Salcedia bembereka, Balkenohl, 2020

Balkenohl, Michael, 2020, Salcedia FAIRMAIRE, 1899 from Africa with descriptions of the two new species S. bembereka nov. sp. and S. occidentalis nov. sp. (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Scaritinae, Salcediini), Linzer biologische Beiträge 52 (1), pp. 127-140 : 131-133

Salcedia bembereka nov.sp. ( Figs 1 , 3, 5, 7)

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype: ♂, with labels and data: white, printed in black, black framed " BENIN BEMBEREKE 2 km W of GANDO 02.- 03.07.2001 A. KUDRNA JR. LGT." / white, handwritten in black ink "Coll. A. DOSTAL" (CDW). Paratype: 1♀, same data as holotype but 03.- 04.07.2001 (CBP).

E t y m o l o g y: The name refers to the district of Bembereke in Benin, where the two specimens were found.

D i a g n o s i s: A large sized species, with oblongo-elongate outline of the elytra with nearly parallel sides with maximum width at middle and the pronotum with nearly complete lateral carinae. The pseudohumerus is slightly obtuse-angular and with an indistinct tooth. The antennomeres are moniliform. Distinguished most clearly from the most similar species S. putzeysi OBERTHÜR and S. matsumotoi BALKENOHL by the moniliform antennomeres, the different measurement ratios of the elytra, and the frons of the head with the erected tubercle. S. occidentalis nov.sp. is most different with the super-moniliform antennomeres, the less numerous tubercles at the lateral margin of the pronotum, and the diverging sides of the elytra with maximum width behind middle. In addition, the aedeagus is different from all other species and the female coxostylus shows a different pattern of setae.

D e s c r i p t i o n:

Measurements in Tab. 2.

Colour and surface: Anthracite grey, shiny; top of carinae on head, pronotum and elytra as well as margins of pronotum and elytra opaque, covered with pale grey pili; pronotum laterally slightly fuscous, legs and mandibles fuscous, antennae and palpi hinnuleous.

Head: Three-quarters of pronotum width. Outline campanulate. Clypeus wide, straight anteriorly, fused with clypeal wings, separated from supraantennal plates by obtuse notches, with moderately raised transverse field at middle, separated from frons by broad flat transverse furrow. Frons with two raised paramedian carinae, joining anteriorly into a V-like keel, keel tubercle-like increasing anteriorly, with two small glossy teeth bilaterally anterior to central keel, with short parallel running carina at each side paralaterally at base; frons separated from supraorbital plates by flattened broad furrows; with conspicuously deep and broad pit at front-eye level; supraantennal and supraorbital plates margined, margin of supraorbital plate distinctly raised, carina-like; supraantennal plates vaulted. Basal border with broad emargination at middle, angled laterally (angle 120-121°). Eyes large, convex, genae slightly convex, parts of eyes and genae visible from above, with indistinct rectangular shape in lateral view. Antenna with segments five to ten moniliform (L/ W 1.03), densely pubescent, segments two to four scarcely pubescent, scapus with irregular to elongate reticulation. Labrum convex anteriorly. Mandible moderately short, wide, slightly arcuate at apex. Mentum small, ovoid, without tooth, with isodiametric reticulation; epilobes wide, projecting and angled anteriorly, distinctly margined anteriorly and medially, slightly posteriorly, surface covered with smaller pits and indistinct reticulation.

Pronotum (Fig. 3): Outline rectangular, transverse, a quarter wider than long. Lateral margin straight, parallel, convex to anterior and posterior angle, maximum width at middle. Lateral margin distinctly crenulated, with 12 tubercles, tubercle anterior basal angle slightly more prominent, with a notch at posterior angle. Base obliquely and slightly convex laterally, with declining distinct keel at middle pointing posteriorly. Disc convex in lateral view, with two distinctly raised paramedian carinae parallel to median line, diverging posteriorly, with slight transverse notches, with median line long, with two pits anteriorly and line-like posteriorly, with two additional carinae bilaterally at base, joining with the paramedian carinae and forming tooth-like tubercle at base pointing posteriorly, with narrow anterior extension, with inner lateral carina fine and line-like, with outer lateral carinae distinct. All carinae sub-crenulate. Lateral margin broadly wing-like bent up, with six large and deep transverse pits, all somewhat separated into two smaller pits. Space between carinae and pits smooth.

Elytron: Flattened in lateral view, convex in frontal view. Oblongo-elongate, straight laterally, maximum width at middle. Pseudohumerus with angle slightly obtuse (angle around 102°), with indistinct tooth. Apex rounded, without acute tooth at suture. Disc with interneur six sub-crenulate, interneur two running up to apex as nearly straight line, distinctly raised, reaching apex; interneur four running at middle as slightly convex line to interneur six, nearly reaching base, shortened at apex. Interneur five and six with two rows of serial pits, the latter ones distinctly merging transversally.

Hind wings: Fully developed.

Lower surface: Antennal channel of pronotum with isodiametric reticulation. Pseudoepipleura with a row of pits, transverse apically, lateral margin of elytron smooth. Metepisternum elongate, with longitudinal groove of moderate size. Metasternum, abdominal sternites three and seven with numerous irregularly situated larger pits, sternite one and two with longitudinal reticulation. Last abdominal sternites laterally with irregular reticulation. Sternum four to six slightly sulcate. Sternum seven with longitudinal flat keel laterally and at middle, apex with longitudinal suboval pit.

Legs: Profemora with surface indistinctly reticulated. Protibia with robust, slightly curved terminal spine, laterally with five teeth of decreasing size, the basal one with some distance from the others, dorsally and ventrally with two carinae. First tarsalia distinctly elongated, as long as tarsalia two to four together.

External sexual dimorphism: Not observed. Male genitalia ( Fig. 5 ): Median lobe long, slender, in dorsal view slightly convex in basal two thirds, evidently curved at apical third, in lateral view straight in total, with numerous scattered fine pili, apical part of moderate length, straight, in cross section nearly stick-like. Oroficium elongated. Endophallus with two evident groups of microtrichia in apical quarter. Dorsal paramere of moderate size, nearly straight, with small elongated apophyses; ventral one shaped triangle-like, both parameres slightly distorted, both of them hyaline at apex.

Female genitalia (Fig. 7): Coxostylus moderately slender, regularly broadened to base, distinctly curved, acute at apex, with nine large nematiform setae in basal half, two of them at base, one strong one at end of basal third; SSO with one microtrichium.

Variation: On the pronotum the notches on the paramedian carinae are variable in their distinctness among the two specimens.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Known from the district of Bembereke in the Northern part of Benin near the city of Gando (Fig. 10).

Figures

Figs 1, 2: Salcedia species, habitus, dorsal view, holotype. (1) S. bembereka nov.sp.; (2) S. occidentalis nov.sp.

Figs 5, 6: Salcedia species, male genitalia, dorsal view of aedeagus (a), parameres (b, c) and lateral view (d). Black small sketches are symbolizing the apex in cross section. (5). S. bembereka nov.sp.; (6) S. occidentalis nov.sp.