Sphrigodellus lineatus Yunakov, 2012

Yunakov, Nikolai, 2012, 3535, Zootaxa 3535, pp. 1-104 : 43-44

Sphrigodellus lineatus Yunakov , sp. n.

(figs 39, 40, 330–342, 365)

Diagnosis. Slightly similar to S. nguruensis sp. n. by prononsed striped pattern of elytra; large, modereately convex eyes, and narrow vertex. Differs from S. nguruensis sp. n. by strongly convex and coarsely striped scales; lateral carinae of rostrum and lateral edges of epifrons in anterior portion bare; setae as long as interval width; coloration without green scales, distinct striped pattern, formed by gray and brown scales; pterygia extended beyond contour of rostrum; epifrons steep sloping anteriorly (not vertical), parallel-sided at the level of antennal articulation 0.7 x as wide as vertex width, flat without median sulcus in anterior portion. [in S. nguruensis sp. n. vertical, significantly widened at the level of antennal articulation, 1.5 x as wide as vertex width); Antennifers entirely visible in dorsal view; occiput not constricted; disc of pronotum without sublateral depressions and tubercles; elytra broadly oval; disc strongly convex [EL/BH: 1.33–1.44 (1.39)]; setal comb of protibiae dense, consists of 10–14 brown setae extending beyond external edge of tibiae; 2nd ventrite 2 x as long as 3rd one, its posterior margin arcuate; median lobe distinctly constricted in basal 1/3; aggonoporium consisting of 2 long proximal and 2 short distal stick-shaped lobes; spermatheca with large, swollen corpus; tergite 8 arcuate, fringe transformed to bunch setae.

Description.

Measurements. BL: 2.78–3.72 (3.29) mm, BW: 1.30–1.90 (1.59) mm, BH: 1.22–1.86 (1.56) mm.

Vestiture. Body densely covered with overlapping, round, striated, convex scales, setose. Setae of head form rows along lateral edges of epifrons (recumbent or subrecumbent) and above the eyes (erect). Lateral carinae of rostrum and lateral edges of epifrons in anterior portion bare. Subocular row consists of 4–5 setae. Lateral edges of epifrons in anterior half bare. Anterior setal fringe consists of 8 (3+1+1+3) erect setae; they distinctly differ from ones on pronotal disc. Posterior setal fringe consists of spatulate setae, partly hidden by posterior edge of pronotum. Elytral intervals 1–6 with distinct row of setae. Setae as long as interval width. Ventrites with serried scales; male anal ventrite with short hairs in apical portion. Metapleura densely squamose, scales not serried; basisternum and mesobasisternum bare. Antennal scape setose and squamose; setae long, thick, acute, subrecumbent; scales serried. Funicle setose, without scales; setae suberect, as long as funicular segment 7. Femora and tibiae external surface covered with overlapping scales and suberect setae, internal surface with sparse hairs, distal portion of tibiae internal surface without scales; setae on legs slender, acute. Male metatibiae with sparse very small grooming brush; hairs short. Tarsi setose.

Coloration. Integument of body deep-brown to black, of limbs deep-brown. Background scaling grayishbrown; distinct striped pattern, formed by gray and brown scales. Dark and pale scales both with slightly pronounced pearl shine. Head brown, indistinctly grayish maculate. Pronotum with deep-brown background scaling and 5 distinct narrow longitudinal grey stripes: 1 discal and 4 lateral. Green scales absent. Elytra with brown background scaling, alternate striped pattern indistinct. Intervals 1, 3, 5, 7, 9–11. Ventral side including meso- and metapleura with grey scales. Sides of metasternum grey. Femora brown with grey bands in middle and proximal portion, and scattered grey scales occasionally merged in small spots. Tibiae external surface brown with distal grey band.

Head. Rostrum elongate [RL/RW: 1.26–1.32 (1.29)], parallel-sided. Pterygia extended beyond contour of rostrum. Antennal sockets dorsal. Antennifers entirely visible in dorsal view. Lateral carinae convex. Epifrons almost parallel-sided in anterior portion, not sinuate in middle, at the level of antennal articulation 0.7 x as wide as vertex width, distinctly sloping anteriorly and at sides, not concave, without median sulcus. Transverse sulcus deep, partly concealed by scales. Frons steep sloping, glabrous, bare, with 4 frontal setae. Epistome vestigial, very narrow, transverse, delimited by narrow carina, bears 4 epistomal setae. Submentum convex. Eyes sublateral, broadly oval, moderately convex, highest posteriorly [FW/ELD: 0.71–0.92 (0.85)]. Vertex narrow, flat. Frontal fovea deep, weakly elongate. Occiput not constricted (see in lateral view).

Antennae. Scape extended behind anterior edge and reaches 1/2 of pronotum, weakly evenly curved and apically widened. 1st funicular segment as long as or 1.16 x as long as 2nd; 3rd–7th oblong. Club spindle-shaped.

Thorax. Pronotum transverse [PL/PW: 0.80–0.86 (0.83)], evenly slightly convex at sides, not constricted, widest at the middle. Disc strongly convex longitudinally and transversally, without sublateral depressions, carinae or tubercles. Posterior edge of pronotum straight. Tergosternal suture complete. Metanepisternal suture obsolete posteriorly.

Elytra. Broadly oval [EL/EW: 1.33–1.42 (1.35)]; anterior edge vertical, carinate; disc in both sexes strongly convex [EL/BH: 1.33–1.44 (1.39)]. Subscutellar callosity reaches 3rd elytral interval, with 4–6 tiny tubercles.

Legs. Protibiae and mesotibiae almost straight, not widened at the apex, interior edge in distal portion weakly C-shaped and serrate. Meso- and metatibiae without teeth or weakly serrate on interior edge. Mucro well developed, thorn-shaped, acute. Setal comb of protibiae dense, consists of 10–14 brown setae extending beyond external edge of tibiae. Bevel of metatibiae narrowly enclosed, its surface densely setose. Tarsi robust; tarsomere 2 elongate, 1.5 x as long as wide; tarsomere 3 with two wide lobes; tarsomere 5 of metatarsus extending beyond apical lobes of 3rd by length of the last one.

Abdomen. Posterior margin of 1st ventrite straight. 2nd ventrite 2 x as long as 3rd one, its posterior margin arcuate. Male 5th ventrite flat, without depression near the apex, apical edge broadly rounded. Female 5th ventrite convex, apical edge acute.

Male genitalia. Median lobe distinctly constricted in basal 1/3, in apical 1/3 narrowed; apex acute, dorsoventrally slightly swollen; slightly shorter than apodemes. Lateral edges of median lobe fused. Internal sac without spiculate fields, aggonoporium with large, long, consists of 2 stick-shaped straight lobes connected proximally by transverse bridge (2 long proximal, and 2 short, distal), in distal 1/3 with ill-sclerotized area separating proximal and distal parts of lobes. Ostium triangular heavily sclerotized, protruded from preputial field of median lobe. Ligulae membranous. Parameres fused in basal 2/3, basal piece of tegmen narrow, tegminal apodeme 0.5 x as long as apodemes of median lobe.

Female genitalia. Styli well developed, stick-shaped, bearing 2 setae. Spermatheca moderately sclerotized, with short ramus; collum slender 1.5 x as long as ramus. Corpus large, swollen. cornus slender, extended beyond corpus. Tergite 8 arcuate, fringe transformed to bunch of multiple, tenuous, short setae at the apex. Sternite 8 thick. Lamella sharply narrowed and acute, without setae, knife-shaped, heavily sclerotized. Apodeme thick; caput strongly developed.

Distribution. Tanzania: Udzungwa Mountains ( Fig. 365).

Bionomics. Submontane rain forests. Trees and shrubs, canopy.

Material examined. Tanzania: 3♂, 2♀ including holotype, male ( ZMUC) Iringa distr., Udzungwa Scarp Forest Reserve , 750 m, S8 31 58 E 35 54 00, 7.iii.1996 S. McKamey leg., canopy fog 36-GJ .

Etymology. The name is a Latin adjective meaning “striped”.