Namylabris adamantifera Bologna, 2018

Bologna, Marco A., Amore, Valentina & Pitzalis, Monica, 2018, Meloidae of Namibia (Coleoptera): taxonomy and faunistics with biogeographic and ecological notes, Zootaxa 4373 (1), pp. 1-141 : 46

Namylabris adamantifera Bologna sp. n. ( Fig. 2Y )

Types. Holotype female, 1 male, 1 female ( SMWN) and 1 male paratypes (CB) labelled “ Grillental , 26°59’ S 15°22’ E Diamond area 1, 29–30 sept. 1982 M. L. Penrith – J. Irish ” . 1 female paratype ( SMWN) “ Sargdeckel , Klinghardt Mts., Diamond area 1, 27°24’S 15°41’ E, 1–2 Oct. 1982 M. L. Penrith-Irish ” . 1 female paratype ( SMWN) “ Diamond area 1, 27°45’S 16°30’E, 05–07.xi.1986 E. Griffin, Pres. pitf.-traps” . 2 females paratypes ( SMWN) “ Obib Mts. / Dunes , SE 2816 Ba, Diamond area 1, 28–30 Oct. 1977, Coll. S. Louw M-L. Penrith ; H35148” (one paratype with antennomeres X–XI almost fused).

1 female paratype, “ Northen Cape, 70 km E Porth Nolloth , XI ” (CB) ; 1 female paratype, “ Northern Cape, on rd. to Richtersveld NP betw. Amis and Ooble, 28.20S 16.55E, 20.ix.1997 F.W. & S.K. Gess; visiting pink flowers Mesembryanthemaceae ; 97/98/21” ( AMG) .

Some types have damaged parts of body, mostly legs.

Other material examined: [Karas] Aurus Mts. , 27.6500°S 16.3167°E ( SAMC) ; Obib , 28.0833°S 16.7500°E ( SAMC) .

Type locality. The type locality is in the Karas region, district of Luderitz; coordinates in decimal degrees are: 26.9833°S 15.3667°E. The species is distributed in a narrow area extended in both SW Namibia and NW South Africa, and characterized by Namib desert and Succulent Karoo ecosystems.

Description. Characters described for the genus ( Fig. 2Y ). Integuments shiny; body setation white-yellow, denser and longer on ventral side and legs, shorter and more scattered on head and pronotum, very short and scattered on elytra. Body length: 12.0–14.0 mm.

Head black, antennae variable in colour, black or antennomeres III–XI reddish or dark reddish; punctures deep and approached.

Pronotum ( Figs. 2Y , 10E ) black with one orange triangular spot on each side, extended on dorsal surface, one another separate by black midle colouration; punctures as on head. Elytra ( Fig. 2Y ) orange with black pattern composed by two small spots on the anterior third, inner one sometimes reduced or absent, one middle biundulate fascia, and another wider biundulate fascia on posterior third. Tibiae and tarsi reddish.

Abdomen with last two urites black, previous urites orange or more or less extensively black on sides.

Etymology. The name of this species refers to its distribution in the Diamond area and to the curious fact that most specimens of this species, living on sand dunes, are covered by granite sand grains, similar to minute diamonds.

Distribution. Southwestern Namibia , northwestern South Africa.

Figures

FIGURE 2. A. Prionotolytta binotata; B. Prionotolytta eremita; C. Prionotolytta hayekae; D. Prionotolytta melanura; E. Prionotolytta streyi; F. Prolytta coriacea; G. Prolytta namibensis; H. Prolytta pseudolucida; I. Cyaneolytta affinis; J. Cyaneolytta depressicornis; K. Cyaneolytta granulipennis; L. Cyaneolytta maculifrons; M. Cyaneolytta resplendens; N. Epicauta designata; O. Epicauta ovampoa; P. Epicauta rufifrons; Q. Epicauta velata; R. Psalydolytta gessi; S. Psalydolytta lorigera; T. Actenodia chrysomelina; U. Actenodia mirabilis; V. Mimesthes maculicollis; W. Mimesthes nigricollis; X. Paramimesthes namibicus; Y. Namylabris adamantifera.

FIGURE 10. Namylabris adamantifera: tegmen in ventral (A), dorsal (B) and lateral view (C); aedeagus in lateral view (D); pronotum (E); mesostsernum (F); antenna (G). Bar = 1 mm.