Aphanocephalus lawrencei, Szawaryn, 2025

Aphanocephalus lawrencei sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:717943B3-1A92-44FA-A49E-F3F16DC60D04

( Figs 7J, L View FIGURE 7 , 11G–I View FIGURE 11 , 15C View FIGURE 15 )

Type material. Type material.

Holotype. CHRISTMAS ISLAND: male, "CHRISMAS ISLAND 10.33S 105.41E nr. Greta Beach , 16,19, 26 Apr 1989 J.F. Lawrence / J.F. Lawrence ANIC 1098 leaf&log litter Arenga palm incl." ( ANIC) GoogleMaps . Paratypes. CHRISTMAS ISLAND: same data as the holotype (10, ANIC; 2, MIZ) GoogleMaps .

Other material. CHRISTMAS ISLAND: CHRISMAS ISLAND 10.33S 106.39E 3km N South Point , 22 Apr 1989 J.F. Lawrence / J.F. Lawrence Lot 89-12 unidenti fied Agaricales (2, ANIC) GoogleMaps ; CHRISMAS ISLAND 10.28S 105.42E Ethei Beach , 13–28 Apr 1989 J.F. Lawrence / on bark surface at night (3, ANIC) GoogleMaps ; CHRISMAS ISLAND 10.26S 105.42E 3km Golf Course, Grotto , 18.27 Apr 1989 J.F. Lawrence / J.F. Lawrence Lot 89-10 Auricularia sp. (1, ANIC) GoogleMaps .

Type locality. Christmas Island.

Distribution. Christmas Island.

Etymology. The specific name “lawrencei ” is a patronym in honor of John Francis Lawrence, Australian coleopterist, and the collector of the type series.

Diagnosis. Aphanocephalus lawrencei sp. nov. is a small, oval, appearing glabrous, brown in coloration species ( Fig. 7J View FIGURE 7 ), this is the only species inhabiting Christmas Island. Male genitalia are unique in shape and can distinguish that species from other congeners.

Description. Length: 1.50–1.60 mm, width: 1.20–1.30 mm. Body oval about 1.2–1.3 times as long as wide ( Fig. 7J View FIGURE 7 ), moderately convex in lateral view ( Fig. 7L View FIGURE 7 ). Pronotum and elytra appearing glabrous, covered with white, minute, sparse setae. Basal part of head, pronotum and elytra, meso- and metaventrites brown; anterior part of head, lateral sides of pronotum and basal margin of elytra paler; antennae, mouthparts, epipleura, legs and ventrites yellow.

Pronotum covered with single sized small punctae ( Fig. 1G View FIGURE 1 ). Anterior margins of pronotum bordered, anterior margin without bordering line. Elytra covered with punctae of two sizes, uniformly intermixed ( Fig. 1K View FIGURE 1 ). Pronotum and elytra distinctly explanate laterally, margins well visible throughout. Lateral sides of elytra regularly rounded, without pseudopores ( Fig. 1G View FIGURE 1 ). Epipleuron with shallow sub-marginal furrow.

Mentum with lateral carinae absent. Labial palps separated by narrow carina. Prosternum with notosternal carina visible ( Fig. 2D View FIGURE 2 ); prosternal process with short, parallel, lateral carinae. Metaventrite longer than ventrite 1. Ventrite 1 longer than ventrites 2–4 combined. Ventrite 1 almost entirely covered with large punctae, only middle area covered with smaller punctae; ventrites 2–5 covered with only sparse, small punctae.

Male genitalia. Tegmen in inner view with sides broadly rounded, apical part sub-triangular, narrowing toward apex, upturned ( Fig. 11I View FIGURE 11 ); in lateral view very broad, with a bunch of short setae in the middle of inner margin, apical part bent inwardly in 90° ( Fig. 11H View FIGURE 11 ). Penis in lateral view comma-shaped, short, stout, with rounded apex; apical part subdivided by less sclerotized membrane in the middle; in inner view broad, broadening towards apex; without visible gonopore ( Fig. 11G View FIGURE 11 ).

Female genitalia. Coxites narrow, elongate. Sperm duct diverging apically from bursa copulatrix, with spermatheca slightly convolute, distinctly sclerotized, divided into two sections; vermiform basal part and bulbous apical part ( Fig. 15C View FIGURE 15 ), apical part in diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the basal part.

Remarks. Aphanocephalus lawrencei is the only species of Aphanocephalus reported from Christmas Island. As Christmas Island belongs to the Oriental Realm, A. lawrencei is probably more related to the Oriental species of Aphanocephalus than Australian.