Amphimenes (s. str.) kmecoi, Anichtchenko, 2024

Amphimenes (s. str.) kmecoi sp. n.

(Figs. 1, 3, 4)

Material. Holotype, male: “12.- 30.4.2007 Malaysia / Ringlet 926 m. n.m. / N 04°23 E 101°22 / Kremitovský”, “ Holotype / Amphimenes (s.str.) / kmecoi sp.n. / des. Anichtchenko A. 24 [red label, handwritten]” ( DUBC).

Diagnosis. This new species is the most southern known representative of the genus, and seems to present transitory features between the subgenus Amblops Andrewes, 1931 and the “ medius – group” of the subgenus Amphimenes s. str. (in sense of Fedorenko 2019). With Amblops it shares the indistinct temples, and with the nominotypical subgenus shares the transversally rugose intervals of elytra. By the small body size and the aedeagus strongly dilated in ventral view the new species is closely related to A. (s. str.) medius Fedorenko 2010 , known from Southern Vietnam, but can be easily distinguished from it by the indistinct temples, the very narrow margins of pronotum and the occurrence of three discal pores on elytra.

Description. Body length 5.0 mm. Dorsum black, mouthparts, legs and antennae light brown, clypeus and labrum brown (Fig. 1). Gula, trochanters and coxa brownish-red.

260 Eyes moderately convex, temples indistinct; posterior supraorbital seta situated in distance equal to radius of eye back. Labrum incised anteriorly. Frontal foveae shallow. Microreticulation isodiametric, smoothed on the vertex. Antennae moderately long, surpassing base of pronotum by last joint only.

Pronotum 1.19 times as wide as long, 1.41 times as wide as head, with front angles protruding but slightly rounded apically; sides slightly angulate in front of lateral pore, slightly sinuate before hind angles; not reflexed between lateral pore and anterior angle, very slightly reflexed towards hind angles; lateral margin very narrow, especially so anteriorly. Hind angles straight. Base of pronotum is almost straight. Mid-line reaching anterior border, superficial on the disc, much deeper where adjoining basal transverse depression, latter distinctly separated from a very convex disc; lateral basal foveae indistinct, paramedian foveae flat and almost indistinct. Microreticulation on the disc strong, consist of polygonal meshes, towards the sides meshes becomes almost isodiametric, and towards hind angles meshes turns into small tubercles.

Elytra oval, 1.37 times as long as wide, 1.56 times as wide as pronotum, broadest at about middle, with shoulders strongly rounded; fused along midline; apical truncature hardly sinuate between a rounded outer angle and a point- ed apex. Three discal setigerous pores: D1/ EL=0.15, D2/EL=0.73 and D3/EL=0.95. All elytral striae deep, crenulato-punctate, intervals strongly transversally striate. Microreticulation strongly transverse, surface slightly iridescent. Hind wings reduced.

Ventral segments smooth, impunctate. Metepisternum short, sub square. Last metatarsomere with one distal pair of ventral setae only. Claws with four denticles, basal one much smaller. Basal third of male profemur without ventral tubercle.

Aedeagus (Figs. 3-4): median lobe robust, abruptly bent near basal orifice, strongly in- flated on left side in ventral view; apical lamella

New species of genus Amphimenes Bates, 1873 ( Coleoptera , carabidae, Lebiinae ) from Laos and Malaysia spatulate, with a rounded tip. Endophallus without distinct structures.

Etymology. This species is named after my friend and colleague Rudolf Kmeco ( Czechia), who kindly provided a lot of interesting material for determination.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in Malaysia.

Figures 1-2. Habitus of Amphimenes in dorsal view. 1 – A. (s. str.) kmecoi sp. n., Holotype. 2 – A. (s. str.) hartmanni sp. n., holotype. Images courtesy A. Anichtchenko.