Pediomorphus robustus 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 : 638

Pediomorphus robustus Will , new species

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( Figs. 11 , 18 , 20 , 30 )

Type Material. HOLOTYPE: Male. //“ Austral. North.T. Mainoro, i.1958, leg. H Demarz ”// “ Pediomorphus macleayi Sl. S.L. Straneo det. 1958”//, [deposited NHMB] . PARATYPES: NORTHERN TERRITORY: 150 km W of Roper Bar, Roper Hwy , 14°57’02”S 133°32’59”E, 29.iv. 2014, 117m, M Langer, [cWR] . WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Kununurra , 22.xii.91- 6.i.1992, RI Storey, EMEC705240 , [ QM] .

Type Locality and Distribution Range. The type locality is Mainoru, Northern Territory, which is a station located at 14°02’ S 134°05’ E ( Fig. 20 ) at approximately 110 m elevation. From the type locality, it ranges west to eastern Western Australia.

Diagnosis. Relatively large beetles that are similar to P. macleayi but lack the enlargement of the first antennomere found in that species. Pediomorphus robustus also has distinctly different male genitalia.

Description. Size: sbl = 6.7 [6.7–6.5] mm; greatest width across elytra = 2.4 [2.4–2.2] 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 without spectral iridescence, venter, elytral epipleura, and legs without or without very slight spectral iridescent. Head: Dorsal microsculpture not evident at 50: magnification, scattered micro-punctulae on front. Clypeal-ocular impressions shallow, short, very divergent, well-delimited laterally, not clearly delimited medially. Ocular ratio = 1.40 [1.40–1.43]. Eyes moderate size, somewhat prominent, with moderately large posterior orbital area, single subocular carina long, sharply defined or low and region slightly rugose. Labrum with anterior margin slightly emarginate. Median tooth of mentum small, rounded or slightly emarginate across apex. Antennae long, antennomeres 9–11 surpassing pronotal base. Thorax: Pronotum dorsally with distinct punctures only in and around basal impressions, microsculpture not evident at 50X magnification. Pronotum widest well anteriad of middle, lateral margins converging to base, not sinuate. Lateral marginal bead narrow, widening in basal third and extending slightly and obscurely along base, interrupted by irregular puncture lateral of basal impressions by irregular punctures; basal margin otherwise without marginal bead; anterior angles prominent, broadly rounded-triangular; hind angles obtuse, not denticulate; basal impressions linear, broad, shallowly impressed, reaching basal margin. Seta at hind angle in marginal bead. Elytra parallel-sided, dorsally depressed, epipleura in dorsal view slightly sinuate at level of umbilicate marginal puncture 7. Elytral striae finely, shallowly crenulate-punctate. Elytral microsculpture not evident at 50X magnification. Intervals slightly convex, more convex in apical third. Elytral plica very small, epipleura sinuate at plica, but inner edge very small. Prosternal process flattened apically, deeply margined. Prosterna with fine punctures. Meso- and metasterna coarsely punctate. Abdomen: Abdominal ventrites densely punctate basally. Aedeagus: Medium lobe long, with thin apical region flexed ventrally in lateral view, tip broadly flat in ventral view, no spines or spinules visible on endophallus in repose.

Etymology. The specific epithet is the Latin masculine nominative robustus , which is a reference to the size and build of 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.

Figs. 14–18. Pediomorphus species. P. planiusculus: 14) Labial palp; 15) Base of right elytron. P. crenulatus: 16) Base of right elytron. P. macleayi: 17) Head, showing large antennomere 1. P. robustus: 18) Ventral view of head, arrow indicating subocular carina.

Fig. 20. 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.