Clinops inexpectatus, Engel, Michael S., Falin, Zachary H. & Batelka, Jan, 2019

Engel, Michael S., Falin, Zachary H. & Batelka, Jan, 2019, A new genus of Pelecotominae from Mexico, with notes on the genera Clinops and Scotoscopus and the description of new species (Coleoptera, Ripiphoridae), ZooKeys 857, pp. 59-84 : 59

Clinops inexpectatus sp. nov. Figs 19-22, 23-26

" Clinops badius Gerstaecker": Falin 2003: 175, 439 [misidentification].

Diagnosis.

Refer to diagnosis of C. perpessus (vide supra).

Description.

♀: General size and appearance typical of Pelecotominae. Size 10.02 mm from tip of elytra to mandibles, 2.14 mm wide at base of pronotum. Body largely dark brown, slightly lighter reddish brown on humeral parts of elytra, and apical abdominal sterna (Figs 19, 20).

Head hexagonal from facial view, approximately 1.25 × longer than wide in facial view, medial length 1.80 mm, maximum width (across compound eyes) 1.08 mm. Vertex convex dorsally and posteriorly, as wide as lower face (below compound eyes), rising high above compound eyes in facial view, sloping uniformly to meet and distinctly overlap pronotal anterior margin. Dorsal, lateral, and facial aspects of head with fine, sparse, golden setae, particularly numerous on face between compound eyes, abundant on genae; integument dull, with deep, nearly contiguous punctures separated by smooth integument. Compound eye of moderate size, length 0.84 mm, width 0.29 mm, encompassing much of medial third of lateral surface of head, finely faceted, emarginate in upper third. Postocular gena expanded into lobe. Frons broad, with antennal torulus laterally directed, antennal toruli separated by distance equal to length of scape, compound eyes separated by distance slightly less than maximum compound eye length. Malar space elongate, more than one-half length of scape, slightly less than basal mandibular width. Mandible short, slightly curved, with short, acute subapical tooth. Maxillary palpus long, tetramerous, apical palpomere largest, trapezoidal, its apical width slightly less than maximum length, with blunt, truncate apex, distal sensory duct elongate, strongly oblique.

Only left antenna without apical antennomere preserved, antenna consisting probably of eleven (10 preserved) antennomeres; antennomere I longer than wide, slightly curved to approximate curvature of compound eye; antennomere II short, distinctly longer than wide, much narrowed in basal third; antennomere III longer and wider than antennomere II, length approximately 1.5 × apical width, apical margin as in antennomere II; antennomeres IV–X greatly dissimilar from preceding antennomeres, with internally facing, compressed rami truncated apically, bases short and of similar lengths; rami elongate, about 2.0 × as long as their respective base.

Pronotum with fine, golden setae except in medial third such setae fuscous, integument dull, and weakly and contiguously punctate, with punctures more indistinct anteriorly and posteriorly, integument becoming imbricate. Pronotum triangular in shape, narrowed anteriorly, median length 2.30 mm; anterior margin broadly rounded; posterior margin sinuate and generally trilobed, with medial lobe broader than mesoscutellum and distinctly emarginate (rounded in C. perpessus ); lateral margins generally straight, converging anteriorly, convex ventrally to propleurae; propleuron well developed. Pronotal disc as wide as long, with mediolongitudinal shallow impression in basal third; lateral aspect with a ventrally bowed sulcus. Mesonotum obscured by elytra. Mesoscutellum short, mesoscutellar shield with deep medial furrow, parallel-sided, with broadly rounded apex; integumental sculpturing and setation as on pronotal disc. Metanotum obscured by elytra.

Lateral and ventral aspects of pterothorax typical of subfamily. Mesepisternum weakly and faintly imbricate, with scattered minute punctures, fused with mesosternum, with scattered decumbent setae. Mesepimeron forming prominent, rectangular sclerite separated from mesepisternum by deep sulcus; sculptured and setation as on mesepisternum. Metepisternum an elongate, narrow rectangular sclerite, with sculpturing and setation as on mesepisternum; metasternum massive, weakly imbricate and with decumbent setae more numerous than on metepisternum. Metepimeron slightly expanded posteriorly, extending anteriorly to wing base as narrow (slightly more narrow than metepisternum), sclerotized band; weakly imbricate with scattered setae.

Legs typical for subfamily (left front and mid-leg incomplete); coxae, trochanters, and femora weakly, irregularly, almost indistinctly punctate on otherwise smooth integument with decumbent, golden setae; metacoxa with strongly developed posterior flange; femora without densely setose patches ventrally; tibiae straight, cylindrical, broadened slightly apically, with apex terminated by dense row of regular, thin, spiniform setae; tibial spur formula 0-0-2, metatibial spurs well visible. Tarsal formula 5-5-4, all tarsomeres cylindrical, very slightly tapered basally, truncate apically; integument and setae similar to tibiae; protarsus longer than protibia. Protarsomere I subequal to combined length of protarsomeres II and III, protarsomere IV less than one-half length protarsomere V; relative ratios of basal mesotarsomeres similar. Pretarsal claws with apical and inner teeth both sickle-shaped and acutely pointed, with small, peg-like subsidiary tooth at midlength (Fig. 26).

Elytra elongate, completely covering abdomen, surface shining with minute, weak, nearly contiguous punctures; elytron basal width 1.15 mm, length 6.10 mm; without costae; lateral margins parallel-sided, lateral margin comparatively straight until tapering inward in apical fifth, medial margin nearly straight until rounding at apex; apex weakly acuminate.

Abdomen with terga weakly and faintly imbricate; sterna imbricate with scattered minute punctures, with scattered decumbent, fine setae, ovipositor shallowly protruded.

♂: Unknown.

Holotype.

♀, S[outh]. Afr[ica].: Zululand / Hluhluwe Game Res. / 28.05. S -32.04 E // 20.11.1992 [20 November 1992]; E.-Y: 2839 / fruittraps, woodysav [?] / leg. Endrödy - Younga // Clinops / badius / Gerstaecker 1855 / Det. ZH Falin [20] ’09”.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is taken from Latin, meaning “unexpected”, and refers to the surprise that it was undescribed upon re-examination by JB.

Note. Although the identification label is dated 2009, the specimen was earlier identified and used by ZHF as C. badius in Falin (2003).