Exocelina simbaiarea Shaverdo & Balke

Shaverdo, Helena, Sagata, Katayo, Panjaitan, Rawati, Menufandu, Herlina & Balke, Michael, 2014, Description of 23 new species of the Exocelinaekari-group from New Guinea, with a key to all representatives of the species group (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Copelatinae), ZooKeys 468, pp. 1-83 : 26-27

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

18. Exocelina simbaiarea Shaverdo & Balke sp. n. Figs 12, 40

Type locality.

Papua New Guinea: Madang Province, Simbai area, 05°13.33'S; 144°37.61'E.

Type material.

Holotype: male "Papua New Guinea: Madang, Simbai area, 1200m, 11.iii.2007, 05.13.333S 144.37.611E, Kinibel (PNG 153)" (ZSM).

Additional material:

10 females with the same label as the holotype (ZSM), these females might belong to three species: Exocelina simbaiarea sp. n. and two species from the Exocelina broschii - and Exocelina rivulus -groups.

Diagnosis.

Beetle medium-sized, blackish brown, with brown head and pronotal sides, slightly submatt; pronotum with lateral bead; male antennomeres 3-5 evidently enlarged, slightly rounded, antennomeres 3, 4 almost equal in size, antennomere 5 slightly smaller, with external margin rounded, antennomere 6 somewhat enlarged; male protarsomere 4 with large, slender, evidently curved anterolateral hook-like seta; median lobe with very weak submedian constriction in ventral view and apex relatively short and slightly broadened in lateral view; paramere with notch on dorsal side and side and subdistal part elongate, with numerous, long, thick, curved at apex setae. The species is similar to Exocelina sandaunensis sp. n., except for slightly matter pronotum, more striated abdominal ventrite 6, male antennomere 5 with external margin rounded, and apex of median lobe shorter and broader. See also under diagnosis of Exocelina jimiensis sp. n.

Description.

Size and shape: Beetle medium-sized (TL-H 3.65 mm, TL 4.1 mm, MW 1.95 mm), with oblong-oval, broadest at elytral middle. Coloration: Head brown, darker posterior eyes and at middle; pronotum with dark brown disc and brown sides; elytra blackish brown, with reddish sutural lines; head appendages and legs reddish, legs darker distally (Fig. 40).

Surface sculpture: Punctation as in Exocelina sandaunensis sp. n.; microreticulation slightly stronger, especially on pronotum, than in Exocelina sandaunensis sp. n.

Structures: Pronotum with distinct lateral bead. Base of prosternum and neck of prosternal process and neck of prosternal process with distinct ridge, smooth and not rounded anteriorly, with small anterolateral extensions. Blade of prosternal process lanceolate, relatively narrow, convex, with distinct lateral bead and few setae; neck and blade of prosternal process evenly jointed. Abdominal ventrite 6 slightly truncate apically.

Male: Antennomeres 3-5 evidently enlarged, slightly rounded, antennomeres 3, 4 almost equal in size, antennomere 5 slightly smaller, with external margin rounded, antennomere 6 somewhat enlarged; (Fig. 12A). Protarsomere 4 with large, slender, evidently curved anterolateral hook-like seta. Protarsomere 5 ventrally with anterior row of 15 and posterior row of 4 short setae (Fig. 12B). Abdominal ventrite 6 with 13-14 lateral striae on each side. Median lobe with very weak submedian constriction in ventral view and apex relatively short and slightly broadened in lateral view (Fig. 12C, D). Paramere with notch on dorsal side and side and subdistal part elongate, with numerous, long, thick, curved at apex setae (Fig. 12E).

Female: Antennae simple, abdominal ventrite 6 without striae.

Distribution.

Papua New Guinea: Madang Province. This species is known from the type locality (Fig. 53).

Etymology.

The species is named after the Simbai area where it was collected. The name is a noun, combination of two words: “Simbai” and “area”, in the nominative singular standing in apposition.