Termitodiellus minkinai, Anichtchenko & Vasiļjeva, 2021

Anichtchenko, Alexander & Vasiļjeva, Anastasija, 2021, New species of the genus Termitodiellus Nakane, 1961 from Papua New Guinea (Scarabaeidae, Aphodiinae), Baltic Journal of Coleopterology 21 (2), pp. 131-134 : 132-134

Termitodiellus minkinai sp. nov.

Type material. Holotype, male: “Coll. R.Isc.N.B. | Canopy mission P.N.G. | Madang province | Batteta 14-5-1996 | Light T 11 | leg. Olivier Missa ” ( RBINS).

Differential diagnosis. Termitodiellus minkinai new species can be easy distinguished from other Termitodiellus species by combination of following features: only discolateral costae of pronotum interrupted near middle; all furrows of pronotum smooth, except small areas near anterior margin; posterior lobe of pronotum very weak; intervals of elytra with two rows of small punctures in basal half only, elytral costae not interrupted. Because of relatively wide body, well developed caudal bulbs and relatively fine punctation of elytral intervals it seems to be most similar to T. interruptus . T. interruptus and T. monticola are known from Sulawesi. There is no other species with nearer area of distribution. According to it we can suppose that both species (newly described and T. interruptus ) are probably closer related each other than with the rest of species. From T. interruptus (as well from the rest of known species) we can very easy distinguish it by all features mentioned in the beginning part of diagnosis.

Description. Small, dark brown, dorsal surface obviously carinated. Antennae and mouthparts light brown. Body length 3.7 mm.

Head ( Figs 1-3) transverse, 1.3 times as wide as long, widest near middle. Clypeus anteriorly widely rounded, with rounded angles at sides, considerable lateral emargination and a further widely rounded angle separated by a small emargination from the distinctly protruding, rounded genae. Clypeocentral disc convex, ringed by moderate peridiscal impression, with a pair of parallel, elongate tubercles, bearing minute yellow setae; space between peridiscal impression and tubercles sparsely and gently punctate; posterior part of head behind clypeal tubercles with dense, large and strong punctation. Punctures bearing short, thick, yellow setae. Frons with four short but strongly elevated longitudinal costae (two frontodiscal and two frontolateral) of structure similar to costae on clypeal convexity; punctures of frons with setae similar to those on clypeus. Compound eyes not visible from above, anterior margin sinuated on each side.

Pronotum ( Figs 1-3), transverse, 1.7 times as wide as long, widest near anterior angles, shiny, with six longitudinal costae, seven longitudinal furrows and two lateral lobes on each side. Anterior lobe large and wide, form widest part of pronotum, posterior lobe very weak. Paramedian costae entire, slightly concave, strongly elevated in anterior thirdth. Discolateral costae interrupted near middle, apical portion strongly elevated; submarginal costa sinuate, not interrupted, regularly elevated; costae with small punctures bearing short, thick setae.All furrows smooth, except few large punctures in anterior fourth; fourth furrows with deep rounded fovea near base of anterior pronotal lobe.

Elytra ( Figs 1-2) widest just before middle. Each elytron with five narrow, longitudinal costae, all costae with double row of fine setae. Sutural costa weakly elevated, 2-4 th costae strongly elevated; 3th costae completely obliterate behind the middle of elytra. Postdiscal bulbs strong and

Hind wings well developed.

All legs sturdy. Profemora strongly expanded, widest near basal 1/3. Apex of protibiae with three teeth, the lateral one larger than other two. Mesofemora expanded, ventral surface with irregular row of long setae at basal half; apex of mesotibia with a large, flattened, inwardly hooked apical spine ( Fig. 4). Metafemora slender than mesofemora, metatibia expanded and with a small tooth at apex. Dorsal surface of all femora and tibiae more or less uniformly covered with small punctuations and short setae. Tarsi densely covered by long setae.

Aedeagus ( Fig. 5), stout, strongly curved at lateral view, phallobase wide, longer that parameres.

Female unknown.

Distribution. Known only from type locality in Papua New Guinea.

Biology. Specimen collected by light trap.

Etymology. Named after Polish scarab-beetle specialist and our friend Łukasz Minkina.