Tophoderes banari Trýzna, 2017

Trýzna, Miloš, 2017, Description of a new species of the genus Tophoderes Dejean (Coleoptera: Anthribidae) from east Madagascar, with images of all Madagascan species of the genus, Zootaxa 4221 (3), pp. 377-385 : 378-385

Tophoderes banari Trýzna sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–2 , 5–10 , 23)

Type locality. East Madagascar, Fianarantsoa province, Ivohibe , 1500 m a.s.l.

Type material. Holotype (male): MADAGASCAR, FIANARANTSOA PROVINCE: ‘ Madagascar / Ivohibe (1500 m) / R. Decary 1926 [p] ( BSNPC) . Allotype (female): ‘ Madagascar Est / Vondrozo [p] / I. 1976 [h] // A. Peyrieras [h] ( MTDC) . Red label [p] HOLOTYPE / ALLOTYPE / Tophoderes / banari sp. nov. / M. Trýzna det., 2016.

Description. Male holotype, (female allotype). Measurements (in mm): Total body length—14.78 (15.50). Head: total length—2.48 (2.60); length of rostrum—1.59 (1.59); maximum width of rostrum—1.95 (2.14); length of eye—0.98 (1.07); maximum width across eyes—2.34 (2.55); minimum distance between eyes—1.20 (1.36). Antenna: length of segments: II 0.41 (0.34), III—0.64 (0.59), IV—0.66 (0.50), V—0.52 (0.45), VI—0.45 (0.34), VII—0.43 (0.34), VIII—0.45 (0.36), IX—0.61 (0.55), X—0.45 (0.41), XI—0.52 (0.57). Pronotum: maximum length—3.50 (3.10); width at carina—5.10 (5.80); maximum width—5.10 (5.80); minimum width—2.30 (2.50). Elytra: maximum length—8.80 (9.80); maximum width—6.10 (7.00).

Colouration of the cuticle of whole body black, only distal part of tarsomere V and claws dark brown in both sexes.

Vestiture. Head predominantly covered with dense whitish appressed setae on dorsal part, this pubescence covering entire dorsal part of rostrum, on vertex formed as wide stripe as wide as interocular width. Pronotum and elytra of marmorated appearance. Pronotum with two large spots of black setae distinctly bordered by dense stripes of whitish setae in its proximal part. Two black spots in anterior corners of pronotum, rest of pronotum with characteristic pattern formed of black and whitish pubescence, with indistinct tuft of very short black setae on disc. Pronotal declivity black, with narrow central stripe and two wide areas in lateral parts covered with dense whitish setae. Elytra with typical marmorated pattern, whitish pubescence comprises two indistinct transverse stripes in sub-basal and post-median part; these stripes often interrupted in elytral intervals. Particularly on second, fourth and sixth elytral interval, are several indistinct tufts of very short black setae. If such tufts are involved in sub-basal or post-median transverse stripes, they are also formed of whitish setae. Preapical tubercle indistinct, its tip covered with bright whitish setae. Scutellum with sparse whitish setae.

Antennae with indistinct sparse pubescence, mainly antennomeres VII–VIII covered by longer whitish appressed setae, antennomeres IX–XI (club) with denser, more rusty setae in both sexes. Legs covered with dense setae. All femora with whitish stripe on the distal quarter and whitish tip. Tibiae covered with whitish setae appressed in proximal part and subdecumbent to suberect in distal part; wide stripe in the middle and apical part of tibiae with black setae in both sexes. Tarsomeres predominantly with black setae, only proximal part of tarsomere I and distal part of tarsomere V with whitish setae in both sexes. Venter predominantly with dense blackish or dark brownish pubescence, only lateral part of metasternum and abdominal sternites I–V with mixed sparse whitish setae.

Distal part of prosternum without pair of spots. Pygidium covered with sparse whitish setae.

Structure. Head relatively short, rostrum weakly extended apically, dorsum convex, not depressed in middle, with one fine longitudinal carina reaching between eyes in both sexes. Ratio of rostrum length to maximum width 0.82 in male, 0.74 in female. Eyes spherical, not emarginate, dorsal ocular index 2.11 in male, 2.29 in female. Ratio of maximum width across eyes to maximum width of rostrum 1.20 in male, 1.19 in female.

Antennae barely reaching to posterior margin of pronotum in male, females antennae noticeably shorter. Funicle thick, club moderately robust, antennomeres IX and XI as long as wide, X wider than long in both sexes. Pronotum transverse, bell-shaped, widest in proximal part, then gradually narrowing anteriorly. Ratio of its length to width at carina 0.69 in male, 0.53 in female. Lateral side rounded, without spine in both sexes. Disc moderately convex, without tubercles. Dorsal transverse carina bisinuate, concave in middle, not interrupted. Lateral carina of pronotum well-developed, long, nearly reaching anterior margin of pronotum, in contact with dorsal transverse carina acute-angled. Elytra broadly suboval, ratio of the maximum length to maximum width of elytra 1.44 in male, 1.40 in female. Sub-basal tubercles indistinct. Abdomen slightly transverse in both sexes. Pygidium transverse, ratio of its maximum length to maximum width 0.75 in male ( Fig. 9 ), 0.72 in female ( Fig. 10 ). Male genitalia. Aedeagus robust ( Figs. 5–7 ), pedon and tectum wide, both in distal part pointed, apodemes moderately curved. Tegmen robust, its apex wide rounded, without visible setae. Female genitalia. Hemisternites long and robust ( Fig. 8 ), lateral and median rods very long, median rod reaching to three quarter of length of lateral rod. Toothed plate well developed, apical stylus present but small.

Sexual dimorphism. Male antennae moderately longer, reaching approximately to posterior margin of pronotum, abdominal ventrites slightly flattened.

Etymology. Patronym, dedicated to my friend Petr Baňař, well-known heteropterist and member of many expeditions to Madagascar.

Distribution. Both known specimens were collected in east Madagascar, Fianarantsoa province. The holotype comes from “Ivohibe, 1500 m ”. All of the remaining tropical humid rainforests and dense mountain forests here are extremely significant, because these habitats support animal and plant species with a high rate of endemism. The allotype comes from ca 60-70 km distant “Vondrozo”, also known as “Vondrozo forest”, which has an elevation from ca 270 to 670 m.

Differential diagnosis. Tophoderes banari sp. nov. resembles T. annulatus Waterhouse, 1875 in its similar colour pattern. However, it clearly differs in the characters given in the following key:

- Lateral side of pronotum with distinct spine in both sexes. Disc of pronotum with three tubercles. Pronotum hexagonal, widest in central part. Dorsal transverse carina of pronotum trisinuate, interrupted in middle. Sub-basal elytral tubercles distinct, protruded. Rostrum relatively long, strongly extended apically. Antennomere IX longer than wide, X as wide as long in both sexes. Large-sized species, ca 24–26 mm .......................................... T. annulatus Waterhouse, 1875

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. 1 – 2, Tophoderes banari Trýzna sp. nov.; 1, male holotype, dorsal habitus; 2, female allotype, dorsal habitus; 3 – 4, Tophoderes annulatus Waterhouse, 1875; 3, male, 29 mm, Ankarampotsy, Tantamala; 4, female, 29 mm, Ambositra.

FIGURES 5 – 7. Tophoderes banari Trýzna sp. nov., male holotype, eadeagus including tegmen; 5, dorsal aspect; 6, ventral aspect; 7, lateral aspect. Scale bar in mm.

FIGURES 8 – 10. Tophoderes banari Trýzna sp. nov.; 8, female allotype, hemisternites, ventral aspect; 9, male holotype, pygidium, dorsal aspect; 10, female allotype, pygidium, dorsal aspect. Scale bars in mm.