Nucleotops interceps, Perkins, Philip D., 2004

Perkins, Philip D., 2004, A revision of the South African endemic humicolous beetle genus Nucleotops Perkins and Balfour­Browne (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae), Zootaxa 559, pp. 1-12 : 6-7

Nucleotops interceps new species

( Figures 3 , 6 , 9)

Type Material. Holotype (male): South Africa, Cape Prov., Stellenbosch, Krom River, (NIWR­ERS3A), 28 August 1952, A. D. Harrison; deposited in the AMG. Paratypes (11): Cape Prov.: Cape Town, 33°55' S, 18°25' E, collector unknown — (3 SAMC); Keurboomstrand, sifted litter, 34°34' S, 23°27' E, 15 December 1976, Endrödy­Younga (#1317) — (1 TMSA); Knysna, Gouveld, berl., moist litter, floodplain forest, #192, 28 December 1979, S. & J. Peck — (2 FMNH); Langeberge, Boesmansbos, sifted forest litter, elev. 1050 m, 33° 56' S, 20°53' E, 9 March 1979, Endrödy­Younga (#1563) — (2 TMSA); Near Gouda, Klein Berg River, (NIWR­GBG 346A), river, 33°16' S, 18°57' E, 30 August 1951, A. D. Harrison — (1 AMG); Stellenbosch, 33°54' S, 18°51' E, 1897, Peringuey — (1 SAMC); Table Mount., Orange Kloof, humus, (ZA 44), 33° 58' S, 18° 25' E, December 1960, N. Leleup — (1 TMSA).

Diagnosis. Recognized by the modified frons, which has a longitudinally elongate oval gibbosity on each side of the midline ( Fig. 3 ). Differing additionally from N. endroedyi by having the elytra more oval­sided and with the summit of the posterior declivity near midlength.

Description. Size (length/width, mm.): Holotype body 1.60/0.67, head 0.26/0.44, pronotum 0.33/0.48, elytra 1.07/0.67. Brownish, gibbosity of frons and middle of clypeus darker, sides of head, pronotum and elytra paler; venter with head and prosternum rufescent, meso­ and metasternum piceo­brunneous; legs rufo­testaceous.

Labrum deflexed downwards from plane of clypeus, concealed in dorsal aspect, anterior margin straight. Clypeus with sides upturned, simple. Frons with two oval gibbosities separated by narrow furrow; gibbosities microreticulate, finely sparsely pubescent; side of each gibbosity at base with minute point which is opposed by much smaller point located between gibbosity and eye. Ocelli prominent, separated from gibbosity by a space equal to their diameter, equidistant from gibbosity and inner edge of eye. Temples from above linear, in lateral view about 0.25 of length of eye, posterior face concave.

Pronotum cordiform, anterior angles oblique; median furrow deep, attaining anterior and posterior margins, with elongate anterior and round posterior fovea in furrow, lateral costae forming margin of median furrow more strongly costate in front of and behind midlength; deep round fovea and equally sized callosity in basal 0.5, lateral to costae; lateral depressions flat, delimited internally by almost vertical wall of median elevation of pronotum; wall with deep pit in anterior and posterior.

Elytra with serial punctures large, deeply impressed. Longitudinal costae of intervals as follow: of 2nd high at base, decreasing in height posteriorly and disappearing at top of apical declivity; of 4th arising gradually well behind base and extending to apex; of 6th of equal height throughout arising at shoulder but not quite attaining apex. Sutural margin raised similar to carina on 4th interval. Summit of posterior declivity at about 2/3 of length. Sides moderately explanate. Posterior fovea of metasternum deep, median portion of metasternum shining, sides dull, microreticulate.

Aedeagus: Length 0.33 mm.; main­piece setae sparse and fine; main­piece in lateral aspect widest near distal 0.3; distal piece arcuate ( Fig. 6 ).

Etymology. Latin, interceps (inter, between; ceps, head), in reference to the cleft prominence of the frons, which is intermediate between that of N. endroedyi and N. nimbaceps .

Distribution. Southern Cape Province, in an east­west distribution pattern (Fig. 9).

Figures

FIGURES 3 – 4. Nucleotops holotypes, dorsal and lateral habitus. — 3. N. interceps. — 4. N. endroedyi.

FIGURES 5 – 7. Nucleotops, aedeagi of holotypes. — 5. N. nimbaceps. — 6. N. interceps. — 7. N. endroedyi.