Afromorgus reiterorum, Král & Kubáň, 2012

Král, David & Kubáň, Vítězslav, 2012, Afromorgus reiterorum sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Trogidae) from Socotra Island, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 52, pp. 147-152 : 148-152

Afromorgus reiterorum sp. nov.

( Figs. 1 –8)

Type locality. Yemen, Socotra Island, Homhil protected area, 364 m a.s.l., 12°34′27″N E 54°18′32″.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: J, ‘Yemen, Soqotra Is. / HOMHIL protected area /, 28-29/xi. 2003, 364m / N12°34′27″ E54°18′32″ / [GPS], David Král lgt. // YEMEN – SOQOTRA 2003 / Expedition; Jan Farkač, / Petr Kabátek & David Král [printed] ’. ALLOTYPE: ♀, same data but ‘Jan Farkač lgt .’. PARATYPE No. 1: not sexed spec., ‘Yemen, Soqotra Is. / 24-26/xi.2003 / WADI AYHAFT, 190m / N12°36′38″ E53°58′49″ / [GPS], David Král lgt. // YEMEN – SOQOTRA 2003 / Expedition ; Jan Farkač, / Petr Kabátek & David Král [printed]’. PARATYPES Nos. 2–4: (2♀♀, 1 not sexed spec. lacking head), ‘Yemen, Soqotra Is. / WADI DENEGHEN /, 27.xi. 2003, 85m / N12°36′55″ E54°03′49″ / [GPS], David Král lgt. // YEMEN – SOQOTRA 2003 / Expedition ; Jan Farkač, / Petr Kabátek & David Král [printed]’. PARATYPE No. 5: J, ‘ YEMEN, SOCOTRA island / wadi ES GEGO / 300 m a.s.l. / 12°28′18″N ; 54°00′34″ / 13.V.2004 lgt. A. Reiter [printed]’. PARATYPE No.6: ♀, ‘ YEMEN, Socotra Island E / Kesa env., 220-300 m / N 12°39′37″ E 53°26′42″ / 28.-29. i. 2010, L. Purchart lgt. [printed]’.

Description of holotype. Total body length 15.0 mm; maximum width (at posterior third of elytron) 7.5 mm; blackish, surface alutaceous, with fulvous or greyish tomentose coating, elytral intervals with flat shiny tubercles; macrosetation pale ( Fig. 1 ).

Clypeus obtusely triangular, with moderately upturned anterior margin and two impunctate, deep, shiny pits anterolaterally on either side; genae rectangular, pointed; frons distinctly bituberculate; punctures coarse, dense, regularly distributed, separated by approximately their diameter; antennal scape elongate, stout, arcuate, pointed, more than twice as long as wide, covered with dense, long macrosetae, flagellomeres dark reddish brown.

Pronotum ( Fig. 1 ) attenuated anteriorly, sides broadly explanate, lateral margins regularly rounded, finely indistinctly wavy over anterior two thirds, then obtusely rounded and obliquely converging backwards, slightly sinuate basally; anterior and posterior angles obtuse, weakly produced; marginal macrosetae sparse, short; base distinctly sinuate and finely margined on either side near visibly produced posteromedian lobe; discal area elevated, smooth, flat, with moderately developed ridges and depressions, basal medial tubercles large, elongate, poorly elevated, joining discal area; surface laterally moderately convex from base to apex, lacking ridges and tubercles, weakly impressed near sides and over short extent medially near base, punctures rather sparse and fine discally, denser and coarser laterally.

Scutellar shield hastate ( Figs. 1, 2 ).

Elytra ( Figs. 1, 2 ) broadly elongate, strongly convex, almost parallel, widest in posterior third; humeral umbones prominent, humeral angles obtuse, moderately produced; epipleurae broad, flat, scarcely declivous, with central row of close small tomentose patches, each bearing single inconspicuous macroseta; external margins smooth, with narrow continuous tomentose rim bearing short, erect macrosetae; sutural interval narrow, moderately convex, other intervals almost flat; even intervals wider than odd ones; even intervals (especially II, IV, VI, VIII) flat, covered with large, irregularly angular, blackish, shiny areas with elongate tomentose patches between; odd intervals (especially III, V, VII) covered with small, very sparsely distributed, black, shiny areas and elongate tomentose patches; each tomentose patch bearing several short, erect macrosetae; striae distinctly impressed, each with deep, coarse, regularly distributed row of punctures. Prosternal apophysis moderately produced, rounded apically.

Protibiae moderately dilated proximad, bidentate apically, dilated apical portion bent moderately ventrad, broadly rounded externally, acutely pointed medially, slightly sinuate in between; external edge with weak denticle approximately at middle and slightly crenate basal third; apical spur robust, regularly curved, pointed, longer than protarsomeres I–IV combined; mesotibiae with smooth external edge.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 4, 6 ). Aedeagus symmetrical; pars basalis sclerotized, fused dorsally; lateral lobes slender, broadly rounded externally, subapical tooth triangular, weakly sclerotized; dorsal laminae of medial lobe weakly elevate, missing in basal half, rounded apically.

Additional external sexual dimorphism not visible.

Variability. Body length 15.0–15.5 mm; all paratypes of both sexes moderately shiny, more or less lacking tomentose patches and macrosetation, all this due to excessive wear on.

Differential diagnosis. The new species belongs to the genus Afromorgus sharing the following set of diagnostic characters: clypeus reflexed, antennal scape elongate, pedicel attached subapically, pronotal length less than half elytral length, scutellar shield hastate, aedeagus with complex medial lobe, and pars basalis well sclerotized, fused dorsally. It is related to A. squalidus (Olivier, 1789) and allies, namely A. frater ( Pittino, 2005) , and A. satorui ( Kawai, 2006) , in having smoothly rounded both lateral pronotal and elytral margins, discal area of pronotum with tubercles and ridges, and elytral tubercles moderately prominent. Due to the very similar male genitalia, A. satorui , known from the Republic of South Africa ( KAWAI 2006) and Ivory Coast ( KAWAI 2009), seems to be the closest relative to the new species, which is allied, though to a lesser degree, also to the species of A. melancholicus (Fåhraeus, 1858) group sensu PITTINO (2011). Afromorgus reiterorum sp. nov., several populations of A. squalidus which inhabit arid areas, and the members of A. melancholicus species group all exhibit irregularly spaced black shiny areas on elytra. The new species can be separated from them mainly by dorsal laminae of median lobe of the aedeagus which are simple, only weakly elevated (not complicatedly prolonged – see PITTINO 2011). For detailed differentiation of A. frater , A. reitterorum sp. nov., A. saturoi and A. squalidus from each other see Table 1.

Collecting circumstances. Specimens of the type series were captured at light (Homhil and Wadi Esgego), from under a stone (Wadi Ayhaft) and from soil under remains of chickens (mainly dry bones and feathers) in dump on the outskirts of the village (Wadi Deneghen).

Etymology. Patronymic; named in honour of the Reiter’s family, long-time friends of DK and renowned biologists, spouses Lenka and Antonín and their three daughters (Daniela, Hana and Lucie). Additionally, Antonín is one of the collectors of the new species.

Distribution. Endemic to the Socotra Island.

Figures

Figs. 1–7. 1, 2, 4, 6 – Afromorgus reiterorum sp. nov., male. 3, 5, 7 – A. squalidus (Olivier, 1789); Namibia, Windhoek, male. 1 – holotype habitus, dorsal aspect; 2–3 – left elytron, dorsolateral aspect; 4–7 – parameres; 4–5 – dorsal oblique aspect; 6–7 – frontal oblique aspect.