Paramimesthes 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 : 42-43

Genus Paramimesthes Bologna gen. n.

Type species. Paramimesthes namibicus Bologna sp. n.

Diagnosis. A mylabrine genus ( Fig. 2X ), very similar to Mimesthes and Namylabris , but distinct by the combination of the following characters: antennae less widened apically, neither clearly subclavate nor VIII–XI so compressed to form a club, but only progressively widened apically; pronotum not distinctly transverse; male protarsomeres widened internally; male claw ventrally angulate; aedeagus apically incised and hook apical, large and subaxiform.

Description. Head subtransverse, rectangular, temples shorter than longitudinal diameter of eye; frons about twice as wide as the transverse diameter of eye, dorsally flat; eyes bulging. Clypeus only slightly shorter than labrum, which is widely emarginated anteriorly. Galeae, maxillary and labial palpi not modified. Eleven antennomeres, V–X progressively widened but not forming a club, only X–XI slightly widened anteriorly, basal six antennomeres with black setae, remaining with a very short and dense clear microsetation.

Pronotum ( Fig. 9E ) slightly wider than long, subcampaniform, subparallel in basal half, progressively narrower after middle; rebordered at base, with a basal depression in middle and three subrounded depressions just before middle. Mesosternum ( Fig. 9F ) without clearly modified fore area, but only with a shagreened and umpunctate triangular fore part; anterior edge of mesepisternum lacking furrowed border. Elytra subplanate and subsquared at apex. Male protarsomeres slightly widened on the internal side; female protibia and protarsomeres with robust different setae; pro-mesotarsomeres with ventral pad; male claws ventrally angulate (as in the eleticine genus Eletica ) and not regularly curved as in female. Tibial spurs elongate and pointed.

Male penultimate ventrite widely arcuate; last one triangularly emarginated. Male gonostyli ventrally subcylindrical, apically narrowed ( Fig. 9 A ), laterally ( Fig. 9B ) with one apical shallow depression; gonocoxal piece suboval, wide in ventral view; aedeagus ( Fig. 9C ) apically with one short apical incision, and one single, distal hook, very robust and curved at apex, subaxiform, which dorsally ( Fig. 9D ) appears slightly emerging from the surface; endophallic hook very small, inconspicous.

Etymology. The name of the new genus refers to its great resemblance to Mimesthes . Masculine genus.

Remarks. This new genus, endemic to Namibia (Kunene, Hardap, Karas districts) and SW Angola (Namibe province) is morphologically similar and apparently related to Mimesthes Marseul , particularly because of the elytra planate and with apical margin trasverse, the general structure of mesepisterna without furrowed border, and of aedeagus with one single hook, but it is well distinct by the antennal apical shape and the position of the aedeagal hook, not very far from apex.

Paramimesthes is closely related to the biome of Namib Desert of which it represents an endemism.

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.

FIGURE9. Paramimesthes namibicus: tegmen in ventral (A) and lateral view (B);aedeagus inlateral (C) and dorsal view (D); pronotum (E); mesosternum (F). Bar = 2 mm.