Picrotus wairarapa, Leschen & Chen & Harmer, 2024

Picrotus wairarapa sp. nov.

( Figs 5 View Fig , 19F View Fig )

Type material. HOLOTYPE: ♁ ( NZAC), labelled: ‘ New Zealand WA Hikorangi 13 Sep 1982 J. C. Watt // Sifted woodmould 82/75 // Entomology Div. D.S.I.R. New Zealand / NZ Arthropod Collection Private Bag 92170 Auckland New Zealand NZAC04238506 About NZAC ’. PARATYPES (31; NZAC). NORTH ISLAND: WA: 2, Haurangi, Aorangi Mountains, 2 Sep 1965, moss in forest, J.I. Townsend, [41°21.978′S, 175°23.713′E], NZAC 04238599, NZAC 04238610; 5, Hikorangi, 13 Sep 1982, sifted wood mould, J.C. Watt, [41°8.757′S, 175°47.162′E], NZAC 04114153, NZAC 04234428, NZAC 04234431, NZAC 04234537, NZAC 04234568; 5 (same as holotype), Hikorangi, 13 Sep 1982, litter, J.C.Watt,[41°8.801′S, 175°47.114′E], NZAC 04182063, NZAC 04238388, NZAC 04238556, NZAC 04238598, NZAC 04238605; 2, Ngaumu State Forest., 27 Jan 2008, under pine logs in pine plantation, K. Marske, R. Leschen, T. Buckley, 41°1.693′S, 175°57.411′E, KM261, NZAC 04137263, NZAC 04138374; 3, Pongaroa, 31 Dec 1980, wood mould, J.C. Watt, [40°32.570′S, 176°11.598′E], NZAC 04136583, NZAC 04138616, NZAC 04139481; 1 Pongaroa, 31 Dec 1980, litter, J.C. Watt, [40°32.570′S, 176°11.598′E], NZAC 04135077; 9, Putangirua Pinnacles Scenic Reserve, Palliser Bay, 24 Jan 2008, dead wood, K. Marske, R. Leschen, T. Buckley, 41°27.011′S, 175°14.435′E, KM250, NZAC 03019073, NZAC 04135546, NZAC 04135944, NZAC 04136715, NZAC 04136806, NZAC 04136811, NZAC 04138859, NZAC 04234039, NZAC 04235138; 5, Sutherland Vehicle Track, Aorangi Range, 24 Jan 2008, sifted wood and leaf litter in secondary forest on former grazing land, K. Marske, R. Leschen, T. Buckley, 41°25.239′S, 175°21.551′E, KM245, NZAC 03018832, NZAC 04272551, NZAC 04272552, NZAC 04272553, NZAC 04272554; 2, West of Lake Wairarapa Reserve, 20 Apr 1997, in humus under bark of dead Pseudopanax, J. Nunn , [41°10.155′S, 175°18.676′E], NZAC 04235296, NZAC 04272546.

Diagnosis. Picrotus wairarapa sp. nov. is easily distinguished from P. thoracicus by the lack of a basal row of foveolate punctures and broad medial puncture on the pronotum. The slightly longer prosternal process that is apically rounded or ligulate and the longer parameral setae will also distinguish this species from P. thoracicus .

Description. Length 1.10–1.75 mm. With characters of P. thoracicus , except as follows. Head with clypeal constriction slightly wider than length of antennomere 1. Pronotum with pronotal length/width ratio ~0.64; pronotal base weakly impressed, without a row of foveolate punctures and without a broad medial puncture. Prosternal process with apex rounded or ligulate, width 1.16 times shorter than total length of prosternum. Elytra about as long as combined width, about 1.10 times width of pronotum at greatest width, about 1.70 times length of pronotum. First abdominal ventrite with intercoxal process subrounded at apex. Aedeagus with parameres fused to phallobase and broadest at their bases and not separated at the apex, combined length of fused parameres about 0.8 times as long as wide; apices with 3–4 primary setae distinctly as long as parameres, and of equal lengths; basipenis about 6.0 times length of distipenis; distipenis rectangular and elongate, about 1.5 times as long as wide; internal sac with a pair of thin endophallites that extend about 2/3 the length of the sac.

Etymology. The specific epithet is based on its distribution in the Wairarapa; noun in apposition.

Distribution. North Island: WA ( Fig. 21 View Fig ).

Remarks. Picrotus wairarapa sp. nov. is restricted to the Wairarapa in the southeast of the North Island.