Ophthalmoglipa leblanci, Ruzzier, Enrico, 2015

Ruzzier, Enrico, 2015, Taxonomic considerations on the genus Ophthalmoglipa Franciscolo, 1952 (Coleoptera: Mordellidae) with description of two new species, Zootaxa 4059 (2), pp. 364-370 : 366

Ophthalmoglipa leblanci n. sp.

( Figs. 1 C; 2B)

Description. Length: 13 mm.

Head. Ground colour of integument black, entirely covered by fine, thick silvery-grey setae with exception of large, brown, setose, circular spot close to occipital margin. Eyes quite large, glabrous and finely facetted, reaching occiput. Mouthparts paler than remaining integument, covered by slightly golden pubescence. Maxillary palpi orange with last segment shaped as isosceles triangle. Antennae moderately long, weakly serrate, length reaching elytral humeri. Last antennal segment ellipsoidal, 1.6x length of 10th segment.

Pronotum. Ground colour of integument black, entirely covered by silvery setae similar to those of head, except for longitudinal black band extending along median line from occipital margin to posterior lobe of pronotum.

Elytra. Elytra long and slender, length 2.3x width. Ground color of integument black. Elytral suture and lanceolate band developing from humeral callus for 1/3 of elytral length covered by dense, silvery setae. Median elytral band consisting of irregular circular ring of white setae surrounding patch of black setae, interconnected to lateral margin of elytron by narrow band of white setae. Preapical elytral band large (width 1.2x length), formed from dense bright orange pubescence. Apical elytral band consisting of brown, dark orange pubescence ( Fig. 1 B).

Body. Ground color of the integument black, covered by sparse, silvery-white pubescence. Anterior protibiae and mesofemora pale orange-brown. Hind legs black; all legs covered by same pubescence as remainder of body. Pygidium very long, pointed and dorsally strongly keeled; length 4x basal width and 3.3x length of hypopygidium.

Genitalia. Parameres asymmetrical ( Fig. 2 B). Left paramere U-shaped, with parallel branches. Major branch length 15x length of minor. Major branch apex rounded, expanded and flattened. Minor branch straight, flattened at left margin. Right paramere straight, I-shaped. Minor branch situated at inner margin of paramere, at 5/8 of total paramere length.

Type material. Holotype (male): Is. São Tomé / Agua Ize/ I. 901/ 400–900 (?) m., L. Fea// Glipa aurocaudata Det Franciscolo ( MCSNG). Paratype (female): Is. São Tomé / Agua Ize/ XII. 1900 / 400– 700 m., L. Fea// aurocaudata (handwritten), ( MCSNG).

Etymology. I am pleased to name this species in honor of Pascal Leblanc, specialist of Mordellidae , as a sign of friendship and esteem.

Diagnosis. Opthalmoglipa leblanci is closely related to the two congeneric African species and can be separated from them by the following characters: from O. aurocaudata it differs by the general colour of the head, pronotum, and elytral humeral band, all of which are silvery-gray instead of golden-yellow. The dimension of the preapical elytal band is smaller (width 1.2x length) in O. leblanci than that of O. aurocaudata (width 0.8x length). From Ophthalmoglipa horaki n. sp. it differs by the color of the elytral humeral band (silvery-gray instead of pale yellow), the different shape of the medial elytral band (faintly circular on O. leblanci and “N-shaped” in O. horaki n. sp. The dimension of the preapical elytral band is smaller (width 1.2x length) than that of O. horaki n. sp. (width 0.7x length).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Parameres. A. Ophthalmoglipa aurocaudata (Fairmaire, 1897), non type. Gabon; B. Ophthalmoglipa leblanci n. sp. Holotype; C. Ophthalmoglipa horaki n. sp. Holotype; D. Ophthalmoglipa australis Franciscolo, 1965. Holotype, original drawing (Franciscolo 1965); E. Ophthalmoglipa maranoleai Horak, 1998. Holotype, original drawing (Horak 1998); F. Ophthalmoglipa iriana Horak, 1998. Holotype, original drawing (Horak 1998); G. Ophthalmoglipa bilyi Horak, 1998. Holotype, original drawing (Horak 1998).

FIGURE 1. A. Ophthalmoglipa aurocaudata (Fairmaire, 1897), non type. Gabon; B. Ophthalmoglipa aurocaudata (Fairmaire, 1897). Lectotype. Togo; C. Ophthalmoglipa leblanci n. sp. Holotype; D. Ophthalmoglipa horaki n. sp. Holotype; E. Ophthalmoglipa elongatula (Mac Leay, 1872). Australia; F. Ophthalmoglipa australis Franciscolo, 1965. New Guinea; G. Ophthalmoglipa maranoleai Horak, 1998. Holotype, habitus (Horak 1998, modified); H. Ophthalmoglipa iriana Horak, 1998. Holotype, habitus (Horak 1998, modified); I. Ophthalmoglipa bilyi Horak, 1998. Holotype, habitus (Horak 1998, modified).