Neobarombiella reichartzi, Bolz & Wagner, 2012

Bolz, Helmut & Wagner, Thomas, 2012, 3463, Zootaxa 3463, pp. 1-112 : 97-98

Neobarombiella reichartzi sp. n.

( Figs 75, 177–180)

Etymology. Named after Stephan Reichartz, Helmut Bolz’s long-time friend.

Total length. 4.35–5.55 mm (mean: 5.13 mm) (n=26).

Head. Frons and vertex yellowish-brown to dark brown, labrum, labial and maxillary palpi yellowish-brown. Each antenna slender and brownish-yellow, basal and apical antennomeres darker ( Fig. 177); length of second to third antennomere 0.67–0.78 (mean: 0.71), and length of third to fourth antennomere 0.60–0.71 (mean: 0.66) ( Fig. 179). Eyes large with short interocular distance ( Fig. 177), width of eye to interocular distance 0.53–0.65 (mean: 0.59).

Thorax. Pronotum brownish-yellow with dark spots in posterior angles; pronotal width 1.68–2.00 mm (mean: 1.85 mm), pronotal length 0.74–0.94 mm (mean: 0.84 mm), and pronotal length to width 0.43–0.48 (mean: 0.45). Each elytron coarsely punctuated, brownish-yellow, with single black longitudinal line in basal two-thirds, rarely reaching elytral apex; longitudinal black spot in middle of each elytron, between line and outer elytral margin in about 50% of material studied; fragmented, sharply delimited, very narrow sutural margins visible in basal and apical third and very small black or brown spot on humerus ( Fig. 177); elytral length 3.50–4.40 mm (mean: 4.05 mm), elytral width 2.20–3.10 mm (mean: 2.73 mm), and maximal width of both elytra to length of elytron 0.62–0.71 (mean: 0.65). Meso- and metathorax yellowish-brown, legs largely brownish-yellow; length of basimetatarsus to metatibia 0.45–0.57 (mean: 0.50).

Abdomen. Entirely brownish-yellow or yellow.

Male genitalia. Median lobe short and slightly conical in ventral view ( Fig. 178a), with broad U-shaped incision; strongly down-curved in lateral view, with elongate tip ( Fig. 178c); apical section lacking characteristic sclerotized structures; endophallic brush short with single pair of long spiculae, covered by tectum and median lobe.

Diagnosis. Neobarombiella reichartzi sp. n. can most easily be distinguished from other species that occur syntopically by its colouring, because longitudinal lines are known from a small number of species in this genus. Only N. lineata sp. n., N. bilineata and N. vittigera have rather similar colouring. Neobarombiella lineata sp. n. has a single brown or black longitudinal line on each elytron, and thick brown or black sutural, and narrow outer elytral, margins ( Fig. 161); on average it has longer second antennomeres, length of second to third antennomere 0.75–0.83 (mean: 0.80) (0.67–0.78 (mean: 0.71) in N. reichartzi sp. n.) ( Figs 163, 179); its pronotum is longer and more slender, pronotal length to width 0.50–0.56 (0.43–0.48 in N. reichartzi sp. n.); and its eyes are more widely separated, width of eye to interocular distance is 0.40–0.47 (0.53–0.65 in N. reichartzi sp. n.) ( Figs 161, 177). Neobarombiella vittigera has a similar distribution range, but has two black lines along each elytron; the pronotum is on average longer and more slender, pronotal length to width 0.47–0.53 (mean: 0.50) (0.43–0.48 (mean: 0.45) in N. reichartzi sp. n.) ( Figs 72, 177); its antennomeres are much thicker ( Figs 74, 179); and it can effectively be distinguished by its median lobe, which is long and straight with a V-shaped incision and a pair of small sclerotized ridges in ventral view ( Fig. 73), in N. reichartzi sp. n the median lobe is short, distinctly down-curved apically, with a broad U-shaped incision and lacking any characteristic sclerotized structures ( Fig. 178). Neobarombiella bilineata has similar colouring, but has a broad black sutural margin, and very narrow black outer elytral margins; its pronotum is longer and more slender, pronotal length to width 0.53–0.57 (0.43–0.48 in N. reichartzi sp. n.); and its eyes are smaller and more widely separated, width of eye to interocular distance 0.41–0.48 (0.53–0.65 in N. reichartzi sp. n.) ( Figs 121, 177). All the other known species Neobarombiella do not have longitudinal black lines on the elytron.

Distribution. Recorded from the Albertine Rift and the Great Rift Valley, from the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo to northern Tanzania ( Fig. 75).

Type material. Holotype, male: “Congo Belge, P.N.G., Miss. H. De Saeger, Mt Embe, 18-IV-1952, H. De Saeger. 3345 / Holotype, Neobarombiella reichartzi, Bolz & Wagner, 2010 , AfriGa, specimen ID:, 1886, specimen data, documented, 10.III.2011 ” ( MRAC; Fig. 180). Type locality: Democratic Republic of the Congo, P. N. Garamba, Mt. Embe, 4°40'N / 29°31'E .— Paratypes: Democratic Republic of the Congo. 3 ex., Ituri, Bunia , 1°34'N / 30°15'E, IX.1931 -1938, P. Lefèvre J. Vrydagh ( MRAC) ; 3 ex., Ituri, Geti , 1°13'N / 30°12'E, VII .1937, H. J. Brédo ( MRAC) ; 58 ex., Kivu, Mulungu , 2°20'S / 28°47'E, 1938–1939, Hendrickx ( MRAC) ; 5 ex., Kivu, Tshampu, VI .1938, Hendrickx ( MRAC) ; 1 ex., P. N. Albert, Mutwanga , 0°20'N / 29°45'E, X.1936, Hackars ( MRAC) ; 2 ex., Costermansville , 2°30'S / 28°52'E, III .– VII .1937, H. J. Brédo ( MRAC) ; 29 ex., Rutshuru , 1°11'S / 29°27'E, V .1937, J. Ghesquiére ( MRAC) ; 1 ex., II.1938, Hendrickx ( MRAC) .— Rwanda. 2 ex., Rubengera , 2°00'S / 30°00'E, II.1953, P. Basilewsky ( MRAC) .— Tanzania. 1 ex., Tang.Terr., Ukerewe , 6°00'S / 35°00'E, Father Conrads .— Uganda. 1 ex., Kampala, 2°18'N / 30°34'E, XII .1920, A. F. J. Gedye ( BMNH) ; 1 ex., Kibale NP, Kabarole, 0°39'S / 30°16'E, VII .– VIII .1998, L. Schmidt ( ZFMK) ; 2 ex., Dwoli , 2°00'S / 33°00'E, VIII .1924, H. Hargreaves; 1 ex., Fort Portal , 0°41'S / 30°15'E, X.1926, H. Hargreaves ( ZMUH) .