Namylabris Bologna, 2018

Bologna, Marco A., Amore, Valentina & Pitzalis, Monica, 2018, Meloidae of Namibia (Coleoptera): taxonomy and faunistics with biogeographic and ecological notes, Zootaxa 4373 (1), pp. 1-141 : 44-46

Genus Namylabris Bologna gen. n.

Type species. Namylabris adamantifera Bologna sp. n.

Diagnosis. A mylabrine genus similar to Mimesthes and Paramimesthes ( Fig. 2Y ), but with some mixed characters of other mylabrine genera, distinct by the combination of the following characters: temples elongate and parallel, mandible elongate, greatly longer than labrum, sharped; antennae slender, progressively and sligthly widened apically, neither subclavate nor VIII–XI so approached to form a club, but only progressively widened apically, antennomeres III–XI red or dark brown; pronotum not distinctly transverse, only few wider than maximal width of head, subcampaniform; mesosternum without modified fore portion, mesepisternum without furrowed border; male protarsomeres not widened internally; male claw ventrally regularly curved, not angulate; male margin of penultimate ventrite widely emarginated and depressed; aedeagus similar tho that of the genus Mimesthes , apically not incised with both hooks very far from apex, the proximal one smooth and short.

Description. Head elongate, parallel, temples parallel, particularly in female, about as long as longitudinal diameter of eye; frons dorsally flat, about twice as wide as transverse diameter of eye; eyes only slightly convex. Clypeus about as long as labrum, which is slightly emarginated anteriorly. Galeae, maxillary and labial palpi not modified; mandibles elongate and sharp. Eleven antennomeres ( Fig. 10G ), VI–X progressively few widened but not forming club, III–VII subcylindrical, X–XI only slightly wider than VIII–IX, XI slightly narrower than X; basal six with distinctly longer setae, remaining with a very short and dense clear microsetation.

Pronotum ( Fig. 10E ) only slightly wider than long, subcampaniform, subparallel in basal half, progressively narrowed after middle; rebordered at base, with a basal depression in middle and three subrounded depressions just before middle. Mesosternum ( Fig. 10F ) without clearly modified fore area, but only with a shagreened and umpunctate triangular fore part; mesepisterna smooth, anterior edge lacking furrowed border. Elytra subplanate and subsquared at apex. Male protarsomeres slender; female protibia and protarsomeres with robust distinct setae; female protibia not distinctly elongate or pointed on external apex; pro-mesotarsomeres with small ventral pad; male claws ventrally progressively curved in both sexes. Pro-mesotibial spurs elongate and pointed; metatibial spurs both narrow and stick-like.

Male penultimate ventrite widely emarginated and depressed posteriorly in middle, where is present an unpunctate and unsetate shiny area; last ventrite triangularly emarginated. Male gonostyli ventrally ( Fig. 10 A ) and dorsally ( Fig. 10B ) subcylindrical and slender, apically narrowed; laterally ( Fig. 10C ) slender and narrowed at apex; gonocoxal piece suboval in ventral view; aedeagus ( Fig. 10D ) apically with a short incision, at apex curved posteriad, with distal hook extremely far from apex, pointed and curved, and a small residual proximal hook, smooth at apex similar than in the genus Mimesthes ; endophallic hook very small and not easily visible.

Etymology. The name refers to the Namaqualand desert, where the genus is distributed (in both Northern Cape and Namibia ) and to its general similarity with the genus Mylabris . Feminine genus.

Figures

FIGURE 2. A. Prionotolytta binotata; B. Prionotolytta eremita; C. Prionotolytta hayekae; D. Prionotolytta melanura; E. Prionotolytta streyi; F. Prolytta coriacea; G. Prolytta namibensis; H. Prolytta pseudolucida; I. Cyaneolytta affinis; J. Cyaneolytta depressicornis; K. Cyaneolytta granulipennis; L. Cyaneolytta maculifrons; M. Cyaneolytta resplendens; N. Epicauta designata; O. Epicauta ovampoa; P. Epicauta rufifrons; Q. Epicauta velata; R. Psalydolytta gessi; S. Psalydolytta lorigera; T. Actenodia chrysomelina; U. Actenodia mirabilis; V. Mimesthes maculicollis; W. Mimesthes nigricollis; X. Paramimesthes namibicus; Y. Namylabris adamantifera.

FIGURE 10. Namylabris adamantifera: tegmen in ventral (A), dorsal (B) and lateral view (C); aedeagus in lateral view (D); pronotum (E); mesostsernum (F); antenna (G). Bar = 1 mm.