Neobarombiella cornuta, Bolz & Wagner, 2012

Bolz, Helmut & Wagner, Thomas, 2012, 3463, Zootaxa 3463, pp. 1-112 : 80-81

Neobarombiella cornuta sp. n.

( Figs 75, 137–140)

Etymology. Named after the characteristic horned structure of the median lobe, noun in apposition.

Total length. 3.80–4.40 mm (mean: 4.18 mm) (n=6).

Head. Entirely yellow to yellowish-brown, only maxillary palp brown. Antenna slender and yellow to pale brown, last antennomere darker; length of second to third antennomere 0.55–0.60 (mean: 0.58), and length of third to fourth antennomere 0.83–0.86 (mean: 0.85) ( Fig. 137, 139). Eyes large ( Fig. 137), width of eye to interocular distance 0.55–0.61 (mean: 0.58).

Thorax. Pronotum entirely yellow to brownish-yellow; strongly transverse and trapezoidal; pronotal width 1.40–1.64 mm (mean: 1.55 mm), pronotal length 0.70–0.84 mm (mean: 0.78 mm), and pronotal length to width 0.49–0.53 (mean: 0.50). Elytron yellow to brownish-yellow, coarsely punctuated; elytral length 3.15–3.55 mm (mean: 3.38 mm), elytral width 2.40–2.60 mm (mean: 2.47 mm), and maximal width of both elytra to length of elytron 0.68–0.76 (mean: 0.73) ( Fig. 137). Meso- and metathorax yellowish-brown, legs yellowish-brown or entirely brown; length of basi-metatarsus to metatibia 0.53–0.57 (mean: 0.55).

Abdomen. Yellowish-brown.

Male genitalia. Median lobe parallel-sided in ventral view, slender; straight in lateral view, apex down-curved and hook-like ( Fig. 138); endophallic brush completely covered by tectum and median lobe, with two very small spiculae.

Diagnosis. Neobarombiella cornuta sp. n. is not easily distinguishable from some of the other entirely yellow species in the genus. In many cases only dissection of the male genitalia, to reveal the median lobe with its peculiar apical hook, will allow a reliable identification. Species which sometimes have similar colouring and occur syntopically are N. flavilabris and N. senegalensis , but they can be distinguished externally by having a broader pronotum, pronotal length to width in N. flavilabris 0.43−0.49 and N. senegalensis 0.41−0.48 (0.49−0.53 in N. cornuta sp. n.) ( Figs 7, 92, 137); and their third antennomere which is less elongate, length of second to third antennomere in N. flavilabris : 0.67−0.78 and N. senegalensis 0.71−0.86 (0.55−0.60 in N. cornuta sp. n.) ( Figs 9, 94, 139). Neobarombiella flavicollis and N. medvedevi sp. n. have either entirely brownish elytron or a significant dark sub-humeral spot, as well as shorter third antennomeres, length of third to fourth antennomere in N. flavicollis 0.67−0.75 and N. medvedevi sp. n. 0.63−0.71 (0.83−0.86 in N. cornuta sp. n.) ( Figs 84, 139, 167). Although N. spielbergi sp. n. is also entirely yellow, this species it can be easily distinguished by its size, total length 5.20−6.35 mm (3.80−4.40 mm in N. cornuta sp. n.), N. spielbergi sp. n.). Neobarombiella zambiae is another similar species but it does not occur syntopically. This species is only known from Zambia and the Limpopo Province in South Africa, whilst N. cornuta has been recorded from West Africa, as far west as Guinea to Cameroon in the east ( Figs 57, 75). Aside from its distribution, N. cornuta sp. n. has a shorter second antennomere, length of second to third antennomere 0.55–0.60 (0.72–0.80 in N. zambiae ), a longer third antennomere; length of third to fourth antennomere 0.83–0.86 (0.65–0.74 in N. zambiae sp. n.); and larger, less widely separated eyes, width of eye to interocular distance 0.55–0.61 (0.33–0.40 in N. zambiae ) (( Figs 137, 139, 189, 191).

Distribution. West Africa, only recorded from Guinea, the Ivory Coast, and Cameroon ( Fig. 75).

Type material. Holotype, male: “Ivory Coast, Foro-Foro, 25.– 28.9.1973, R. Linnavuori / Holotype, Neobarombiella cornuta, Bolz & Wagner 2010 / AfriGa, specimen ID:, 1877, specimen data, documented, 10.III.2011 ” ( MZHF; Fig. 140). Type locality: Ivory Coast, Foro-Foro, 7°59’N / 5°03’W .— Paratypes: Cameroon. 1 ex., Moliwe b. Victoria, 4°04'N / 9°14'E, I.– III . 1908, Frfr. v. Maltzan G. ( MNHU) ; 1 ex., Bassam , 2°07'N / 13°30'E, 1897 ( MNHN) .— Guinea. 1 ex., Dabola , 10°20'N / 11°30'W, 1937, L. Berland ( MNHN) ; 1 ex., Telimela , 10°54'N / 13°02'W, II 1984 (CMe) .— Ivory Coast. 2 ex., Foro-Foro , 7°30'N / 5°00'W, IX.1973, R . Linnavuori ( MZHF) ; 1 ex., 7°59'N / 5°03'W, 1897, Delafosse ( MNHN) .