Mesoceration semicarinulum, Perkins, 2008

Perkins, Philip D., 2008, Facial affect recognition in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis, Zootaxa 1864, pp. 1-124 : 40-41

Mesoceration semicarinulum new species

( Figs. 53 , 57 , 90 )

Type Material. Holotype (male): South Africa: Western Cape Province, Groot Toren farm, river shore and stones, 31° 20' S, 19° 44' E, 15 September 1994, Endrödy­Younga (#3004). Deposited in the TMSA . Paratypes (77): Northern Cape Province, Cape Farm Ezelsfontein , shore washing, 30° 24' S, 18° 5' E, 30 October 1977, Endrödy­Younga (#1407) (1 TMSA) ; No . Cape, Richtersveld, Oemsberg , river stones, 28° 27' S, 17° 10' E, 23 September 1991, Endrödy­Younga (#2791) (15 TMSA) ; Western Cape Province, Same data as holotype (61 TMSA) .

Differential Diagnosis. Among barriotum group members, M. semicarinulum is distinguished from M. drakensbergensis by the smaller size (ca. 1.71 vs. 1.89 mm), and the less shining head and pronotum. M. semicarinulum is similar in body size and pronotal punctation to M. incarinum ; differentiated therefrom by the proportionally narrower pronotum, the more sharply defined margins of the elytra series, and the slightly more rounded 8th elytral interval ( Figs. 52 , 53 , 60 ). The aedeagi of M. semicarinulum and M. incarinum also show a relationship ( Figs. 56, 57 ).

Description. Size (length/width, mm) holotype: body (length to elytral apices) 1.71/0.63; head 0.34/ 0.40; pronotum 0.37/0.47; elytra 1.01/0.63. Dorsum of head, pronotum, and venter piceous; elytra, maxillary palpi, and legs brown to dark brown.

Head with labrum and lateral areas of clypeus and frons microreticulate, dull. Disc of clypeus and frons shining, finely, moderately sparsely punctate, interstices ca. 2–4xpd; anteocellar sulci deep. Ocelli distinct. Mentum and submentum microreticulate.

Pronotum cordate, widest in front of middle; anterior angles rounded, posterior rectangular; sides finely margined, feebly crenulate; anterior margin shallowly arcuate over median 3/4, without hyaline border; discal reliefs shining, finely, sparsely punctate, size less than 1xef, interstices 2–4xpd; with 10 distinct foveae: two median, an anterior elongate and round posterior, shallowly confluent; a round anterior and slightly larger oval posterior admedian; and a large anterior and smaller posterior adlateral on each side; each puncture with a fine short seta.

Elytra almost parallel­sided, apices subtruncate; sutural apices rectangular; sides smooth, weakly explanate. Serial punctures small at base, smaller than largest pronotal punctures, progressively finer apically, discal punctures separated by ca. 1–2xpd; series 1 very weakly striate­impressed; anterior rim of socket of each punctural seta with minute granule; seven series between suture and very weakly raised 8th interval, 5th and 6th series not confluent. Intervals, except 8th, flat, weakly shining, very finely unilinearly punctulate, some punctures with minute granule at anterior rim of socket; width on disc about 2xpd. All punctures bearing a short fine seta.

Thoracic ventrites and abdominal ventrites 1–4 densely clothed with short setae, except glabrous proventral midlongitudinal ridge, mesoventral plaques, and narrowly along basal margin of metaventrite disc, strongly shining. Metaventral disc flat, with shallow midlongitudinal groove in posterior 3/4. Abdominal ventrites as follow: 5th similarly clothed except with large semilunulate posterior area, glabrous and shining; 6th glabrous and shining, with posterior band of piliferous punctures.

Legs of male with two spiniform setae on apical protarsomere. Femora and tibiae alutaceous.

Females with explanate margin of elytra slightly wider than in males, apices more distinctly obliquely truncate.

Wings fully developed on holotype and all dissected males.

Aedeagus length ca. 0.25 mm; main­piece short and stout, arcuate in lateral view, apex produced as short acute process, basal ring large; distal piece comparatively long, apical 1/2 much wider in lateral view than in ventral view, gonopore small and positioned off­center ( Fig. 57 ).

Etymology. Named in reference to the semi­carinate elytra.

Distribution. Currently known from three rather widely separated localities in western Western Cape

Province ( Fig. 90 ).

Figures

FIGURE 52. Mesoceration incarinum, dorsal and lateral habitus of holotype.

FIGURE 53. Mesoceration semicarinulum, dorsal and lateral habitus of holotype.

FIGURE 60. Mesoceration drakensbergensis, dorsal and lateral habitus of holotype.

FIGURE 90. Allopatric geographical distributions, lateral habitus, and aedeagi of three species in the Mesoceration barriotum group.

FIGURES 55–58. Mesoceration, aedeagi of holotypes. —55. M. barriotum. —56. M. incarinum. —57. M. semicarinulum. —58. M. compressum.