Eucinetus minutus Lawrence 2019, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Lawrence, John F.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Eucinetidae
Eucinetus
Eucinetus minutus

description: Eucinetus minutus sp. nov.
(Figs 17–19, 46, 59, 83, 138)
Diagnosis. This species differs from E. lorien, E. nebulosus, E. similis and E. tropicus in having a short, broad metanepisternum and sharply acute scutellar shield and in lacking a notched inner eye margin and hind wings. It is further separated from all wingless species in it small size (less than 1.85 mm), short, broad body (less than 1.44 times as long as combined elytral width) and more or less uniform dark brown or black colour.
Description. Length 1.65–1.85 (1.74 ± 0.05) mm; body 1.68–1.80 (1.72) times as long as combined elytral width; greatest depth 0.57–0.63 (0.59) times elytral width. Colour of dorsal and ventral surfaces primarily black; antennae yellowish-brown. Head 0.84 times as long as wide; distance across eyes 1.47 times distance between them; inner eye margin without notch.Antenna about 1.65 times as long as head width; 3rd antennomere equal in length to 4th; antennomere 11 1.30 times as long as 10, 1.44 times as long as wide and broadly rounded at apex. Mandibular mola reduced. Galea about as wide at middle as lacinia, not widened apically, slightly curved. Apical maxillary palpomere 2.5 times as long as wide, widest at middle, evenly slightly curved laterally and barely narrowed to apical sixth, then strongly obliquely truncate, giving rise near outer edge to slender process, narrowly rounded at apex. Apical labial palpomere distinctly subulate. Pronotum 0.40–0.52 (0.45) times as long as wide; prosternal process abruptly narrowed subapically, with subacute apex. Scutellar shield 0.28 times as wide at base as pronotum, 0.5 times as long as wide, with acute apex. Elytra 1.33–1.43 (1.37) times as long as combined width and 3.68–4.29 (3.91) times as long as pronotum; elytral punctation and vestiture as in Fig. 83. Hind wings absent. Metanepisternum 0.54 times as long as mesepimeron, irregularly triangular with slightly rounded outer edge, strongly rounded inner edge and distinct apical notch. Metacoxal plate with outer edge about 3.1 times as long as posterior edge, which is deeply emarginate near mesal end and shallowly emarginate near middle. Outer (acute) mesotibial spur in male 0.53 times as long as first mesotarsomere and inner one slightly shorter, sinuate, with a blunt, cleft apex. Parameres 1.14 times as wide at about middle as penis at same point, slightly curved mesally just before apex, which is narrowly rounded. Penis gradually narrowing to subacute apex.
Types: Holotype, ♁: “ 36.57S 147.21E VIC Bogong N.P. 5.5 km E Strawberry Saddle, 1450m, 803, 22 Jan.- 13 Feb. 1987, A. Newton & M. Thayer / wetr scler. forest FMHD 87-196 Berl. leaf & log litter” (ANIC type #25- 067876).
Paratypes. VIC: Bogong N. P., 5.5 km E of Strawberry Saddle (36°57’S, 147°21’E), 1450m, 803, wet sclerophyll forest, 22.i–13.ii.1987, FMHD #87-96, berl. leaf & log litter, A. Newton, M. Thayer (15, ANIC, FMNH, MVM).
Distribution. Known only from the Victorian Alps.
Biology. Only known specimens collected in leaf litter.
Etymology. Derived from the Latin minutus, little, small.
description: Published as part of Lawrence, John F., 2019, New species of Eucinetus and Noteucinetus from Australia (Coleoptera: Scirtoidea: Eucinetidae), pp. 151-182 in Zootaxa 4668 (2) on page 162, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4668.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/3415013