Indonesia: Papua Province: Nabire/Paniai Regencies, road Nabire-Enarotali, 54^th km, 03°29.52'S, 135°43.91'E.

Holotype: male “IRIAN JAYA: Paniai Prov. road Nabire-Ilaga, km 54 26./27.8.1996, 750-800m leg. M. Balke (96 # 2)” (NHMW). Paratypes: 7 males with the same label as the holotype (NHMW). 2 males “IR 24-W. New Guinea, track Nabire-Ilaga KM 54, basecamp 750m, 25.vii.1991 Balke &Hendrich leg.” (NHMW, ZSM). 1 male “West New Guinea/Paniai Prov./IR 24 track Nabire-Ilaga km 54 basecamp, 750m, 25.7.1991 leg: Balke &Hendrich” (CLH). 1 male “West New Guinea/Paniai Prov./IR 19 track Nabire-Ilaga km 54 Basecamp, 750-800m, 16.-27.7.1991 leg: Balke & Hendrich” (CLH). 1 male “IRIAN JAYA: Paniai Prov. road Nabire-Ilaga, km 54 10.9.1996, 800m leg. M. Balke (96 # 20)” (NHMW), 1 male “IRIAN JAYA: Paniai Prov. road Nabire-Ilaga, km 54 10.9.1996, 900m leg. M. Balke (96 # 19)” (NHMW). 20 males “Indonesia: Papua, Road Nabire-Enarotali KM 60, 640m, 22.x.2011, 03 30.474S 135 42.611E, Uncen (PAP10)”, one of them additionally with a label “DNA M. Balke 4912” (MZB, NHMW, ZSM).

12 females “Indonesia: Papua, Road Nabire-Enarotali KM 60, 640m, 22.x.2011, 03 30.474S 135 42.611E, Uncen (PAP10)”, two of them additionally with labels “DNA M. Balke 4909”, “DNA M. Balke 4913” (NHMW, ZSM). These females most likely belong to Exocelina kakapupu sp. n. However they are not included in the type series, since four specimens of Exocelina weylandensis sp. n. have been collected from this locality too, and, therefore, some of females might belong to this species. Also see in the paragraph of Exocelina irianensis sp. n. and Exocelina ekari sp. n.

Beetle small, very similar to Exocelina soppi sp. n. and Exocelina pseudosoppi sp. n. in size and coloration; pronotum without lateral bead; male antennomeres simple; male protarsomere 4 with large, thick, strongly curved anterolateral hook; median lobe with strong submedian constriction in ventral view and almost truncate apex in lateral view; paramere with notch on dorsal side and elongate subdistal part, with numerous, dense, long, thin setae; setae of proximal part longer, thicker, distinctly visible.

Size and shape: Beetle small (TL-H 3.15–3.4 mm, TL 3.55–3.8 mm, MW 1.7–1.85 mm), with oblong-oval habitus, broadest at elytral middle. Coloration: as in Exocelina soppi sp. n. and Exocelina pseudosoppi sp. n (Fig. 48).

Surface sculpture: Punctation as in Exocelina soppi sp. n. and Exocelina pseudosoppi sp. n. but denser and coarser; microreticulation evidently stronger than in these species.

Structures: Pronotum without lateral bead or with weak traces of lateral bead. Base of prosternum and neck of prosternal process with distinct ridge, anteriorly rounded, smooth, with very small anterolateral extensions. Blade of prosternal process lanceolate, relatively broad, slightly convex, with distinct bead and few setae; neck and blade of prosternal process evenly jointed. Abdominal sternite 7 broadly truncate apically.

Male: Antenna simple (Fig. 22A). Protarsomere 4 with large, thick, strongly curved anterolateral hook. Protarsomere 5 ventrally with anterior row of 13 short setae and posterior row of 3 short setae (Fig. 22B). Abdominal sternite 7 with 2–7 lateral striae on each side. Median lobe with strong submedian constriction in ventral view and almost truncate apex in lateral view (Figs 22C, D). Paramere with notch on dorsal side and elongate subdistal part, with numerous, dense, long, thin setae; setae of proximal part longer, thicker, distinctly visible (Fig. 22E).

Female: Without evident differences in external morphology from male, except for abdominal sternite 7 without striae.

Indonesia: Papua Province: Nabire and Paniai Regencies. This species is known only from the type locality area (Fig. 50).

The Ekari people sometimes called smaller water beetles “kakapupu” (Hendrich and Balke 1992). The species name is a noun in the nominative singular standing in apposition.