Frankenbergerius forcipatus (Harold)

Frolov, A. V. & Scholtz, C. H., 2005, Revision of the southern African genus Frankenbergerius Balthasar with description of new taxa (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), Journal of Natural History 39 (25), pp. 2355-2377 : 2367-2368

Frankenbergerius forcipatus (Harold)

(Figures 28, 33–37)

Coptorhina forcipata Harold 1881, p 149 ; Péringuey 1908, p 627; Janssens 1939, p 32, 36. Pseudocoptorhina forcipata (Harold) : Ferreira 1954, p 9.

Frankenbergerius forcipatus (Harold) : Ferreira 1972, p 360, 363.

Coptorhina imitativa Péringuey 1901, p 288 ; Janssens 1939, p 32, 36; Ferreira 1954, p 10 (as Pseudocoptorhina ); Ferreira 1972, p 362, 363 (as Frankenbergerius ); syn. n.

Diagnosis

This species is similar to F. armatus but can be separated from it by having elytral intervals 1–4 smooth or with only traces of tubercles. It also differs in the shape of the parameres (Figure 37).

Description

Black to dark brown, shiny beetle (Figure 28). Body length of males 8.1–10.2 mm, width 5.5–6.1 mm, of females 8–9.5 mm and 5.4–6 mm. Dorsal surface with fine setae.

Head. Clypeus with two horn-like processes; processes sometimes longer in males (Figures 33–36). Genae obtuse, finely bordered. Genal sutures distinct. Lateral margin of clypeus slightly sinuate near genal suture or without sinuation. Frontal suture obsolete medially. Dorsal surface of horn-like processes granular, other part of head densely punctate except for middle area of clypeus which is smooth. Eyes small, almost completely divided by canthus, their dorsal parts slit-shaped.

Pronotum. Pronotum narrower in anterior part, 1.8 times wider than length. Anterior margin not sinuate medially, or with minute unclear sinuation. Lateral margins and anterior angles finely bordered, anterior margin and base not bordered. Punctures separated by a puncture diameter on disc, becoming denser and somewhat elongated laterally.

Elytra. Striae distinct, punctate (punctures separated by three to four puncture diameters). Intervals 1 and 2 without tubercles; intervals 3–7 with small tubercles; interval 8 with long keel interrupted at middle of elytron; interval 9 with smaller keel situated in the middle of elytron.

Underside. Pygidium with deep border, its disc densely punctate. Abdominal and thoracic sternites coarsely punctate except for disc of meso- and metasternum.

Legs. Anterior tibiae with smaller teeth between major outer teeth in most specimens. Spur of anterior tibia bifurcated in males and simple, acute in females.

Aedeagus. Parameres with widened apices in lateral view (Figure 37).

Variability. Except for body size there is some variation in the length of the clypeal processes in males (Figures 33–35). Females can be separated by acute, not bifurcated spur of anterior tibiae and in most cases by shorter clypeal processes (Figure 36).

Distribution

This species is known from a few distant localities in Magaliesberg (Northwest Province), southern Drakensberg and Ciskei (Eastern Cape Province) ( Figure 43 ).

Type material examined

F. forcipatus : holotype „ with labels ‘‘Cap.’’ and ‘‘forcipata type Harold’’ (MNHN). F. imitativus : holotype „ with labels ‘‘ Coptorhina imitativa type [18]97’’ and ‘‘474’’ (SAMC).

Additional material examined Northwest Province : Rustenburg [25 ° 40 9 S, 27 ° 15 9 E], 14 January 1895, 1♀ ( SANC) .

KwaZulu-Natal Province: Drakensberg, Cathedral Peak , forest, 28 ° 56 9 S, 29 ° 12 9 E, 13 March 1976, pitfall traps, 7 days, 1 „ and 2♀; 15 March 1976, pitfall traps, 5 days, 3♀, S. Endrödy-Younga leg. ( TMSA). Giant’s Castle [29 ° 14 9 S, 29 ° 29 9 E], December 1979, 1 „, C. Scholtz leg. ( UPSA) . Eastern Cape Province: Pirie Bush 2 „ [?Pirie Forest, 27 ° 14 9 E, 32 ° 45 9 S] ( BMNH). ‘‘Promontorium Bonae Spei, Transvaal’’, 2 „ ( BMNH) .

Remark

C. forcipata was unknown to Péringuey when he described C. imitativa and his later record of the former species ( Péringuey 1908, p 627) is based on its original description. Examination of the type specimens of the two nominal species shows no noticeable differences in the punctuation of the pronotum nor sculpture of the elytra, contrary to the characters given in the keys by Janssens (1939, p 32) and Ferreira (1954, p 8, 9).

Figures

Figures 39–43. Frankenbergerius spp. (39–42) F. gomesi. (39) Habitus of „. (40) Aedeagus in dorsal and lateral view. (41, 42) Head of „ and ♀, respectively. (43) Distribution map of Frankenbergerius.