Singilis (s. str.) parvulus, Anichtchenko, Alexander, 2016

Anichtchenko, Alexander, 2016, Contribution to the knowledge of the genus Singilis Rambur, 1837 of Africa (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Lebiini). Part IV, Zootaxa 4158 (2), pp. 183-202 : 200

Singilis (s. str.) parvulus sp. n.

( Figs. 18 , 33 , 34)

Type material. ZIMBABWE: Holotype, ♂ —" Nyanga N.P. | 18°17'S / 32°43'E | 5 – 9.XII.1993 1650 m ü.N. | leg. J. Deckert " . Paratype, 1 ♀, idem. (MNHUB).

Diagnosis. It is the smallest of all known species of Singilis . Besides that, it is easily distinguished from all species by perfectly smooth head and pronotum. Despite the strange appearance, all its main characters such as structure of mouthparts and stylomere, correspond to the generic criteria.

Description. Length 3.4–3.6 mm. Uniformly yellow ( Fig. 18 ).

Head impunctate, with strong, almost isodiametric microsculpture throughout. Eyes moderately large and bulging. Temples short, smooth, without microsculpture.

Pronotum cordiform, 1.23 times as wide as head, 1.46 times as wide as long, widest in front of marginal setae. Anterior margin straight, anterior angles effaced, sides regularly rounded, strongly sinuate before rectangular posterior angles. Disc impunctate. Lateral margin narrow, explanate in basal half. Basal grooves shallow, flat. Microsculpture almost isodiametric.

Elytra convex and subovate, 1.42 times as long as wide, widest in the apical third, with very subtle polygonal microsculpture. Striae shallow and weakly punctate, shortened at humerus. All intervals almost flat throughout.

Claws with 4 teeth. Abdominal sterna shiny, with only 4–6 extremely tiny, barely visible setae. Propleuron, mes- and metepisterna smooth.

Aedeagus ( Fig. 33 ). Aedeagal median lobe stout, eudorsal surface slightly curved, apex broad. Internal sac without spines.

Name derivation. The species name is a Latin adjective, parvulus , - a, - um (= little, slight); named in reference to the small body size.

Distribution. Zimbabwe ( Fig. 34).

Figures

FIGURES 13 – 18. Habitus of Singilis (s. str.): 13 — S. zonata Chaudoir, 1878 (Turtle Bay, Kenya); 14 — S. somalicus sp. n., Holotype; 15 — S. haekeli sp. n., Holotype; 16 — S. crypticus sp. n., Paratype; 17 — S. pallens sp. n., Paratype; 18 — S. parvulus sp. n. Holotype.

FIGURES 29 – 33. Aedeagus of Singilis (s. str.): 29 — S. somalicus sp. n. Holotype; 30 — S. haekeli sp. n.; 31 — S. crypticus sp. n., Holotype; 32 — S. pallens sp. n. Holotype; 33 — S. parvulus sp. n. Holotype.