Nemognatha fluviatilis 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 : 96-97

Nemognatha fluviatilis Bologna sp. n. ( Fig. 6C )

Types. Holotype female ( SMWN), labelled “ Popa Falls , Kavango, 18°07’S 21°04E, 26.II–01.III.1992, E. Marais - M. Pusch ”.

The holotype could be incompletely scletotized and the true colour of legs and other parts of body not so defined, in particular, hind tibiae and tarsi appear quite reddish.

Type locality. The type locality (18.1167°S 21.067°E in decimal degrees) is located in the Kavango region, Mukwe district, in an area characterized by Mopane savannah biome.

Diagnosis. One small sized Nemognatha characterized by the body black with orange pronotum and abdomen, and elytra black with vague reflexions ( Fig. 6C ), and the very deep punctures of the dorsal surface.

Description. Head (but a small fore frontal area orange), antennomeres (but I quite reddish), metasternum and metafemurs distinctly black, mesosternum, fore legs, mesofemurs, meso-hind tibiae and tarsomeres dark but vaguely reddish, pro-mesosternum, coxae and trochanters reddish, pronotum and whole abdomen distinctly orange, elytra black with vague almost bronze reflexions, laterally clearer. Body setation yellow-white, dense and quite short. Body maximal length: 8.5 mm.

Head transverse, moderately narrowed subtriangularly in front, temple very short, about 0.5 as long as longitudinal diameter of eye ( Fig. 18 A ). Frons trasversally depressed, another oblique depression on each side posteriorly to eye, occiput convex and with medial portion extended posteriorly; interocular space more than twice as wide as the transverse diameter of eye; fronto-clypeal suture well visible and widely emarginated. Punctures deep, wide and quite approached, intermediate surface micro-shagreened. Clypeus transverse, distinctly shorter than labrum, with punctures similar than on head but sparse; labrum subrectiliear anteriorly. Antennae with 11 antennomeres, all cylindrical and slender, II shorter than I and III, X–XI subequal in length, XI about 1.6 as long as X, progressively narrowed in the fore third, obtusely conical at apex. Maxillary stipes with dense short setae on ventral side, visible in lateral view, galeae more than twice as long as head.

Pronotum subrounded, slightly wider than long, with arcuated side, maximal width at middle; punctures sligthly wider and more scattered than on head, setae sparser and shorter, mesosternum triangular. Tarsi longer than tibiae, tarsomeres slender, cylindrical. Pro-mesotibial spurs stick-like, obtuse at apex, both metatibial spurs spoonlike but narrow, external one sligthly wider than inner one ( Fig. 18B ).

Ventrites with smoother and more confluent punctures, setae shorter than on thoracic ventrites.

Etymology. The name fluviatilis , which in Latin means riverine, refers to the distribution of this species along the large river Kavango.

Remarks. Relationships of this species are not defined. It differs from N. limbata Pic, 1924 from NE R.D. Congo, the colouration of which is similar, at least because of the shape of pronotum, widened in the middle and not anteriorly, and without depressions, pronotum and abdomen completely orange without black parts, setae whitish and not yellow, elytral punctures more robust, legs completely dark orange, not only the tibiae.

It differs from three almost unknown species from Angola described by Marseul (1879), namely Nemognatha annulicornis, ciconia, scapularis, because of several features of body colouration.

Distribution. Northeastern Namibia .

Figures

FIGURE 6. A. Synhoria testacea; B. Apalus hilaris; C. Nemognatha fluviatilis; D. Nemognatha cfr. notaticeps; E. Nemognatha peringueyi; F. Nemognatha vansoni; G. “Zonitis” maculicollis; H. “Zonitis” notaticollis; I. Zonitodema posoka; J. Zonitodema viridipennis; K. Zonitomorpha costata; L. Zonitomorpha sellata; M. “Zonitoschema” bivittipennis; N. “Zonitoschema” deserticola; O. “Zonitoschema” posticalis; P. “Zonitoschema” cfr. testaceiventris; Q. Zonitoschema capensis; R.Zonitoschema complex cocccinea; S. Zonitoschema dunalis; T. Zonitoschema eborina.

FIGURE 18. Nemognatha fluviatilis: head in frontal view (A); metatibial spurs (B). Bars = 1 mm.