Hemipeplus gressitti KC & Pollock, 2025

Kc, Sajan & Pollock, Darren A., 2025, Review of the Hemipeplinae (Coleoptera: Mycteridae) fauna of the world with descriptions of twenty-nine new species, Zootaxa 5574 (1), pp. 1-140 : 79-80

Hemipeplus gressitti KC & Pollock , sp. nov.

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1113C1CE-1337-42F2-B81E-EF9C4BB08A2E

(Figs 36, 64)

Type Material. Holotype, female, labeled: ‘ NEW GUINEA (Neth.) Hollandia 100 m., Aug. 24. 1955 / Light Trap J. L. Gressitt / [blue label] ♀ / [red label] HOLOTYPE ♀ Hemipeplus gressitti KC & Pollock’, in BPBM. One paratype, female, labeled: ‘ New Guinea: Voqelkop Manokwari NE of town 10-25m 10.vi.1979 / J. L. Gressitt Collector BISHOP MUSEUM / Palms Sago / V. large eyes Det. D.A. Pollock’, in BPBM .

Derivation of Specific Epithet. The specific name (noun in the genitive case) is given in allusion to Judson Linsley Gressitt who collected the holotype in 1955.

Diagnosis. Hemipeplus gressitti sp. nov. can be distinguished by its very large eyes and lack of temples. Hemipeplus gressitti sp. nov. has the following diagnostic features: temples absent; scape elongate, apically dilated; largest eyes among all Hemipeplinae species (longer than antennomeres I+II+III), wide and convex; pronotum subcordiform, relatively long; anterior emargination almost absent; anterior half much wider than posterior half; pronotal pad distinct; pronotal angles rounded; pronotal lobe truncate without visible median notch; body long; elytra slightly convex; color brown, dull, head and pronotum slightly darker; rufopiceous head and pronotum in paratype; distribution: Indonesia (Hollandia, Manokwari).

Description. Measurements (in mm)—GHW: 0.55–0.68; HL: 0.50–0.63; AL: 0.88–0.92; GPW: 0.55–0.70; PL: 0.50–0.60; GEW: 0.60–0.95, EL: 2.70–3.16; TL: 3.70–4.39.

Head (Fig. 36B) wide, ( GHW /HL: 1.08–1.10); largest eyes among all Hemipeplinae species (longer than antennomeres I+ II + III), wide and convex; temples absent; occiput with raised areas; antennae shorter than head and pronotum length combined; antennal scape elongate, apically dilated; pedicel small moniliform; antennomere III more elongate and apically dilated; IV short and moniliform, apically dilated; V broader, apically dilated; VI –X subtriangular or bowl shaped, each wider than the next; XI subpyriform with apex narrowed after median notch; lateral mandibular tooth absent. Pronotum (Fig. 36B) wide ( GPW / PL: 1.10–1.17); anterior margin without prominent emargination; anterolateral angles rounded, produced; posterior half much more contracted than anterior half; posterolateral margins subparallel; posterolateral angles obtusely rounded; pronotal lobe truncate without visible median notch; pronotal pad (Fig. 36C) distinct; pronotal pits shallow with faint grooves. Scutellar shield elliptical, transverse, not twice as wide as long. Elytra (Fig. 36A) long ( EL / GEW: 3.33–4.50) and slightly convex; vestiture short and moderate; apical patch long but faint. Ventral surface. Prosternal process short and pointed, not extending posterior of procoxae; hypomeral edges almost fused, very narrowly separated; mesosternal process narrow and linear. Color dull, brown, head and pronotum slightly darker (rufopiceous in paratype) than elytra; ventrally same as above, palpi and tarsi lighter in holotype; uniformly rufous in paratype with edges of pro- and mesosternum darker .

Male Genitalia. Even though a male specimen was not available, we hypothesize that the male genitalia are very similar to those of species such as H. australicus , H. enarotaliensis sp. nov., and H. neoguineensis sp. nov. based on the external morphological characters.

Remarks. Hemipeplus gressitti sp. nov. has the largest eyes relative to its antennomeres in the entire subfamily.

Geographical Distribution (Fig. 64). Indonesia (Hollandia, Manokwari).

Natural History. According to specimen label data, H. gressitti sp. nov. has been collected from Sago Palm and light trap(s).

FIGURE 36. Hemipeplus gressitti sp. nov. (Holotype). A. Dorsal habitus (with scale bar); B. Dorsal head and prothorax; C. Lateral view of head and prothorax.