Mesoceration bicurvum, Perkins, 2008

Perkins, Philip D., 2008, Facial affect recognition in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis, Zootaxa 1864, pp. 1-124 : 46-47

Mesoceration bicurvum new species

( Figs. 62 , 66 , 101 )

Type Material. Holotype (male): South Africa: Eastern Cape Province, Northeast Cape, Wildebees River , site 13, stones in current, ECR 38T, 31° 10' S, 28° 7' E, 12 June 1990. Deposited in the AMG . Paratypes (4): Eastern Cape Province, Same data as holotype (1 AMG) ; KuDidwayo River at Marinus , marginal vegetation in current, ECR 84K, 31° 25' S, 28° 6' E, 25 March 1991 (1 AMG) ; Nqancule River, at Albany , stones in current; ECR 88R, 31° 21' S, 28° 13' E, 25 March 1991 (1 AMG) ; Nqancule River, at Waterval , marginal vegetation in current, ECR 87AB, 31° 22' S, 28° 13' E, 25 March 1991 (1 AMG) .

Differential Diagnosis. This species is very similar to M. bispinum in habitus ( Figs. 62 , 67 ); it can be distinguished therefrom by the deeper metaventral concavity, and the presence of glabrous areas basomedially on ventrites 1–4. The two species also differ in the shapes of the sharp, median tubercle on abdominal ventrites 1 and 2, present in males. The aedeagi of the two species clearly corroborate a rather close relationship ( Figs. 66 , 71 ).

Description. Size (length/width, mm) holotype: body (length to elytral apices) 1.60/0.58; head 0.30/ 0.38; pronotum 0.35/0.46; elytra 0.95/0.58. Dorsum brown to dark brown, head darker, lateral areas of pronotum lighter, maxillary palpi and legs light brown to testaceous, venter dark brown.

Head with labrum and laterally on clypeus and frons effacedly microreticulate, dull. Disc of clypeus and frons shining, finely sparsely punctate, punctures much smaller than 1xef, separated by about 3–5xpd, each puncture with short, fine, decumbent seta; anteocellar sulci moderately deep. Ocelli distinct. Mentum and submentum microreticulate.

Pronotum cordate, widest at about midlength; anterior angles rounded, posterior rectangular; sides finely margined, weakly crenulate; anterior margin shallowly arcuate over median 3/4, without hyaline border; discal reliefs shining, very finely, very sparsely punctulate, interstices ca. 4–7xpd; anteriorly and posteriorly with very coarse punctures, each ca. 2xef, separated by narrow walls; with 10 distinct foveae as follows: two median, an anterior elongate and oval posterior, shallowly confluent; a small round anterior and longer, oblique, oval posterior admedian; and a large anterior and large deep posterior adlateral on each side; foveae microreticulate, dull; each puncture with a fine short seta.

Elytra with sides weakly arcuate, apices conjointly rounded; sutural apices rectangular; sides moderately explanate, posterior declivity moderately steep. Serial punctures moderately small, ca. 1xpd of largest prono­ tal punctures, interstices ca. 1–2xpd, progressively finer apically, series 1 very weakly striate­impressed; on disc seven series between suture and carina, 5th and 6th series confluent in area behind humerus; serial punctures on disc with minute granule at anterior margin. Intervals, except 8th, flat or nearly so, width on disc about 1–2xpd, very finely unilinearly punctulate, some punctures with minute granule at anterior margin; 8th interval carinate. All punctures bearing a short fine seta.

Thoracic ventrites and abdominal ventrites 1–4 densely clothed with short setae, except glabrous proventral midlongitudinal area, mesoventral plaques, glabrous strongly shining subtriangular area basomedially on metaventrite, and small basomedial area on each of abdominal sternites 1–4. Metaventral disc concave. Abdominal ventrites as follow: males 1st and 2nd each with median, sharp tubercle, tip of each pointed forward, posterior face glabrous; 5th similarly clothed except apical area glabrous and shining; 6th glabrous and effacedly microreticulate, with transverse subapical band of piliferous punctures.

Legs of male with two spiniform setae on apical protarsomere. Tarsi of males with longer setae beneath than those of female. Femora and tibiae effacedly microreticulate.

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

Wings reduced, about length of elytron.

Aedeagus length ca. 0.38 mm; main­piece markedly sinuate in ventral view, narrowest near basal 1/3, in lateral view markedly bent, basal ring large; distal piece moderately long, sublobate basally, bent subapically in lateral view, widened slightly at gonopore; parameres shorter than main­piece, in lateral view curvature similar to that of main­piece ( Fig. 66 ).

Etymology. Named in reference to the shape of the aedeagus.

Distribution. Currently known from three closely spaced localities in northern Eastern Cape Province ( Fig. 101 ).

Figures

FIGURE 62. Mesoceration bicurvum, dorsal and lateral habitus of holotype.

FIGURE 67. Mesoceration bispinum, 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.

FIGURES 71–74. Mesoceration, aedeagi of holotypes. —71. M. bispinum. —72. M. curvosum. —73. M. longipennis. —74. M. natalensis.