Thorictus hanifahensis Hava & Abdel-Dayem, 2021

Hava, Jiri, Abdel-Dayem, Mahmoud S. & Aldhafer, Hathal M., 2021, The subfamily Thorictinae (Coleoptera, Dermestidae) from Saudi Arabia, ZooKeys 1029, pp. 155-174 : 155

Thorictus hanifahensis Hava & Abdel-Dayem sp. nov. Figs 8 , 9

Material examined.

Holotype. Saudi Arabia • 1 ex; Riyadh Province, Wadi Hanifah , WHS01 [location near Waseel]; 24.87011°N, 46.456775°E; alt. 707.051 m; 12 Oct. 2015; Abdel-Dayem M et al. leg.; pitfall trap; KSMA.

Description of holotype.

Body small, brown covered by long yellow setae on dorsal surfaces and short setae on ventral surfaces. Measurements (mm): TL 2.8, PW 1.6, EW 1.6. Head finely punctate with long yellow setae. Labial palpi entirely brown. Antennae brown, with 11 antennomeres, antennal club compact with three antennomeres. Pronotum as finely punctate as head, covered by long yellow setation. Lateral margin of pronotum not dentate. Pronotum in posterior part near scutellum without bumps. Ventral posterior pronotal angles with long yellow setation. Scutellum not visible from above. Elytra very finely punctate covered by long yellow setation. Each elytron in anterior part near humeri with one very small bump. Epipleuron finely punctate, anterior angles with long yellow setation. Prosternum finely punctate. Mesosternum finely punctate, mesosternal bulge. Metasternum finely punctate. Visible abdominal ventrites very finely punctate, covered by long yellow setae. First abdominal ventrite with anterior, longitudinal striation. Legs brown, covered by yellow setae.

Differential diagnosis.

The new species is similar to T munganasti Reitter, 1908 (Egypt) but differs from it by the abovementioned characteristics.

Etymology.

Named according to type locality: Wadi Hanifah.

Ecological notes.

This species was found in an area with loam texture, which is dominated by Tamarix senegalensis DC. ( Tamaricaceae ) and some Acacia gerrardii Benth. ( Fabaceae ) (Fig. 10 ). The single specimen was collected by pitfall trap in October, along with the ant species Camponotus sericeus (Fabricius, 1798), Camponotus thoracicus (Fabricius, 1804), Cataglyphis holgerseni Collingwood & Agosti, 1996, Cataglyphis livida ( André, 1881), Lepisiota simplex (Forel, 1892), Monomorium abeillei André, 1881, Monomorium niloticum Emery, 1881, Tetramorium caespitum (Linnaeus, 1758), and Trichomyrmex mayri (Forel, 1902) in the same trap.

Geographical distribution.

Thorictus hanifahensis Háva & Abdel-Dayem, sp. nov. is known only from its type locality in central Saudi Arabia, at Wadi Hanifah in the Ad Diriyah Governorate, Riyadh Province (Fig. 1 ).

Figures

Figure 1. Map of Saudi Arabian provinces and distribution of Thorictinae species.

Figure 8. Habitus dorsal aspect of Thorictus hanifahensis Hava & Abdel-Dayem, sp. nov.

Figure 10. Habitat of Thorictus hanifahensis Hava & Abdel-Dayem, sp. nov. holotype in Central Saudi Arabia, Riyadh Province, Wadi Hanifah, at 707 m elevation. Acacia gerrardii Benth. (Fabaceae) in the middle foreground and Tamarix senegalensis DC. (Tamaricaceae) on the right.