Plegmapteropsis gracilis Dirsh, 1956

Tshililo, Precious, 2020, Review of South African Euryphyminae, Zootaxa 4820 (1), pp. 70-104 : 95

Plegmapteropsis gracilis Dirsh, 1956

( Figs. 3M , 4K , 7B , 18 )

Plegmapteropsis gracilis: Dirsh, 1956a:223 ; Dirsh, 1956b:121–272, figs. 37. 1–3; Dirsh, 1965:280; Dirsh, 1966:18; Johnston, 1968:204; Otte, D. 1995:173.

Type locality. Africa , Southern Africa, Namibia, Aus . Type ♂ in the British Museum. No type examined.

Material. SOUTH AFRICA: Northern Cape: 10 mi N Annisfontein, Richtersveld (S28.2674, E16.8820) x.1939 coll. H.D Brown— 15♂, 17♀ ( SANC) ; Western Cape: Beaufort West, Hopewell (S32.3013, E23.1129) 15.iii.2017 coll. P. Tshililo and P. Strauss— 1♂ ( SAMC) ; Western Cape: Beaufort West, Taaiboschfontein (S31.9296, E22.8912) 10.iii.2017 coll. P. Tshililo and P. Strauss— 1♂ ( SAMC) .

Distribution. This species was previously known only from Namibia ( Dirsh 1956a; Naskrecki 1995) and has now a new distribution record in South Africa.

Remarks. This genus was erected by Dirsh (1956) on the basis of its robust body, broad wing and elytra, broad and robust hind femur, dorsal lobe of hind knee obtuse, posterior margin of the last abdominal tergite with small projections or with rough edge, supra anal plate transverse and moderately convex eyes, this genus is closely related to Plegmapterus and its taxonomy is stable.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Figure showing generic representation of various shapes of lateral view of male cerci: (A) Pachyphymus, (B) Euryphymus, (C) Aneuryphymus, (D) Rhachitopis, (E) Brachyphymus, (F) Calliptamicus, (G) Rhodesiana, (H) Amblyphymus, (I) Platacanthoides, (J) Plegmapterus, (K) Calliptamuloides, (L) Plegmapteroides, (M) Plegmapteropsis.

FIGURE 4. Figure showing generic representation of dorsal view of pronotum: (A) Euryphymus, (B) Aneuryphymus, (C) Rhachitopis, (D) Brachyphymus, (E) Rhodesiana, (F) Amblyphymus and (G) Platacanthoides, (H) Calliptamicus, (I) Calliptamulus, (J) Plegmapterus, (K) Plegmapteropsis, (L) Calliptamuloides, (M) Plegmapteroides and (N) Phymeurus.

FIGURE 7. Photograph showing lateral view of staged: (A) Calliptamuloides minimus, (B) Plegmapteropsis gracilis, (C) Rhachitopis nigripes, (D) Brachyphymus vylderi, (E) Calliptamulus natalensis, (F) Acrophymus nr rossi, (G) Aneuryphymus erythropus (photo credit: Daniel Otte, 2009 from OSF), (H) Rhodesiana maculata (photo credit: Daniel Otte, 2009 from OSF) and (I) Phymeurus illepidus (photo credit: Daniel Otte, 2009 from OSF).

FIGURE 18. Map showing collecting localities of Plegmapteropsis species