Sisyphus umbraphilus Daniel & Davis

Daniel, Gimo M., Davis, Adrian Lv. & Scholtz, Clarke H., 2016, Three new Sisyphus species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) from shaded vegetation in southern Africa, Zootaxa 4147 (1), pp. 67-74 : 68-69

Sisyphus umbraphilus Daniel & Davis sp. nov.

( Fig. 1a )

Diagnosis. This new species is similar to S. oralensis sp. nov. but can be distinguished from the latter by the following characters: lateral edges of genae virtually parallel; second and third abdominal epipleurae with welldeveloped tufts of setae; pygidium with uniformly scattered setae, except for a distinct non-setose line medially ( Fig. 1 bi-iii).

Description. Size: Male: Length: 5.1–7.1 mm, width: 2.9–4.2 mm; Female: Length: 5.4–7.4 mm, width 3.2– 4.2 mm.

Colour: Dark brown to black.

Head: Clypeus dark and punctate; anterior margin with two medial teeth and a convex lateral sinuosity between teeth and genal sutures; lateral margins of genae almost parallel, post-occipital suture not fully rounded; antennae brown.

Pronotum: Convex, shiny black, densely punctate, lateral edges slightly compressed, maximum length shorter than maximum width, complete lateral prothoracic ridge between prothoracic disc and prothoracic episternum, disc showing an indistinct pattern of bare patches, some with sparse short setae, arranged within a matrix of dense, long setae ( Fig. 1a ).

Elytra: Dark brown, shiny in some individuals, ovoid posteriorly, interstriae finely punctate bearing lightcoloured setae with recurved tips, epipleurae of the second and third abdominal segments each bearing a tuft of yellow setae.

Pygidium: Narrow with ocellate punctation and scattered setae but with a distinct medial line lacking setae.

Sternites: Setae arranged in rows laterally, except on first sternite where setae form a ventral row; visible meso-metasternal suture; meso- and metasternum black shiny, punctate with lateral setae; mesepimerum and metepisternum punctate and setose.

Legs: Profemur black, punctate, internally pubescent with a lateral row of well-developed setae in ventral view; meso- and metafemur densely punctate and setose; meso- and metatrochanter contiguous with femur, sharp tip of metatrochanter projecting away from femur; metacoxa punctate and shagreened ventro-anteriorly; protibia with three teeth and single terminal spine; mesotibia punctate and setose with two terminal spines; metatibia densely setose, serrated laterally with two spurs; pro- meso- and metatarsus five segmented with two claws, setose laterally; first tarsal segment of the meso- and meta-thoracic legs with a row of strong setae on the ventral edge.

Aedeagus: Phallobase almost straight, slight angular depression immediately distal from the phallobaseparamere suture; parameres symetrical, sligthly curved inward at the tip, separated from each other by fine membranous area visible dorsally on apical edge ( Fig. 1 c).

Etymology. The species name reflects the shaded vegetation with which the species is associated.

Examined material. Holotype: (♂ SANC): SOUTH AFRICA, KZN, Umfolozi 28[◦] 15[’] S; 31[◦] 55[’] E, 1- 7.x. 1970, leg: Bornemissza & Aschenborn . Paratypes: (3♂, 9♀ SANC) with the same data as holotype . (1♂, 2♀ UPSA): SOUTH AFRICA, KZN, Itala Game Reserve 27[◦] 27[’] 53.6[”] S; 31[◦] 15[’] 36.1[”] E, 13.i.1999, leg: Chown, McGeogh & Davis. (2♂ SANC) : SOUTH AFRICA, KZN, Jozini 27[◦] 26[’] 0[”] S; 32[◦] 4[’] 0[”] E, 15.x.1978, leg: Bornemissza & Aschenborn. (7♂, 14♀ SANC) : SOUTH AFRICA, Gauteng, Pretoria , 35km NE of Pretoria Farm 25[◦] 42[’] 0[”] S; 28[◦] 13[’] 0[”] E, 12-13.xii.1983, leg: Davis. (1♂ SANC) : SOUTH AFRICA, KZN, Weke-Weke Stream, Shongweni Farm 29[◦] 48[’] S; 30[◦] 43[’] E, 11.xi.2010, leg: AJ Armstrong & G Van Bassouw.

Habitat. This new species has been recorded in patches of dense woodland and thicket. On the bushveld near Pretoria, it was sampled only in thickets on deep sand and not in open woodland or grassland ( Davis 1996). It has been recorded only from South Africa ( Fig. 4 ).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Map of southern Africa showing the geographic distribution of the new species: S. umbraphilus, S. oralensis and S. neobornemisszanus.

FIGURE 1. A. S. umbraphilus sp. nov. habitus. Diagnostic characters: Bi. Lateral genal margins almost parallel. Bii. Setae absent from vertical medial line on pygidium. Biii. T ufts of setae on epipleurae. C. Aedeagus.