Callophylla macrocephala, Perissinotto, Renzo, 2019

Perissinotto, Renzo, 2019, Description of Callophyllamacrocephala sp. n. from southern Tanzania, ZooKeys 818, pp. 129-136 : 129

Callophylla macrocephala sp. n. Figures 1, 2

Diagnosis.

This species can easily be separated from all the other species currently known in the genus by its remarkably wide clypeus, the brightness of its body surface and the scattered round to horseshoe punctures on the pronotum (dense and rugose in all the other species). Of the four species currently known in the genus Callophylla , C. macrocephala appears to be most closely related to C. takanoi , which occurs in Zambia (Ikelenge), but on its northwestern corner at the border with the DRC and Angola. Conversely, the only record currently known for C. macrocephala ("Nakonde Hochland") is from the border region between southern Tanzania and north-eastern Zambia.

The two species can easily be separated on the basis of their key differences at the level of the clypeal width, pronotal tubercle and sculpture, aedeagal parameres and the general body colour and ornamentation. In particular, the clypeus of C. macrocephala is as wide as the total length of its head (from the tip of the clypeus to the anterior margin of the pronotum), while in C. takanoi it is shorter by about 30%. The pronotum of C. macrocephala exhibits a very prominent tubercle on its mid anterior margin, while this is absent in C. takanoi . Additionally, the pronotum of C. macrocepala is completely black and characterized by scattered, round to horseshoe punctures, while in C. takanoi it is brickred on the sides and black at middle, with dense rugose sculpture throughout the surface. Finally, the parameres of C. macrocephala are much longer and narrower than those of C. takanoi and also with very few, short setae at the apex.

Description of holotype.

Male. (Fig. 1 A–F) Size. Length 12.8 mm; width 5.3 mm.

Body: Shiny and elongate, black to light brown and ochreous in colour; with remarkable punctuation and long but scattered setae through most of dorsal surface (Fig. 1A).

Head. Wide and completely black; clypeus deeply concave and sharply upturned at anterior margin, sinuate at centre (Fig. 1C); entire surface covered in round to horseshoe

punctures, with exception of ocular canthus, with tawny-coloured setae emerging at centre of each puncture and becoming particularly long towards vertex (Fig. 1C); antennal club dark brown and black, slightly longer than flagellum; flagellum dark brown; pedicel dark brown with lighter head attachment and bearing clusters of long, erected yellowish setae.

Pronotum. Surface entirely black and shiny with numerous but well-spaced punctures; punctures round on disc becoming horseshoe towards pre-scutellar arch; shape heptagonal and remarkably elevated at anterior margin, forming prominent tubercle at centre; antero-lateral margins carinate, postero-lateral smooth; posterior margin slightly sinuate with pre-scutellar arch smooth; medium to long yellowish setae scattered throughout lateral declivity and margins (Fig. 1A).

Scutellum. Completely black and shiny; smooth on disc and exhibiting only minor geminate striae on antero-lateral margin; narrowly triangular with lateral margins much longer than base and sharp apex; lateral grooves exceptionally deep and wide (Fig. 1A).

Elytron. Shiny throughout; ochreous on disc, but dark brown to black on all margins except behind pronotal extra-scutellar area; costae very pronounced and typical of members of the genus; sub-humeral arch very deep, but both humeral and apical calluses poorly developed; paired horseshoe punctures lining entire surface of intercostal area, with long and erect tawny-coloured setae emerging at centre of most punctures; apical margin smoothly rounded, with a moderately-developed proximal spine; apical and postero-lateral declivities remarkably steep (Fig. 1A).

Pygidium. Closer to semicircular than triangular in shape and slightly convex; Dark brown to black and covered in dense rugose sculpture; short to medium yellow setae scattered around the disc, becoming longer and more numerous on apico-lateral margins.

Legs. Slender and elongate, with apical tarsal segments approximately twice as long as preceding ones; protibia bidentate, with second tooth blunt and poorly developed, with fine longitudinal ridges, coarse horseshoe punctures and short yellow setae, becoming longer and denser on inner margin; meso- and metatibia with longer and denser yellow setae, with striolate surfaces and mid spine on outer carina moderately developed; spurs long and acuminate, approximately twice as long in metatibia than in mesotibia (Fig. 1A, B).

Ventral surface. Completely black and shiny; with small and scattered horseshoe to round punctures throughout surface, except on mesometasternal lobe and on central area of abdominal sternites; pubescence long and dense, but shorter and scattered on abdomen and absent on mesometasternal lobe; mesosternal lobe smoothly rounded and slightly projecting anteriorly; abdominal sternites with visible concavity and groove at centre; metacoxa with remarkable carina separating ventral from lateral portion.

Aedeagus. Parameres elongate and slender, with apex smoothly rounded and bearing few scattered setae at centre (Fig. 1C); dorsal lobes of same width of ventral lobes and perfectly parallel throughout length (Fig. 1C).

Derivatio nominis. The name of this species reflects its particularly wide head, in comparison to that of all other known congeneric species.

Female. The female of this species, like that of its closest relative C. takanoi , is unknown, but is expected to exhibit a remarkable dimorphism, with broad characteristics similar to those previously described for C. costata and C. lamottei from West Africa ( Antoine 2007). In those species, the main differences lie in the female exhibiting a tridentate and substantially enlarged protibia, in comparison to the male. The antennal clubs are almost twice as long in the male, while the general body shape is generally broader and more globose in the female. Additionally, typically the female meso- and metatibial teeth are more pronounced than those of the male.

Distribution.

The only known specimen of C. macrocephala was collected in the "Nakonde Hochland" area of the old “Deutsch-Ostafrika”. This colony included the present day mainland part of Tanzania and although the town of Nakonde falls within Zambia, the highlands area formed part of the Lindi District of the old German colony ( Schnee 1920, Vol II, p. 457). Thus, the type locality is obviously just across the Zambian border town of Nakonde. It is most likely though that the distribution range of this species extends to the nearby mountainous regions of both Zambia and Malawi.

Remarks.

It may be of interest to note that despite the specimen carrying an unequivocal label ("Sammlung Schürhoff”), that identifies it as having belonged to the collection of this prolific entomologist of the early 20th century, no reference to it could be found in his extensive series of publications on the Cetoniinae of the World ( “Beiträge zur kenntnis der Cetoniden").

Type material.

Holotype (♂): Tanzania ("D. O. Afr"), Nakonde Hockland, Sammlung Schürhoff (TMSA “F”, “7”).