Mesystoechus lithgowae Allsopp, 2021

Allsopp, Peter G., 2021, The Australian endemic genera Mesystoechus Waterhouse, 1878, Amblochilus Blanchard, 1851, and Bilobatus Machatschke, 1970 revisited (Coleoptera Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Anoplognathini), Zootaxa 4965 (2), pp. 363-374 : 368-370

Mesystoechus lithgowae Allsopp , new species

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Type series ( Figs. 11–14 ). Holotype male: AUSTRALIA: QUEENSLAND: 26°40’ Sx 150°38’E “Allinga” Chinchilla Grace Lithgow [ QM, registered number T250564].

Description. Body 9 mm long. Mentum, clypeus, frons, and antennae black, indistinct brown patch on front of frons and rear of clypeus; pronotum yellowish brown with a black median longitudinal zone broadest at about three-quarters length and continuing indistinctly to posterior margin, a pair of black symmetrical lateral bands widest posteriorly and continuing from anterior to posterior margins, and a pair of black symmetrical lateral almost oval patches; scutellum yellowish brown with darker margins; elytra yellowish brown, with a black patch on each humerus continuing along sides to posterior, punctures and suture darker brown, costae not differentially pigmented; pygidium and ventral thorax black to very dark brown; ventral abdomen very dark brown except second last ventrite yellow brown; legs black to dark brown. Mentum slightly concave and notched in middle on anterior edge, sides almost straight except for slight constriction at join with clypeus, surface finely punctate, long yellow setae arising from more distinct and larger punctures. Antennae with 10 antennomeres, club 3-lamellate and much longer than shaft, apex of club slightly curved inwards; inner face of antennomere 8 with a longitudinal band of dense, short, yellowish setae. Clypeus with anterior face at 90° to dorsal surface, anterior margin with long yellow setae; upper surface with anterior margin evenly convex, moderately recurved, glabrous, surface with dense, rugose punctures. Clypeofrontal suture distinct only at sides. Frons glabrous except for single yellow seta above each eye and setae on ocular canthi, surface rugosely punctate, small semicircular smoother patch medially near posterior margin. Pronotum with disc punctate but glabrous, anterior marginal ridge absent across middle, posterior marginal ridge continuous from side to side, lateral margins similar to posterior margin but with long yellow-brown setae that continue on the anterior margin for a short distance. Scutellum finely punctate. Elytra with disc glabrous, humeral calli well defined, punctures deeply impressed and forming distinct striae, intervals slightly costate, even-numbered intervals more pronounced; epipleurae poorly differentiated from disc but with brown setae near to apices. Pygidium with elongate-rugulose surface, with long, light-yellow setae. Mesoventrite and metaventrite with long, light-yellow setae. Abdomen with long, light-yellow setae except second last ventrite glabrous. Prothoracic legs with tibia with 2 lateral teeth in addition to apical point, proximal tooth smaller, less separated and closer to distal tooth than that is to the apical point, with longitudinal line of setae and scatted setae behind the 2 lateral teeth; protarsomeres together much longer than protibia, tarsomeres 1–4 longer than tarsomere 5; larger claws with a trace of a minute tooth at about two-thirds length. Metacoxae with long, yellow setae; metatibiae with long setae and shorter, sharper, reddish brown ciliae; metatarsi with short, sharp, reddish-brown ciliae. Aedeagus slender, parameres slightly constricted near base, with a few setae distally ( Figs. 13–14 ).

Etymology. Named for Grace Lithgow, naturalist and artist, a stalwart of the Chinchilla Field Naturalists’ Club and recipient of the Queensland Natural History Award in 2006.

Distribution ( Fig. 15 ). Known only from the type locality in the inland Brigalow Belt of southeastern Queensland.

Natural history. Nothing is known of the biology of this species.

Figures

FIGURES 7–15. Mesystoechus species. 7–8, Mesystoechus ciliatus Waterhouse, 1878, male: 7, dorsal view; 8, lateral view; 9–10, Mesystoechus costatus Carne, 1958, male: 9, dorsal view; 10, lateral view; 11–14, Mesystoechus lithgowae, new species, male holotype: 11, dorsal view; 12, lateral view; 13, parameres, frontal view; 14, aedeagus, lateral view; 15, known distribution of Mesystoechus spp. in southeastern Queensland and northeastern New South Wales: yellow squares—M. ciliatus; blue triangles—M. costatus; red star—M. lithgowae. Figs. 7–14 photographed by Greg Daniels.