Drogo Deschodt, Davis & Scholtz

Deschodt, Christian M., Davis, Adrian L. V. & Scholtz, Clarke H., 2016, A new monotypic genus, a species synonymy and nomenclatural corrections in the arid-adapted Canthonini (Scarabaeidae, Scarabaeinae) from the Succulent Karoo Biome of south-western Africa, Zootaxa 4147 (4), pp. 490-500 : 492-493

Drogo Deschodt, Davis & Scholtz , gen. n.

Figs. 1 , 2 and 4

Type species: Drogo stalsi Deschodt, Davis & Scholtz , sp. n.

Head. Clypeus quadridentate, with two relatively well-developed slender forward-pointing teeth, and two outside teeth that are right angled at ends. One very small tooth on lower clypeal margin between dorsal teeth. Clypeogenal suture distinct and inward curving.

Pronotum. Convex.

Elytra. Convex. Striae visible.

Sterna. Meso- and metasternum fused, mesometasternal suture well defined, somewhat curved anteriorly.

Protibia. Two teeth at apical outside margin.

Pygidium. Surface shagreened with big shallow punctures.

Aedeagus. Symmetrical. Medial sclerotized plate serrated ventrally ( Fig. 1 B, C).

Diagnosis. Drogo clearly falls within the tribe Canthonini by being strongly convex, having no more than three protibial teeth, the lateral margin of elytra being entire and by having fore tarsi present. It falls within the Byrrhidium group as described above. This genus and Byrrhidium are the only genera in the group that have a quadridentate clypeus. However Drogo can be separated from Byrrhidium by having longer clypeal horns and the mesometasternal suture being well defined. The body shape of Drogo is also more rounded whereas it is slightly elongate in Byrrhidium . Drogo can be separated from Namakwanus by having two protibial teeth instead of three and having the clypeus quadridentate instead of bidentate as in Namakwanus . None of the other species in the Byrrhidium group has the saw-like serrations on the medial sclerotized plate of the aedeagus (note that the aedeagus of Versicorpus is unknown).

Etymology. The gender is masculine. The aedeagus of Drogo reminds us of a sword thus the name is from contemporary fantasy after a powerful warlord known for his swordsmanship.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus and aedeagus of Drogo stalsi gen. et. sp. n. Dorsal (A) ventral (B) left lateral (C) and (D) frontal views of aedeagus.

FIGURE 2. Map showing the type localities of Drogo stalsi gen. et. sp. n (*) and Elassocanthon brevipes Kolbe, 1908 (·) together with the type locality (G) and recent collecting localities (•) for Byrrhidium namaquense Scholtz and Howden, 1987 and B. convexum Scholtz and Howden, 1987 (Δ).

FIGURE 4. Strict consensus tree showing support for the currently recognized genera of the Byrrhidium group based on 31 morphological characters. Bootstrap percentages above nodes (percentages lower than 50 % not shown) L = 66, CI = 68, RI = 73.