Delopleurus fossatus Frolov, 2014

Frolov, Andrey V., 2014, Revision of the genus Delopleurus Boheman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) with description of new species from Africa, Journal of Natural History 49 (3), pp. 129-154 : 149-150

Delopleurus fossatus Frolov , sp. nov.

( Figure 7A–F )

Diagnosis

This species is similar to D. krikkeni in having pygidium with deep circular fossa, but can be separated from it by having basal border of pygidium not or indistinctly widened medially, punctate disc of pronotum and smaller, slit-shaped dorsal parts of eyes.

Description

Holotype, male. Body strongly convex, black, glabrous, its length 5.3 mm ( Figure 7A ).

Clypeus quadridentate. Two medial teeth acute, lateral ones obtuse. Clypeus rugose in anterior part and laterally, frons densely punctate (punctures separated by one to three puncture diameters).

Pronotum about two times wider than long. Anterior and lateral margins distinctly bordered, base feebly bordered. Pronotum densely punctate (punctures separated by one to two puncture diameters on disc, becoming denser laterally).

Elytra trapezoidal, as wide as long, shiny. Stria relatively deep, with punctures 1.5–2 times larger than striae width. Elytral intervals convex, with minute punctation.

Anterior tibiae with three outer teeth, without a small acute tooth between first outer tooth and apical spur. Anterior tibial spur bifurcated apically.

Pygidium with strongly convex disc separated by deep circular fossa from borders. Apical and basal borders about the same thickness, not significantly thicker in the middle. Disc glabrous and coarsely punctate ( Figure 7B ).

Parameres with small processes in lateral view ( Figure 7C ).

Female can be separated from male in having acute, not bifurcated spurs of anterior tibiae. Sculpture of pygidium is similar to that of male but the pygidium is one-eighth to one-ninth shorter ( Figure 7E ).

Paratypes. Body length varies from 4.5 mm to 5.5 mm, otherwise the paratypes are similar to the holotype.

Type material

Holotype, male with label ‘ Nyassaland Mlanje [ MALAWI, Mulanje] Feb. 11, 1913 S. A.Neave 1913-140’ ( BMNH) . Paratypes: 1 male with the same data as the holotype ; 13 specimens with the same data as the holotype except for the date of collecting: 27. II.1913 , 1 female ( BMNH), 24.II.1913 , 1 female ( BMNH), 14.II.1913 , 1 female ( ZIN), 7.III.1913 , 1 male ( BMNH), 19.XII.1912 , 2 males ( BMNH), 7.I.1913 , 1 male ( BMNH), 20.II.1913 , 1 male ( BMNH), 5.III.1913 , 1 male ( BMNH), 12. I.1913 , 1 male ( ZIN), 1.II.1913 , 1 female ( BMNH), 8.II.1913 , 1 female ( BMNH), 21.I.1913 , 1 female ( BMNH) .

Distribution

The species is known from Mlanje, Malawi ( Figure 7F ) in the southern Rift Valley.

Etymology

The epithet is a Latin word denoting the sculpture of the pygidium.

Figures

Figure 7. Delopleurus fossatus sp. nov. (A, D) habitus (A, male, D, female); (B, E) pygidium (B, male, E, female); (C) aedeagus in lateral view and internal sac; (F) locality map.