Exocelina alexanderi Shaverdo, Hendrich & Balke

Shaverdo, Helena V., Surbakti, Suriani, Hendrich, Lars & Balke, Michael, 2012, Introduction of the Exocelina ekari-group with descriptions of 22 new species from New Guinea (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Copelatinae), ZooKeys 250, pp. 1-76 : 4

1. Exocelina alexanderi Shaverdo, Hendrich & Balke sp. n. Figs 8A-E, 34

Type locality.

Indonesia: West Papua Province: Manokwari Regency, Arfak Mts., Tetaho area, Iranmeba.

Type material.

Holotype: male "IRIAN JAYA: Vogelkop Tetaho area, Iranmeba 1500-1700 m, 25.3.1993 leg. A. Riedel" (NHMW). Paratypes: 8 males, 6 females with the same label as the holotype, 1 male additionally with a green label "DNA M.Balke 3255" (NHMW, ZSM). 1 male "IRIAN JAYA: Vogelkop Testega-Meydoudga 1100 m, 4.4.1993 leg. A. Riedel" (NHMW). 1 male "Testegal / Iranmeba" [hw] (ZSM).

Diagnosis.

Beetle middle-sized, dark brown to piceous; pronotum with distinct lateral bead; male antennomeres 3 and 4 evidently larger than other, with external margin expanded (antennomeres triangular, elongated); male protarsomere 4 with small (only slightly larger than more laterally situated large seta), thin, slightly curved anterolateral hook; median lobe with strong submedian constriction in ventral view, apex of median lobe almost truncate in lateral view and broad in ventral view; paramere with notch on dorsal side and subdistal part short and small, with not numerous, relatively short, thick, and flattened setae. The species is well recognizable by the modified antennae of the males.

Description.

Size and shape: Beetle middle-sized (TL-H 3.9-4.05 mm, TL 4.35-4.5 mm, MW 2.1-2.2 mm), with oblong-oval habitus, broadest at elytral middle. Coloration: Dorsally dark brown to piceous, with paler (reddish) anterior margin and vertex of head, lateral sides of pronotum, and narrow bands along elytral suture; head appendages yellowish to reddish-brown, legs slightly darker (Fig. 34).

Surface sculpture: Head with dense punctation (spaces between punctures 1-3 times size of punctures), evidently finer and sparser anteriorly; diameter of punctures smaller than diameter of cells of microreticulation. Pronotum with finer, sparser, and more evenly distributed punctation than on head. Elytra with very sparse and fine punctation, almost invisible. Head, pronotum, and elytra with strongly impressed microreticulation, dorsal surface shiny but duller than of Exocelina oceai sp. n. Head with microreticulation stronger. Metaventrite and metacoxa distinctly microreticulate, metacoxal plates with longitudinal strioles and transverse wrinkles. Abdominal sternites with distinct microreticulation, strioles, and fine sparse punctation, coarser and denser on two last abdominal sternites.

Structures: Pronotum with distinct lateral bead. Base of prosternum and neck of prosternal process with distinct ridge, without anterolateral extensions. Blade of prosternal process lanceolate, narrow, convex, with distinct bead and few setae; neck and blade of prosternal process evenly jointed. Abdominal sternite 7 broadly rounded apically.

Male: Antennomeres 3-6 strongly enlarged, antennomeres 3 and 4 evidently larger than other, with external margin expanded (antennomeres triangular, elongated), 7-9 somewhat enlarged (Fig. 8A); antennomeres 3-7 rugose ventrally. Protarsomere 4 with small, thin, slightly curved anterolateral hook. Protarsomere 5 ventrally with anterior row of 14 short setae and posterior row of 7 short setae (Fig. 8B). Abdominal sternite 7 with 10-15 lateral striae on each side. Median lobe with strong submedian constriction in ventral view, apex of median lobe almost truncate in lateral view and broad in ventral view (Figs 8C, D). Paramere with notch on dorsal side and subdistal part short and small, with not numerous, relatively short, thick, and flattened setae (Fig. 8E).

Female: Antennae simple, abdominal sternite 7 without striae.

Distribution.

Indonesia: West Papua Province: Manokwari Regency. This species is known from the eastern Bird’s head only. Iranmeba and Testega are situated some 20-30 km west of Anggi-Lakes in the Arfak Mountains (Fig. 50).

Etymology.

The species is named for friend and most enthusiastic explorer of New Guinea’s entomofauna, Alexander Riedel (Karlsruhe, Germany), who discovered this species. The species name is a noun in the genitive case.