Pseudostegopterus melolonthinoides, Ricchiardi, 2015

Ricchiardi, Enrico, 2015, Description of a new monospecific genus of South African Trichiina, with a key to the related genera (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 159, pp. 1-6 : 3-5

Pseudostegopterus melolonthinoides sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:42397679-9840-4330-AEDD-A9EE3CDD955B

Fig. 1

Etymology

While very similar to the smaller species of the genus Stegopterus , this species also resembles in color and shape a small Melolonthinae .

Type material

Holotype REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA: ♂ ( ISAM), Western Cape, Leipoldtville, Eland’s Bay (32°18’48” S, 18°21’00” E), Oct. 1947, Museum Expedition (SAM-CO-A043595).

Paratypes

REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA: 6 ♂♂ ( ISAM), same data as the holotype (but without SAM number); 1 ♂ ( ERC), Western Cape, Pella Mission (33°37’30” S, 18°37’30” E), 14 Aug. 1947, N.J. Duke legit.

Description

Holotype MEASUREMENTS. Length: 10.1 mm; width: 5.4 mm.

HEAD. Clypeus black, margins reflexed ( Fig. 1C ), anterior margin not sinuate, covered with thick, large punctures and long, recumbent, testaceous setae; vertex and frons black.

ANTENNAE. Brown, with three lamellae, darkening at apex, slightly curved, about 2.0 times the length of clypeus.

PRONOTUM. Black, slightly shiny and rugulose, wider than long; anterior angles rounded, posterior acute, with slightly rounded tip; posterior margin without carina; surface covered with thick, long, reclining, testaceous setae.

SCUTELLUM. Black, slightly shiny, triangular, as long as wide, apex slightly rounded; covered with scattered, rounded punctures.

ELYTRON. Mostly fulvous, transparent, glabrous, with a large black stripe along the suturae, larger at elytral apex; both striae and interstriae effaced; apicosutural angle rounded; sutural half of elytral apex scabrous.

ABDOMEN. Sternites black, shiny; covered with reclining, long, testaceous setae, becoming glabrous and matt on anal sternite; tergites black, covered with same setae as sternites.

PROPYGIDIUM. Black, not visible, covered by elytron.

PYGIDIUM. Black, rugulose, longer than wide, triangular, with apex rounded; covered with scattered, long, reclining, light testaceous setae.

PROTIBIA. Brown, glabrous, shiny, with two robust teeth on external margin.

MESOTIBIA. Black, slightly curved outwardly, with strong tooth at middle of external margin; proximal half covered with scattered, long, reddish, bristles; apex strongly enlarged; mesofemur black, shiny, covered with testaceous, reclined setae.

METATIBIA. Black, shiny, with apex strongly enlarged; covered with scattered, long, reddish, bristles; metatarsomeres black, twice as long as metatibia (claws included); first segment about as long as second; spurs long, with apex rounded, especially on ventral one; dorsal spur 1.2 times longer than ventral and arcuate; metafemur enlarged, width 0.5 times its length.

Remarks

The female is unknown.

Type series variability

Some paratypes have darker elytra and/or scattered instead of dense setae on head and pronotum, which does not seem to represent simply wear and tear due to age.

Distribution

The single species belonging to this new genus is known from two places in the Western Cape Province. These two localities are especially relevant, as they are part of a unique biome, the fynbos, which is seriously threatened by climate change and land use.

Figures

Fig. 1. Pseudostegopterus melolonthinoides gen. et sp. nov. Holotype, ♂ (ISAM). A. Dorsal habitus. B. Ventral view. C. Head. D. Parameres, frontal view. E. Parameres, lateral view.