Mesoceration drakensbergensis, Perkins, 2008

Perkins, Philip D., 2008, Facial affect recognition in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis, Zootaxa 1864, pp. 1-124 : 43-44

Mesoceration drakensbergensis new species

( Figs. 60 , 64 , 102 )

Type Material. Holotype (male): Lesotho: Drakensberg , Sani Pass Valley, water collection, 29° 36' S, 29° 20' E, 8 March 1976, Endrödy­Younga (#1053). Deposited in the TMSA . Paratypes (15): Lesotho: Dikolobeng River , 11 mi. NE Quthing, SSAE 237, river, 30° 23' S, 27° 43' E, 16 March 1951, Brinck & Rudebeck (1 LUM) ; Drakensberg, Sani Pass Valley , shore washing, 29° 36' S, 29° 20' E, 10 March 1976, Endrödy­ Younga (#1062) (1 TMSA) ; Drakensberg, Sani Pass Valley , water collection, 29° 36' S, 29° 20' E, 8 March 1976, Endrödy­Younga (#1053) (10 TMSA) ; Mamathes, 5 mi. E. Teyateyneng , SSAE 252, 29° 9' S, 27° 50' E, 29 March 1951, Brinck & Rudebeck (1 LUM) ; South Africa: Eastern Cape Province, Drakensbergen , 5 mi. ENE Rhodes, 30° 44' S, 28° 3' E, 10 March 1951, Brinck & Rudebeck (SSAE 222) (1 LUM) ; Mpumalanga Province, Station 9, headwaters of Wilge River , VAL 641G, stones in current (surbers sampler), 28° 11' S, 29° 33' E (1 AMG) .

Differential Diagnosis. M. drakensbergensis individuals are recognized among barriotum group members by the large size (ca. 1.89 mm), the strongly shining, finely punctulate pronotal reliefs, and the lack of an elytral carina ( Fig. 60 ). The aedeagus of M. drakensbergensis bears some resemblance to that of M. integer ( Figs. 63, 64 ), a much smaller species with very different habitus ( Fig. 59 ).

Description. Size (length/width, mm) holotype: body (length to elytral apices) 1.89/0.69; head 0.34/ 0.43; pronotum 0.41/0.53; elytra 1.07/0.69. Dorsum brown to dark brown, head and pronotal disc usually darker than elytra; maxillary palpi and legs testaceous; venter piceous.

Head with labrum effacedly microreticulate, very finely punctulate, apicomedially narrowly notched to about 2/5 length of labrum. Frons and clypeus finely, sparsely punctulate, both shining on disc and dull, microreticulate, laterally, interstices on frons disc 3–4xpd, punctures much smaller than eye­facet. Oblique sublateral impressions of frons well marked, finely microreticulate. Mentum and submentum effacedly microreticulate, weakly shining. Eyes moderately small, in dorsal aspect about 6 facets in longest series.

Pronotum cordate, widest near anterior 1/3; anterior margin shallowly arcuate over median 2/3, without hyaline border; anterior angles very weakly lobate, posterior angles almost rectangular; sides finely margined, weakly crenulate; reliefs strongly shining, very finely, very sparsely punctulate; anteriorly and posteriorly with few large, deep punctures, not rugulose; 10 dorsal foveae: two in midline, well separated, anterior longer and narrower than posterior; one small round anterior and one slightly larger oval posterior admedian on each side; and one large moderately shallow and one smaller, deep posterior sublateral; all foveae effacedly microreticulate.

Elytra almost parallel­sided; disc very weakly, almost imperceptibly, depressed; apices subtruncate, sutural angle subacute, not excised nor denticulate; sides smooth, weakly explanate over median 2/3. Serial punctures small on disc, slightly smaller than largest pronotal punctures, becoming much smaller posteriorly, discal punctures ca. 1–2xef, interstices on disc 1xpd or less; minute granule on anterior rim of most punctures. Seven series between suture and very weakly, if at all, raised 8th interval; series 5–6 separated at base, not confluent. Intervals, except 8th, flat, ca. 3xpd on disc, weakly shining, discal intervals each with unilinear row of widely spaced, minute granules.

Thoracic venter and abdominal ventrites 1–4 entirely clothed with dense short setae, except glabrous proventral midlongitudinal line, glabrous dull mesoventral plaques, and glabrous shining basomedian small area of metaventrite. Metaventral disc rather flat, with very shallow midlongitudinal groove. 5th ventrite similarly clothed in basal part, glabrous and shining apical band occupying almost 1/2 of ventrite length, very slightly wider in midline than at sides.

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

Females with elytral explanate margin slightly wider, elytral apices more distinctly truncate; pronotal anterior angles more produced than in males.

Wings reduced, about 1/2 length of elytron.

Aedeagus length ca. 0.36 mm; main­piece slightly arcuate in ventral view, widest near midlength, apex produced on left side hence apex appearing notched, in lateral view arcuate, slightly narrowed at midlength; distal piece short, apex upturned in lateral view; parameres shorter than main­piece ( Fig. 64 ).

Etymology. Named in reference to geographical distribution.

Distribution. Currently known from several localities in and near the Drakensberg Mountains ( Fig. 102 ).

Figures

FIGURE 59. Mesoceration integer, dorsal and lateral habitus of holotype.

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

FIGURES 63–66. Mesoceration, aedeagi of holotypes. —63. M. integer. —64. M. drakensbergensis. —65. M. concavum. —66. M. bicurvum.

FIGURES 101–102. Geographical distributions of Mesoceration species.