Maechidius aiyura Telnov 2020, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Telnov, Dmitry
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Scarabaeidae
Maechidius
Maechidius aiyura

description: Maechidius aiyura sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 568C06B4-A3C4-41A1-B924-4E1232EF8A3B
Figs 19, 98, 198, 287, 360, 452, 535, 570–572
Differential diagnosis
Undoubtedly related to M. interruptocarinulatus Heller, 1914, but clearly different in lateral outline of pronotum in dorsal view (more regularly rounded in M. interruptocarinulatus, constricted anteriad and posteriad in M. aiyura sp. nov.), stronger sinuous lateral margins of labroclypeus, glabrous intervening spaces of elytra (covered with microscopical velvety pubescence in M. interruptocarinulatus) and less distinct (narrower, more flat)elytral longitudinal carinae.Males are unknown for M. interruptocarinulatus.
Etymology
Toponymic.The name derives from the Aiyura Valley, the type locality of this species. Noun in apposition.
Type material
Holotype
PAPUA NEW GUINEA • ♂; “ Papua New Guinea East.High.Prov., [p] HAES Aiyura 1560M 30// NOV//1976 [h] E.S.C.Smith Attr. to U.V. light [p] //A327 [p] // 26961 [p]// C.I.E. COLL. A. [p] 9461 [h] [red label] // Pres by Comm Inst Ent B.M. 1977–1 [p] // Maechidius sp. [h] det. R.B.Madge, 197[p] 7 [h]”; BMNH.
Description
MEASUREMENTS. Total body length 9.15 mm. Head 1.60 mm long, across eyes 2.15 mm wide. Pronotum 2.00 mm long, maximum width 3.20 mm. Elytral length 5.55 mm, maximum combined width 4.10 mm.
Dorsum uniformly black-brown, venter, legs and labroclypeus castaneous brown. Head transverse, glossy dorsally and ventrally, flattened dorsally. Compound eye large, occupying about half side of head. Male labroclypeus broadly emarginate on anterior margin (Fig. 98), its lateral margins sinuous in both dorsal and lateral views. Anterolateral angles of male labroclypeus slightly protruding anteriad, obtuse in dorsal view, bent up at ~90° to axis of frons in lateral view. Upper- and underside of labroclypeus with moderately long setae along anterior and lateral margins. Canthus nearly straight in dorsal view. Anterior and lateral margins of labroclypeus smooth. Head dorsal punctures circular to ovoid, deep and dense. Inner margin of some punctures with delicate membrane covered with microscopical velvety pubescence. Intervening spaces glossy, variably large. Canthus covered with microscopical velvety pubescence. Dirty-yellow inconspicuous suberect seta rises from anterior margin of each puncture, generally surpassing length of corresponding puncture. Antenna 9-segmented, club 3-lamellate. Scape large, with bulbous predistal projection on dorsal side, provided with two very long setae near distal margin. Pronotum strongly transverse, glossy dorsally and laterally, its anterior margin sinuous with median part (slightly) and anterolateral margins (stronger) protruding anteriad. Basal margin of pronotum broadly rounded. Lateral margin of pronotum rounded, more strongly constricted towards base than anteriad, crenulate all along (Fig. 198). Inconspicuous suberect scale-like seta present between every two crenulae. Lateral margin of pronotum slightly sinuous in lateral view. Areas at antero- and posterolateral angles of pronotum slightly dorsally impressed. Pronotal punctures ovoid, very deep and dense, filled with microscopical velvety pubescence (Figs 19, 198). Intervening spaces glossy, as large as to smaller than punctures. Pronotal setae inconspicuous, appressed to suberect; each seta rises from anterior margin of each puncture, not surpassing length of corresponding puncture. Basal and lateral margins of pronotum covered with microscopical velvety pubescence. Posterolateral angles densely covered with long scale-like setae. Hypomeron sinuous, very long setose on anterior margin opposite to compound eye, flange-like. Antennal pocket deep. Scutellar shield covered with microscopical velvety pubescence, narrowly rounded apically. Elytron glossy dorsally, maximum width across midlength, with obsolete humerus and distinct omoplate. Tracks of three flat glossy longitudinal carinae on each elytron; sutural stria not indicated.Elytral punctures delicate, ovoid, moderately deep, generally smaller than those on forebody, arranged in irregular longitudinal rows (Fig. 287). Inner margin of each puncture covered with microscopical velvety pubescence (Fig. 287). Intervening spaces glossy, variably large. Setae of elytra inconspicuous, appressed to suberect, rising from anterior margin of corresponding punctures, not surpassing their length. Slightly longer suberect, sparse setae arranged in irregular longitudinal rows along remnants of elytral carinae. Male pygidium dorsally slightly convex and medially longitudinally impressed, with dense shallow ovoid punctures (Fig. 452). Intervening spaces in part microreticulate, generally smaller than punctures. Setae of pygidium inconspicuous, sparse, suberect. Male protibia with two moderately large distal teeth on external margin (Fig. 360). Male protibial terminal spur large, curved. Male lower meso- and metatibial terminal spur curved. Tarsal claws with pulvilli (in males only?). Spiculum gastrale as in Fig. 535. Male aedeagus as in Figs 570–572.
Sexual dimorphism
Female is unknown.
Ecology
Occurs in lower montane rainforests.
Distribution
Aiyura Valley, Eastern Highlands Province, East New Guinea.
description: Published as part of Telnov, Dmitry, 2020, A revision of the Maechidiini Burmeister, 1855 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) from the Indo-Australian transition zone, and the first record of the tribe west of Wallace's Line, pp. 1-210 in European Journal of Taxonomy 721 on pages 19-20, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2020.721.1127, http://zenodo.org/record/4122118