Geotomus obesus, Lis, 2000

Geotomus obesus sp. n.

Figs. 20, 22, 26

Description

Body. Ovate, in a general appearance similar to G. katakadioides, but larger and broader, about l.73-1.78 times longer than broad; dorsal surface conspicuously alutaceous, as well as densely and coarsely punctured, making body clearly opaque at first sight; head and almost whole pronotal disc black, posterior part of pronotum, scutellum, corium, antennae, rostrum, and legs more castaneous than remaining body parts; length 5.00- 5.20 mm, width 2.89-2.92 mm.

Head. Broadly rounded in outline as in G. katakadioides; dorsal surface densely punctured, puncturation of clypeus only a little weaker than that of paraclypei; gular plate wrinkled in anterior half, the posterior half coarsely punctured; bucculae entirely strongly wrinkled, punctured only basally; clypeus free, as long as or slightly shorter than paraclypei, broadened apically and without subapical setigerous punctures; head vestiture as in G. katakadioides, each paraclypeus with two primary setigerous punctures bearing long stout setae, preocular primary setigerous puncture absent, submargins of paraclypeus with a single secondary setigerous puncture bearing long stout seta; eyes triangular, clearly broader than in G. katakadioides, reddish black to blackish brown, ocular index 3.50-3.70; ocelli medium sized, blackish brown; rostrum reaching middle coxae; 2 nd antenna! segment 1.05 (male) or 1.0-1.05 (females) times longer than the 3 rd •

Prothorax. Pronotum subrectangular in outline, about I.73 - I.87 times broader than long; pronotal disc densely punctured with coarse punctures as large as or larger than those on head, calla! areas almost invisible, medially punctured, its impunctate parts very narrow; anterior margin deeply insinuated behind head, as in G. katakadioides; lateral margins with 4-5 submarginal setigerous punctures bearing long stout setae. Prostemal carinae welldeveloped, coarsely punctured; anterior convexity of propleuron coarsely punctured in its anterior half, posterior convexity of propleuron almost impunctate, bearing only a few large punctures, propleural depression with a row of few coarse punctures.

Mesothorax. Scutellum densely punctured with punctures larger than those on pronotum, basal angles impunctate, scutellar apex elongated, tongue-like, but broader than that of G. katakadioides. Mesopleural evaporatorium large, similar to that of G. katakadioides, almost reaching anterior and lateral margins of the pleuron, anterior part of mesopleuron distinctly coarsely punctured.

Metathorax. Puncturation of corium sparser than that of scutellum, punctures of same size as or larger than those on scutellar disc; clavus with one complete and one or two incomplete rows of punctures; mesocorial disc almost evenly punctured; exocorium strongly depressed, punctured; mesocorium and exocorium separated almost along their entire length by elevated vein R+M; costa strongly flattened, not separated from exocorium, lateral margin of its basal part clearly reflected upwards, costal margins without setigerous punctures; membranal suture almost straight; membrane narrower than corium, semihyaline, brown with paler basal patches and median band. Metapleurai evaporatorium large, triangular, remaining parts of metapleuron coarsely punctured as in G. katakadioides; apex of peritreme lobe-like, alutaceous, slightly polished.

Legs. Anterior tibiae slightly expanded apically, laterally with a few strong spines; posterior tibia almost cylindrical, bearing strong spines on lateral margins.

Abdomen. Sterna sparsely, coarsely punctured and longitudinally grooved in lateral thirds, except laminated outmost lateral margins. Ventral surface of male pygophore coarsely punctured; aedeagus with theca strongly sclerotized, ductus seminis very long, almost as long as theca ( Fig. 22), second conjunctiva! appendages short and stout, apically almost blunt ( Fig. 20), paramere broad ( Fig. 26).

Type material examined

Holotype male: Northern TeITitory: Attack Ck. , N.T., 10.IX.1076, Weir & Angeles, 9508 ( NTM) .

Paratypes: Northern Territory: 2 females (9507, 9494), Attack Ck., N.T., 10.IX.1076, Weir & Angeles (one paratype in NTM, one paratype in UO) .

Comparative notes

G. obesus sp. n. belongs to the group of species characterized by the clypeus lacking subapical setigerous punctures. Within the group of previously known species it is similar at first glance to G. gracilipes, but can easily be separated from it by the absence of setigerous punctures on costal margins, as well as its opaque dorsal body surface. In respect to the latter characters the new species is closely allied to G. katakadioides sp. n. and G. ocellatus sp. n., from which it can easily be separated on the basis of characters given in the key for species identification.

Etymology

The name of the new species is connected with its stout body.