“ Kununurra, N.W.A. 13-22.ii.68”// “U.C. Berkeley EMEC 705,250”// [deposited ANIC, Reg. No. 25-067869 ] . PARATYPES: WESTERN AUSTRALIA: 4 specimens - same data as holotype, EMEC705249 , EME705251- EME705253. 9 specimens- Kununurra , 22.xii.1991 - 6.i.1992, R.I. Storey. EMEC705239 , EMEC705241 - EMEC705248 , [ QDAF] . NORTHERN TERRITORY: Gregory National Park , at light, 1.vi.2001, AA Calder, EMEC705238 , [ ANIC] .

QUEENSLAND: Townsville , 17.i.1903, FP Dodd, EMEC705222 . Townsville , 5.ii.1945, B Malkin, [ USNM]. Rd to Broadwater at Blackbull Ck, 17°54 ′ 28″ S 141°08 ′ 45″ E, UV light, 7m, 31.xii.2007, K Will, AUS2007.xii.31.5, [ EMEC] .

Normanton , 20.v.1976, K and E Carnaby, [ ANIC]. 3 specimens – 55 km W of Normanton, Flinders River crossing, [ QDAF] .

Type Locality. Kununurra, Western Australia, in the vicinity of 15°47’ S 128°45’ E ( Fig. 19 ). The area has an elevation of about 50 m. Where not modified, the habitat is open savanna woodland and Ord River riparian drainage.

Diagnosis. Similar to P. variabilis but with the pronotal hind angles obtuse and not prominent. The male genitalia have several evident spine fields.

Description. Size: sbl = 5.4 [4.8–5.8] mm; greatest width across elytra = 1.9 [1.3–2.0] mm. Color: Dorsal and ventral surfaces castaneous; legs, mouthparts, and antennae concolorous or slightly paler brunneous. Dorsally distinctly and ventrally slightly shiny to moderately dull. Dorsally with spectral iridescence, venter, elytral epipleura, and legs with or without slight spectral iridescent. Head: Dorsal microsculpture not evident at 50Xx magnification. Clypeal-ocular impressions shallow, short, parallel, poorly delimited. Ocular ratio = 1.43 [1.43–1.56]. Eyes relatively large size, somewhat prominent, with small posterior orbital area, single subocular carina long, sharply defined, in some a second, short, low carina and region slightly rugose. Labrum with anterior margin slightly convex. Median tooth of mentum narrow, rounded or emarginate across apex. Antennae very long, antennomeres 8–11 surpassing pronotal base. Thorax: Pronotum dorsally with distinct punctures only in and around basal impressions, microsculpture not evident at 50X magnification. Pronotum widest across middle, lateral margins converging to base, not or only very slightly sinuate. Lateral marginal bead narrow, widening slightly near base and ending just at hind angles or rarely extending slightly and obscurely along base where bead, when present, is interrupted by irregular puncture; basal margin without marginal bead; anterior angles not prominent, broadly roundedtriangular; hind angles widely obtuse, not denticulate; basal impressions linear, broad, shallowly impressed, reaching basal margin. Seta at hind angle in marginal bead. Elytra parallel-sided, dorsally very depressed, epipleura in dorsal view very slightly sinuate at level of umbilicate marginal puncture 7. Elytral striae finely, shallowly crenulate-punctate. Basal third of striae 6–7 shallower and more coarsely punctate than other striae. Elytral microsculpture not evident at 50X magnification. Intervals flat or very slightly convex, more convex in apical third. Elytral plica very small, elongate. Prosternal process shallowly rounded to somewhat flattened, apically margined. Prosterna smooth except for a few very shallow, fine medial punctures. Meso- and metasterna coarsely punctate. Abdomen: Abdominal ventrites densely, finely, shallowly rugose. Aedeagus: Medium lobe long, with thin apical region slightly turned ventrally in lateral view, tip rounded in ventral view, 4 evident fields of spinules visible on endophallus in repose.

Etymology. The specific epithet is the Latin masculine nominative obtusus , which is a reference to the bluntly obtuse pronotal hind angles in these beetles.

Figures

Figs. 11–13. Pediomorphus species, dorsal habitus. 11) P. robustus, paratype; 12) P. storeyi, holotype; 13) P. obtusus, paratype. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 19. Localities of Pediomorphus species based on material examined and type localities.

Figs. 21–32. Pediomorphus species, aedeagi, left lateral view (A) and ventral view of tip (B). 21) P. planiusculus; 22) P. elongatus; 23) P. macleayi; 24) P. ruficollis; 25) P. variabilis; 26) P. crenulatus; 27) P. minor; 28) P. semilaevis; 29) P. punctatus; 30) P. robustus; 31) P. storeyi; 32) P. obtusus.