Bellendenker palpalis sp. n.

(Figs 1–18)

Type material studied. Holotype: AUSTRALIA: male, four labels: " Bellenden Ker Range, NQ / Summit TV Stn. 1560m / Nov. 1–7, 1981 / EARTHWATCH / QSL.MUSEUM" [white, printed], "Q.M.BERLESATE No. 335 / 17.16S 145.51E / Rainforest / Sieved litter" [white, printed], " Aust. Nat. / Ins. Coll. " [green, printed], " BELLENDENKER / palpalis m. / det. P. Jałoszyński, 2016 / HOLOTYPUS " [red, printed] (ANIC) . Paratypes (11 exx.): 7 exx., same data as for holotype; 2 exx., same data except Oct. 25–31 1981; 2 exx., same data except for Oct. 20-23 1981. Paratypes in ANIC and cPJ.

Diagnosis. As in genus, vide supra; aedeagus as in Figs 14–17.

Description. Body of male (Fig. 1) with small and flattened head and strongly convex prothorax and elytra, dark brown, appendages slightly lighter, BL 1.68–1.75 mm (mean 1.71 mm); cuticle moderately glossy, vestiture of setae about as dark as cuticle or indistinctly lighter.

Head (Figs 1, 3–5) broadest at eyes, HL 0.30–0.33 mm (mean 0.32 mm), HW 0.28–0.30 mm (mean 0.29 mm); tempora in dorsal view as long as eyes, nearly straight; vertex convex; frons between antennal insertions distinctly flattened; supraantennal tubercles distinct but weakly elevated. Eyes large and strongly projecting laterally from the head silhouette, coarsely faceted, nearly round in lateral view. Punctures on frons and vertex dense but small and shallow, not sharply marked; setae dense, moderately long, suberect to erect, tempora, genae and postgenae, and posterior margin of vertex with thick bristles. Antennae (Fig. 1) slender and weakly thickened, AnL 0.85–1.00 mm (mean 0.93 mm); all antennomeres elongate (X weakly so).

Pronotum (Figs 1, 7, 9) in dorsal view elongate, broadest slightly in front of middle, PL 0.53–0.55 mm (mean 0.53 mm), PW 0.43 mm; anterior and lateral margins in anterior half rounded; sides slightly sinuate in posterior third; posterior margin nearly straight; base of pronotum with three pairs of large and deep, nearly circular pits. Punctures on pronotal disc fine and inconspicuous; entire dorsal and lateral surface of pronotum covered with erect bristles mixed with thin setae.

Elytra (Figs 1, 7) oval, broadest near anterior third, EL 0.83–0.88 mm (mean 0.86 mm), EW 0.53–0.63 mm (mean 0.59 mm), EI 1.32–1.67; basal portion of elytra evenly narrowing anteriorly, lacking humeral calli and basal impressions. Punctures more distinct than those on head and pronotum but fine and shallow, separated by spaces subequal to diameters of punctures; setae dense, long, suberect.

Legs (Fig. 1) robust but relatively long; pro- and mesotibiae with indistinct ventral subapical emargination; tarsi short and thick.

Aedeagus (Figs 14–17) strongly elongate and relatively slender; AeL 0.35 mm; in ventral view gradually narrowing distally, apex broadly subtriangular and bent dorsally at an obtuse angle; endophallus largely membranous and poorly visible, with subapical triangular structure, a pair of rod-like sclerites near middle of median lobe, and with denticulate walls; parameres long and moderately slender, laterally broadened in distal half, only with tiny, barely discernible setae along dorsal margin.

Female. Externally indistinguishable from male; BL 1.65–1.75 mm (mean 1.69 mm); HL 0.30–0.33 mm (mean 0.32 mm), HW 0.29–0.30 mm (mean 0.30 mm), AnL 0.88–0.93 mm (mean 0.90 mm); PL 0.50–0.55 mm (mean 0.53 mm), PW 0.40–0.41 mm (mean 0.41 mm); EL 0.83–0.88 mm (mean 0.85 mm), EW 0.63–0.65 mm (mean 0.64 mm), EI 1.27–1.36.

Spermatheca (Fig. 18) globular, asymmetrical, elongate and curved, length 0.10 mm.

Distribution (Fig. 2). Northeastern Australia, Queensland.

Etymology. The species name refers to the enormously elongate labial palps.