Blaps intermedia Soldati, 2017

Laurent Soldati, Fabien L. Condamine, Anne-Laure Clamens & Gael J. Kergoat, 2017, Documenting tenebrionid diversity: progress on Blaps Fabricius (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Tenebrioninae, Blaptini) systematics, with the description of Fve new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 282, pp. 1-29 : 9-12

Blaps intermedia Soldati sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:EC3407F9-8A76-4296-AEC5-DFDA9F06CDE1

Fig. 2A–I

Etymology

The name of this species refers to the fact that it looks like a morphological intermediary between Blaps appendiculata Motschulsky, 1851 and B. debdouensis Obenberger, 1914.

Material examined

Holotype

MOROCCO: ♂, “4.IV.1996, Arhbalou, Moyen Atlas, Maroc, P. Jolivet leg. / Museum Paris coll. P. Ardoin 1978 / Blaps ssp. intermedia m. Soldati det. 1996 / Blaps intermedia m. n. sp., L. Soldati 2015, HOLOTYPE” (MNHN).

Paratypes

MOROCCO: 1 ♂, “Marocco, Moyen Atlas 6.04.1958 Leg. L. Kocher / Coll. N. Skopin / appendiculata Motsch. 1975 N. Skopin det. / Blaps appendiculata canalicauda subsp. n. / Blaps emondi intermedia n. ssp. PARATYPE” (HNHM); 2 ♂♂, “Dj. Hebbri 18.IV.1926 / Coll. Dr. G. Audéoud” (HNHM); 2 ♂♂, “El Hajeb 19.IV.1926” (HNHM); 1 ♂, “Moyen Atlas, route P21 bif.r.3206 21.7.69 / Marokko O. Stemmler / Blaps tingitana All. Dr. Z. Kaszab det. 1973” (HNHM); 3 ♂♂, same data as holotype (MNHN); 1 ♂, “14.V.1969, Azrou, Moyen Atlas, Durand” (MNHN); 1 ♂, “20.IV.1965, Almis du Guigou p. Boulemane, Moyen Atlas, P. Jolivet” (MHNH); 1 ♂, “Azrou” (MNHN); 1 ♂, “20.IV.1965, Boulemane, Moyen Atlas, P. Jolivet” (MNHN); 1 ♂, “29.V.1968, 1800 m, Djebel Hebri, Moyen Atlas, Maroc, D. Seiler” (MNHN); 1 ♂, “Moyen Atlas, 1960 m, Djebel Hebri, Maroc, 30.IV.1970” (MNHN); 1 ♂, “Timhadit, 1900 m, Alluaud 1881” (MNHN); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, “rte entre Ajabou et Azrou (stat° 21, 1900 m, 33°15′ N / 05°14′ WW)” (MHNL); 1 ♂, “Aknoul 11/10/1936” (CS); 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀, “Jbel Tichtrar, Moy. Atl. 6.1973, Maroc, H. Fongond” (CS); 1 ♂, “Tizi Abekhnanes, Jbel Tichtrar, Maroc Moy. Atl. 27.VI.1973, H. Fongond” (CS); 1 ♂, “Forêt de Jaaba 11 km W. Ifrane Moyen Atlas Maroc 30.V.08” (CT); 1 ♂, “Maroc m 2000, Moyen Atlas, Aguelmame Sidi Ali, 20.VI.1998, P. Leo” (CMF); 1 ♀, “Aguelm. Sidi Ali,Moy. Alt., Maroc, 6.IV.1980, H. Fongond” (CMF).

Other material (50 specimens, MNHN)

MOROCCO: Aknoul, Almis du Guigou, Azerzou (SE of Khenifra) (MNHN); Azrou, Arhbalou-n- Serdane, Bekrite, 1950 m (Middle Atlas) (MNHN); Berkane (MNHN); Dayet Ifrah (MNHN); El Hadjeb (MNHN); Ifrane (MNHN); Zaouïa de l’Oued Ifrane (MNHN); Djebel Hebri (MNHN); Guercif (MNHN); Mechrâ Safsaf (near Berkane) (MNHN); Taza (MNHN); Tendrara (MNHN); Timhadit, Zad, 2100 m (MNHN).

Description

Length: 32.0–42.0 mm; width: 12.0–16.0 mm. Dull black. Oval-oblong, elongated ( Fig. 2A–C ). Upper surface covered with very fne and sparse punctures, progressively denser from elytra to head.

HEAD. Clypeus arcuately emarginate, with lateral angles protruding frontwards, clypeo-labial membrane not visible. Clypeo-frontal suture reduced to thin, superfcially engraved glossy line. Middle of frons (disc) with faint, generally obliterated, transverse depression. Mentum transverse, punctate and slightly impressed in middle of anterior edge. Gula microshagreened, dull. Labium triangularly emarginated in middle of front edge.

ANTENNAE. Medium size, reaching at most ¾ of pronotal length when directed backwards ( Fig. 2D ).

PRONOTUM. Broadest in its middle, sides distinctly sinuated before posterior angles and arcuatly narrowed frontwards. Anterior angles rounded. Posterior angles sub-right and blunt. External rim fne, complete on lateral margins, but obliterated in middle of front edge and base. Disc convex. Punctuation fne, uniform. Carina of pronotum anterior foramen thick and neck-shaped below. Episternum of prosternum shallowly wrinkled near coxae and obliterate toward margins. Prosternal apophysis vertically bent just behind anterior coxae, then very slightly denticulate in middle at apex.

ELYTRA. Ovoid, broadest around its middle, fat on disc. Upper surface leathery, covered with extremely fne and sparse punctures. Pseudopleural carina only visible from above because of tranversal convexity of elytra. Caudal extension at apex of elytra (mucro) measuring between 1.5 and 3.5 mm. Seen from above, mucro triangularly narrowed; deep suture fanked by two thick, coarsely transversely wrinkled ribs, converging toward apex, which ends in acute angular gap ( Fig. 2E ). In lateral view, mucro regularly narrowed up to apex, with lower face sub-horizontal ( Fig. 2F ); below, regularly but not deeply excavated, with sharp external edges and bottom transversally wrinkled.

ABDOMEN. Ventrites wrinkled-punctate; anal ventrite fnely punctate, denser along external rim, external rim complete and fne.

LEGS. Mesotibiae curved. Inner face of pro-and mesotibiae superfcially grooved.

SEXUAL DIMORPHISM. Yellow tuft of bristles between ventrites 1 and 2, and strong callosity between middle and front edge of intercoxal process of ventrite 1. Callosity directed backwards, bifd on top (when not eroded), with some longitudinal and oblique folds on front side, and coarse, transversal wrinkles hindwards. Pseudopleural carina of elytra only visible on anterior half in males, visible on anterior third in females. In lateral view, posterior declivity of elytra steep in males and subvertical in females. Mucro longer in males (2.0–3.5 mm) than in females (1.5–2.0 mm) ( Fig. 2E, G ). Male protibiae slightly fexuous; straight in females. In males, rear edges of median and especially hind tibiae strongly denticulate. Male metatibiae fexuous and shallowly emarginated on inner face; female metatibiae straight and simple.

AEDEAGUS. Parameres open on sternal face ( Fig. 2H ), with apex acuminate. In lateral view ( Fig. 2I ), parameres thick and convex at base, then narrowed almost in straight line up to apex.

Bionomics

The examined material was collected between April and October.

Distribution

Morocco: Middle Atlas mountain range and further north, up to the surroundings of Taza and Aknoul.

Remarks

This species belongs to the Blaps emondi species group (sensu Condamine et al. 2011). Blaps intermedia sp. nov. is morphologically very close to B. debdouensis, and the aedeagus is the most reliable character to the two species: in B. intermedia sp. nov. the parameres are more extended laterally and appear infated, whereas they are parallel and gutter-shaped in B. debdouensis. However, it is worth underlining that the aedeagus is often distorted by dehydration because of the very thin lateral tegument of the parameres. In the case of isolated females, the geographic distribution is a good criterion to distinguish females of Blaps intermedia sp. nov. from females of B. debdouensis.

Figures

Fig. 2. Blaps intermedia Soldati sp. nov. A. ♂, habitus (dorsal view). B. ♂, habitus (lateral view). C. ♂, habitus (ventral view). D. ♂, left antenna (dorsal view). E. ♂, mucro (dorsal view). F. ♂, mucro (lateral view). G. ♀, mucro (dorsal view). H. ♂, aedeagus (ventral view). I. ♂. aedeagus (lateral view). Scale bars: A – C = 10 mm; D = 5 mm; E – I = 2 mm.