Diastatotropis petulae Trýzna, Blažej & Rakotonirina, 2024

Trýzna, Miloš, Blažej, Lukáš & Rakotonirina, Jean Claude, 2024, Two new species of Diastatotropis Lacordaire from protected areas in central and east Madagascar (Coleoptera: Anthribidae), Zootaxa 5536 (2), pp. 291-304 : 298-303

Diastatotropis petulae Trýzna, Blažej & Rakotonirina sp. nov.

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:215CD05F-3555-4AB7-B8E4-989EC7300906

( Figs 16–24 )

Type locality. C Madagascar, Antananarivo prov., natural forest in Ambohitantely Special Reserve near Ankazobe town , S 18°11´44´´; E 47°17´16´´, 1623 m a.s.l.

Type material. Holotype (male) ( Figs 16–20 ): ‘MADAGASCAR, 19.-25.xii. / AMBOHITANTELY Spec. Res., / circuit Botanique, 2019 / S 18°11´44´´; E 47°17´16´´, / 1623 m, M. Trýzna leg. [p]’ ( MMBC). Allotype (female), two paratypes (males): the same data as holotype ( MTDC). Red label [p] HOLOTYPE / ALLOTYPE / PARATYPE / Diastatotropis / petulae sp. nov. / M. Trýzna det., 2024.

Diagnosis. Small-sized species (7.0–9.0 mm). Rostrum with two distinct longitudinal carinae, between these carinae longitudinal flat shiny area imitating central carina. Antennal club slender and oblong, terminal segment elongate-oval, distinctly longer than wide. Elytra convex, with indistinct sub-basal tubercles. Pronotum with one central slender and two lateral wider longitudinal dark yellow stripes. Each elytron with four longitudinal dark yellow stripes: one short in scutellar area; one in the second elytral interval reaching from posterior part of sub-basal tubercle to apex of elytron; one on the fourth elytral interval reaching from anterior margin of elytron to its half; and one on the eighth elytral interval. Pygidium with longitudinal dark yellow strip in central part.

Description. Holotype (male) ( Figs 16–20 ). Measurements (in mm): Total body length—9.55. Head: total length—2.05; length of rostrum—1.18; maximum width of rostrum—1.30; length of eye—0.93; maximum width across eyes—1.68; minimum distance between eyes—0.63. Antenna: length of segments: II—0.30, III—0.41, IV—0.31, V—0.26, VI—0.21, VII—0.19, VIII—0.17, IX—0.41, X—0.21, XI—0.46, width of segment IX—0.20. Pronotum: maximum length—2.13; width at carina (= maximal width in this case)—2.58; minimum width—1.63. Elytra: maximum length—4.95; maximum width—3.15. Pygidium: maximum length—0.80; maximum width— 1.00.

Coloration of the cuticle of entire body black, lower side of the body nearly black. Mandibles dark brown. Basal part of head, pronotum and elytra black. All antennomeres and labrum light brown, legs dark brown.

Vestiture. Head nearly naked, only vertex with two distinct stripes behind lateral carinae of rostrum and continued to inner margin of eyes, these stripes dark yellow with very dense appressed setae. Lateral sides of rostrum almost bare. Labrum light brown with a few longer light setae. Antennae with indistinct brown pubescence, only with very short, soft, setae. Pronotum with three distinct longitudinal dark yellow stripes posteriorly extended to transverse pronotal carina, the same on pronotal declivity. Each elytron with four longitudinal stripes: one short in scutellar area; one in the second elytral interval reaching from posterior part of sub-basal tubercle to apex of elytron; one on the fourth reaching from anterior margin of elytron to its half; and one on the eighth elytral interval. Stripes of the second and eighth elytral interval converge at the apex of elytron. Rest of elytra completely black. Scutellum with dense dark yellow setae. All legs covered with dense fine brown setae. Tibiae covered with dense indistinct brown setae appressed in proximal part and subdecumbent in distal part. All tibiae on dorsal side with spot of yellowish setae in proximal third. Tarsomeres with brownish setae. Lower side of the body covered with only indistinct dark-coloured fine setae. Pygidium with distinct longitudinal stripe of dark yellow setae in central part.

Structure. Head ( Fig. 17 ) rather shorter, rostrum wider than long, ratio of rostrum length to maximum width 0.90. Rostrum flat in lateral view. Lateral sides of rostrum weakly extended apically in dorsal view. Rostrum with two distinct longitudinal lateral carinae, lacking central carina, but between lateral carinae with longitudinal flat shiny area imitating central carina, this area short and indistinct. Lateral carinae not extended distal part of rostrum and reaching anterior margin of eyes. Dorsum of rostrum with only shallow depression. Dorsal part of head coarsely sculptured. Eyes oval, not emarginate, dorsal ocular index 1.51. Ratio of maximum width across eyes to maximum width of rostrum 1.29. Antennae ( Fig. 19 ) shorter, not reaching to posterior margin of pronotum. Scape and pedicel approximately twice as thick as the funicle, club widened, antennomeres IX and XI ca. 2x longer than wide, X as long as wide.

Pronotum ( Fig. 18 ) slightly transverse, ratio of its length to maximum width 0.83, the widest in dorsal transverse carina. Disc of pronotum convex, without any imprint. Dorsal transverse carina of pronotum sinuated, not interrupted in middle (in allotype only indistinctly interrupted). Lateral carinae of pronotum well developed, extending to half of length of pronotum, widely rounded at contact with dorsal transverse carina.

Elytra ( Figs 16, 20 ) rather short, with indistinct sub-basal tubercles, ratio of the maximum length to maximum width of elytra 1.57. Elytral intervals completely flat, dorsal punctures distinct, their diameter approximately the same as distance of individual punctures.

Claws without teeth. Pygidium transverse, ratio of the maximum length to maximum width 0.80.

Male genitalia and associated structures ( Figs 21–24 ). Aedeagus ( Figs 21–22 ) rather short and wide. Pedon and tectum wide. Tectum inconspicuously overlapping pedon, with pointed projection apically. Apodemes of aedeagus long, parallel. Bridge of aedeagus well developed. Tegmen ( Fig. 23 ) rather long and slender, with strongly sclerotized basal piece, apodeme of tegmen straight, slightly shorter than body of tegmen. Tegminal plate rather slender with exception of basal part. Apex of tegmen broad, with distinct longer setae. Segment VIII ( Fig. 24 ) moderately sclerotized, approximately as long as wide, anterior margin of tergite rounded. Sternite IX ( Fig. 24 ) with symmetrical short arms, apodeme slightly curved.

Etymology. Matronym, dedicated to the wife of the second author, Petra (tenderly Peťula) Blažejová (Varnsdorf, Czech Republic).

Collecting circumstances ( Figs 26–27 ). Diastatotropis petulae was found in Ambohitantely Special Reserve, north-west of the town of Antananarivo in the district of Ankazobe (Analamanga region, central Madagascar). The reserve is characterized by a primary rainforest, surrounded by grassland savannas. The site of the new species discovery represents one of the last primary rainforest patches on the high plateau in central Madagascar. The detailed description of the area is presented by Goodman et al. (2018b).

All specimens of the type series were collected inside low primary forest with a canopy of 6 to 12 (max. 20) metres and one or two strata, with dense coppices of small diameter trees in elevation of 1623 m a.s.l. The dying wood was already infected with an unspecified fungus. All four specimens were collected during one day, repeated collections on subsequent days did not yield any more specimens.

Distribution. C Madagascar, Antananarivo province. The species is only known from the type locality Ambohitantely Special Reserve ( Fig. 28 ).

Differential diagnosis. Diastatotropis petulae also belongs to a group of species with antennal club slender and cylindrical, antennomere X as long as wide, and terminal segment elongate-oval, always distinctly longer than wide. Rostrum with two lateral carinae, but between them longitudinal flat shiny area resembling central carina. Longitudinal stripes on the elytra prominent. The species characterized by well-developed lateral carinae of pronotum extending to half of length of pronotum. Pygidium with distinct longitudinal stripe of light-coloured setae in both sexes.

Figures

FIGURE 28. Type localities of Diastatotropis lusti and D. petulae.

FIGURES 16–20. Diastatotropis petulae, holotype male; 16, habitus in dorsal view; 17, head; 18, pronotum; 19, left antenna; 20, habitus in lateral view. Scale bars in mm.

FIGURES 21–25. Diastatotropis petulae, 21–24, paratype male, terminalia; 21, aedeagus in lateral view; 22, aedeagus in dorsal view; 23, tegmen in ventral view; 24, segment VIII and sternite IX (= spiculum gastrale) in dorsal view. Scale bars in mm. 25, Ambohitantely Special Reserve, overall view of collecting site of D. petulae.

FIGURES 26–27. Ambohitantely Special Reserve, microhabitat of collecting site of Diastatotropis petulae.