Aporhina Boisduval, 1835

Genus: Aporhina Boisduval, 1835 View in CoL

Type species: Aporhina bispinosa Boisduval, 1835 by monotypy

Aporhina lavongaiica sp. n. ( Fig. 1 View Figure 1 )

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3EE51AD6-6224-46AC-B98A-D91A8B4F7677

Type material: Holotype: male ( ZMUC), Papua New Guinea, New Ireland Province, New Hanover Island , “Bismark Islands, Lavongai, Banatam, 25 March. 1962, Noona Dan. Exp. 61-62” . Paratype: female ( ZMUC), “ Bismark Islands , Lavongai, Banatam, 21 March. 1962, Noona Dan. Exp. 61-62”, “ Chalcocybebus nitens var. auratus Heller ” .

Description. Body black-blue, glabrous. Base of first antennomere and tarsal claws brown. Sides of procoxal part of prosternum, mesanepisternum, mesepimeron, mesoventral process, apical half of metanepisternum, sides of metaventrite and sides of second ventriten with maculae of condensed white squamules. Male. Rostrum slightly arcuate, subcylindrical, about 4.1 times as long as wide at apex and at base, 3.9 times as long as wide in mesorostrum, about 1.1 times as long as pronotum, finely punctate in apical third, further more densely punctate. Mesorostrum slightly dilated. Antennal scrobes deep, long, directed to eye. Their lower edge granulated. Forehead impressed, about 0.9 times as narrow as rostrum base width, finely punctate. Eyes large, rounded, slightly protruding from contour of head, finely faceted. Temple slightly shorter than eye length, finely transverse-rugose. Antennae straight, inserted ventro-laterally on apical third of rostrum. First antennomere elongate conical, about 2.7 times as long as wide at apex. Second to sixth antennomeres subconical. Second antennomere 2.0 times as long as wide at apex, about 0.6 times as long as and about 0.8 times as narrow as first antennomere. Second, fifth and sixth antennomeres of same width. Third antennomere about 1.6 times as long as wide at apex, about 0.8 times as long as and same width to second antennomere. Fourth antennomere about 1.9 times as long as wide at apex, slightly longer and narrower than third antennomere. Fifth antennomere about 1.6 times as long as wide at apex, slightly shorter and wider than fourth antennomere. Sixth antennomere about 1.4 times as long as wide at apex, about 0.9 times as long as fifth antennomere. Seventh and eight antennomeres suboval. Seventh antennomere about 1.3 times as long as wide at apex, slightly shorter and wider than sixth antennomere. Eighth antennomere about 1.1 times as long as wide at apex, slightly shorter and wider than seventh antennomere. Pronotum long-campaniform, about 1.3 times as long as wide at apex, subequal to wide at middle and 1.3 times as long as wide at base, with weak subapical constriction, lacking broad collar before base. Broadest width before middle. Sides slightly rounded. Disc convex, middle matte, finely punctate. Scutellum triangular, finely transversely rugose. Elytra back suboval, convex, about 2.3 times as long as wide at humeri, about 1.9 times as long as wide in thornlike process, 3.1 times as long as wide in apical quarter, about 2.9 times as long as pronotum. Each elytron with single, large, sharp, thornlike, dorsal process in middle. Greatest width beyond middle. Base of elytron triangularly elongated towards scutellum. Humeri weak. Striae distinct with small punctures. Interstriae wide, almost flat, finely punctate. First and second interstria with rugose tubercle behind scutellum. Precoxal portion of prosternum short, about 0.6 times as long as postcoxal portion. Postcoxal portion quite long, about 0.6 times as long as precoxal portion. Pro- and mesocoxal cavities rounded. Procoxal cavities continuous. Mesocoxal cavities narrowly separated. Metacoxal cavities transversely extended. Metaventrite about 2.3 times as long as metacoxal cavity length, convex, finely rugose-punctate. Metanepisternum narrow, about 5.8 times as long as wide in middle. First and second ventrites fused, finely rugose-punctate, with curved suture between them. First ventrite of same length as metacoxal length. Second ventrite about 1.3 times as long as first ventrite. Third-fifth ventrites flat, positioned in different plane than first and second ventrites. Third and fourth ventrites of same length, densely rugose-punctate. Third ventrite 0.2 times as long as second ventrite. Fifth ventrite convex, about 3.3 times as long as fourth ventrite, finely punctate. Legs long. Procoxae conical. Mesocoxae slightly elongate. Metacoxae convex. Trochanters not elongate. Femora slightly clavate. Profemora with subapical tooth on ventral surface. Tibiae almost straight, rather thick, with truncate apices. Apices of protibiae expanded and dorsally deeply notched on inside, with spur. Meso- and metatibiae with two spurs. Tarsi long. First-third tarsomeres with erect setae dorsally. First tarsomere elongate-conical. Second tarsomeres conical, shorter and wider than first tarsomere. Third tarsomere bilobed. Fifth tarsomere long. Claws relatively large, free, divergent, without teeth. Total body length (without rostrum) 9.8 mm. Length of rostrum 2.8 mm. Female. Rostrum about 3.9 times as long as wide at apex, about 4.6 times as long as wide in mesorostrum, about 3.7 times as long as wide at base, about 1.4 times as long as pronotum. Forehead about 0.9 times as narrow as rostrum base width. Antennae inserted a little further from rostrum apex of male. First antennomere about 3.1 times as long as wide at apex. Second antennomere about 1.9 times as long as wide at apex, about 0.5 times as long as and slightly narrower than first antennomere. Third antennomere 1.8 times as long as wide at apex, about 0.9 times as long as and slightly narrower than second antennomere. Fourth antennomere about 2.1 times as long as wide at apex, about 0.9 times as long as and slightly narrower than third antennomere. Fifth antennomere about 1.9 times as long as wide at apex, slightly shorter and wider than fourth antennomere. Sixth antennomere about 1.6 times as long as wide at apex, about 0.9 times as long as and slightly wider than fifth antennomere. Seventh antennomere about 1.3 times as long as wide at apex, about 0.9 times as long as and slightly wider than sixth antennomere. Eighth antennomere equal in length and width, slightly shorter and about 1.2 times as wide as seventh antennomere. Club about 1.1 times as long as second-eighth antennomeres combined. Ninth antennomere about 1.7 times as long as wide at apex, about 2.4 times as long as and about 1.5 times a wide as eighth antennomere. Tenth antennomere about 1.2 times as long as wide in middle, about 0.7 times as long as and of same width as ninth antennomere. Eleventh antennomere about 4.4 times as long as wide at base, 3.0 times as long as and about 0.8 times as narrow as ninth antennomere. Pronotum about 1.1 times as long as wide at apex, about 0.9 times as long as wide in middle and 1.1 times as long as wide at base. Elytra about 2.3 times as long as width at humeri, about 1.8 times as long as wide in thornlike process, 3.0 times as long as wide in apical quarter, about 3.3 times as long as pronotum. Precoxal portion about 0.6 times as long as postcoxal portion. Postcoxal portion about 0.6 times as long as procoxal cavity length. Metaventrite about 2.5 times as long as metacoxal cavity length. First ventrite about 1.3 times as long as metacoxal cavity length. Second ventrite about 1.3 times as long as first ventrite. Third and fourth ventrites equal in length. Third ventrite about 0.3 times as long as second ventrite. Fifth ventrite about 2.9 times as long as fourth ventrite. Profemora with small subapical tooth on ventral surface. Total body length (without rostrum) 12.2 mm. Length of rostrum 3.5 mm.

Etymology. The epithet of this new species is dedicated to the island name of Lavongai.

Localisation. Papua New Guinea, New Ireland Province ( Bismarck Archipelago).

Comparison. The new species is similar to Aporhina aurata ( Heller, 1896) but differs in the procoxal part of the prosternum, mesanepisternum, mesepimeron, mesoventral process, apical half of the metanepisternum, sides of the metaventrite and sides of the second ventrite with maculae of condensed white squamules, a matte pronotal centre and a distinct subapical tooth on the ventral surface of the profemora.

The species of the genus Aporhina can be divided into three species-groups. The species of the first group ( Aporhina bispinosa -group) are characterised by rufous legs (at least the femora) and maculae of the condensed white or yellowish squamules on the elytra, the species of the second group ( Aporhina richteri -group) are distinguished by black legs and maculae of the condensed white squamules on the elytra, and the species of the third group ( Aporhina nitens -group) have black, usually metallic legs and elytra without maculae of scales. Some species have been described as subspecies and varieties ( Heller 1896, 1901). However, morphological features allow them to be considered as independent species.