Neosisyphus mirabilis ( Arrow 1927 )

Daniel, Gimo M., Davis, Adrian Lv., Sole, Catherine L. & Scholtz, Clarke H., 2020, Taxonomic review of the tribe Sisyphini sensu stricto Mulsant, 1842 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) in southern Africa, including new species descriptions, Insect Systematics & Evolution 51 (1), pp. 1-61 : 50-52

Neosisyphus mirabilis ( Arrow 1927) ( Figs. 23 , 24A )

Sisyphus spinipes Gory 1833

Gory 1833: 8; Harold 1869: 985; Péringuey 1901: 87; Arrow 1927: 459; Haaf 1955: 345; Ferreira 1972: 825; Paschalidis 1974: 21; Montreuil 2015: 3;

Sisyphus mirabilis Arrow 1927

Arrow 1927: 459; Haaf 1955: 345; Ferreira 1972: 825; Paschalidis 1974: 21; Montreuil 2015: 3;

Size: Male: length: 11.0–8.0 mm; width: 5.2–3.0 mm; Female: length: 11.2– 8.3 mm; width: 5.5–3.0 mm

Type locality: Cape of Good Hope

Diagnosis: N. mirabilis is distinguished from other southern African species by having mesotibiae that are strongly modified by indentations and protrusions including a spine projecting from the anterior edge. N. mirabilis differs from the similar east African species, N. tibialis (Raffray, 1877) , by lacking tubercles on the pygidium.

Examined non-type material: See Supplementary information.

Distribution: Although the type locality of this species is cited as Cape of Good Hope ( South Africa) ( Gory 1833) it is more likely that the type specimen was originally collected from the Eastern Cape coastline. N. mirabilis is a summer rainfall species associated with coastal forest ( Davis et al. 2002) and, possibly, upland woody vegetation in the Eastern Cape ( South Africa). However, it is primarily found in the Maputaland Coastal Forest Mosaic in KwaZulu Natal ( South Africa) and in Maputo Elephant Reserve ( Mozambique) ( Fig. 25 ).

Remarks: N. mirabilis was described by Gory (1833) as Sisyphus spinipes but the name was preoccupied by Sisyphus spinipes ( Thunberg, 1818) . Arrow (1927) recognized the homonymy and renamed Gory’s species as Sisyphus mirabilis .

Conservation status: N. mirabilis is listed as a Least Concern species on the IUCN Red Data List ( Davis 2013d). However, a potential major threat is clearance of native habitats (woodland and forest).

Figures

Fig. 23. Image of the habitus of the tibialis species-group: A. N. mirabilis.

Fig. 24. Image of the aedeagus of the tibialis species-group: A. N. mirabilis.

Fig. 25. Distribution map for the tibialis species-group.