Sphaeraphodius Kakizoe, Jiang & Wang, 2021

Kakizoe, Showtaro, Jiang, Ri-Xin, Cai, Hao-Hong & Wang, Shuo, 2021, Sphaeraphodius gaohani, a new genus and species of Aphodiini (Coleoptera Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae) from Guangxi, China, Zootaxa 4949 (2), pp. 333-340 : 334-337

Sphaeraphodius Kakizoe, Jiang & Wang , new genus

( Figs. 1A – 4F )

Type species. Sphaeraphodius gaohani Kakizoe, Jiang & Wang , new species, by present designation.

Description. Body ( Figs. 1A–1C ) elongate oval, strongly convex dorsally, color uniformly reddish-brown, shiny, with long, erect setae, body length 4.2–4.3 mm. Head ( Fig. 2A ) large, transverse. Surface slightly convex. Clypeal outline evenly rounded over entire length. Frontoclypeal suture distinctly carinate except for vertex, straight to genal tip. Genae obtusely angular in dorsal view.Antennae ( Figs. 1B , 2C ) short, setaceous, yellowish-brown, with 9 antennomeres, including trimerous club. Eyes ( Figs. 1A – 2A ) visible in both dorsal and ventral view. Epipharynx ( Fig. 3A ) with anterior margin straight; epitorma conical; corypha not protruding over anterior margin, with clump of quite short apical celtes; pedia sparsely setaceous, with heli and several short, stout, scattered setae; chaetopariae moderately elongate, present about one-third of the total epipharyngeal length from anterior margin; adelochaetae absent. Mandibles ( Fig. 3B, 3C ) asymmetrical, short, outline weakly curved, posterolateral area with two long and two short setae each; apicalis with little protruding over mesal brush; conjunctive present; mesal brush broad and short setae arranged regularly; mandibular brush present. Maxillae ( Fig. 3D ) longer than wide; galeae setaceous; basistipes and palpifer with long setae on lateral side. Maxillar palpi ( Fig. 3D ) tetramerous and well developed; palpomere 1 small, bent outward; palpomere 2 about 4 times as long as palpomere 1, almost straight; palpomere 3 small, about 2 times as long as palpomere 1, weakly bent inward; palpomere 4 large, approximately 2 times as long as palpomere 2, almost straight. Mentum ( Fig. 3G ) flat, weakly emarginated at middle, with several long setae on anterior margin. Labial palpi ( Figs. 3E–F ) trimerous; palpomere 1 small, slightly bent outward, with several long setae; palpomere 2 small, almost straight, with several long setae; palpomere 3 large, approximately equal to the total length of palpomeres 1 and 2, almost straight, glabrous. Pronotum ( Figs. 1A, 1C ) large and transverse, as wide as elytra, strongly convex dorsally, with long, erect setae; anterior margin not bordered; anterior angles obtuse (in dorsal view), protruding anteriad; lateral margins slightly rounded over entire length, frontwardly convergent, not bordered; sides weakly depressed; lateral edges densely setiferous; posterior angles almost right angle (in dorsal view); basal margin almost straight, not bordered, setiferous. Elytra ( Figs. 1A–C , 2B ), weakly elongate, strongly convex dorsally, higher than pronotum; sides weakly depressed; outer edges densely setiferous; elytral striae indistinct; only stria 1 and stria 2 visible three-fourths from elytral base; humeral and apical calli absent; epipleuron wide. Macropterous ( Fig. 2D ). Scutellum ( Fig. 1A ) isosceles triangular with curved sides. Prosternum ( Fig. 1B ); anterior half of propectus imbricate except sides of propectus; posterior half of propectus shiny; preprosternal apophysis slightly protruding, with several long setae; postprosternal apophysis, obtuse, shiny, with several setae ventrally in posterior half. Mesoventrite ( Fig. 1B ) sparsely setose, imbricate. Metaventrite ( Fig. 1B ) wide, flattened, sparsely setose, imbricate. Abdomen ( Fig. 1B ); venter with 6 freely movable abdominal ventrites, all sparsely setaceous, rugose, moderately micropunctate. Tergite 8 (= pygidium; Fig. 2E ) weakly convex, alutaceous, sparsely setose, imbricate; apical margin with several long setae. Profemora ( Figs. 1B , 4A ) reddish-brown, broad; dorsal surface sparsely setose, imbricate, with a row of micropunctures; ventral surface shiny, with long setae. Protibiae ( Figs. 1B , 4A ) reddish-brown, broad, sparsely setaceous, imbricate, with apical spur; shape strongly complanate with three external denticles, no basal serration; internal side dilated from slender base. Protarsi ( Fig. 4A ) pentamerous, two times longer than width of tibial apex, slender, reddish-brown. Anterior claws ( Fig. 4A ) normal, symmetrical. Meso- and metafemora ( Figs. 1B , 4B–C ) reddish-brown, broad; dorsal surface with few short setae, moderately micropunctate, imbricate; ventral surface shiny, with long setae. Meso- and metatibiae ( Figs. 1B , 4B–E ) reddish-brown, dilated near base, nearly parallel-sided from apex, edges entire, no transverse setiferous carinae on outer surfaces; fimbriate apically with stout, elongate and irregular spinules; apex with two apical spurs. Apical spurs of metatibiae separated by basal metatarsomere ( Fig. 4F ). Meso- and metatarsi ( Figs. 1B , 4B–C ) pentamerous, slender, reddish-brown, tarsomeres 1–4 short. Middle and hind claws ( Figs. 4B–C ) normal, symmetrical. Gonocoxites ( Figs. 3H, 3J ) weakly sclerotized; distal coxites droplet-shaped, densely setiferous on inner edges. Spermatheca ( Fig. 3I ) C-shaped.

Etymology. A combination of the Greek word sphaira (σφαίρα) meaning “sphere”, and Aphodius , the type genus of Aphodiini .

Gender. Masculine.

Diagnosis. This genus is readily distinguished from other genera of Aphodiini by the combination of the following character status:

1. Body swollen dorsally ( Fig. 1C ).

2. Dorsal body surface covered with erect setae ( Figs. 1A, 1C ).

3. Transverse setiferous carinae on outer surfaces of meso- and metatibiae absent ( Figs. 4D–E ).

4. Pronotal and elytral sides along margins weakly depressed ( Figs. 1A, 1C ).

5. Pronotal and elytral margins densely bristled ( Figs. 1A–C , 2B ).

6. Elytral striae extremely shallow, indistinct ( Figs. 1A, 1C , 2B ).

In the key to genera of Aphodiini by Dellacasa et al. (2001), the genus Sphaeraphodius Kakizoe, Jiang & Wang , new genus can be separated by inserting 2a’ before the couplet 2 as follows:

2a. Dorsal surface with long, erect setae; pronotal and elytral lateral margins densely bristled. Elytral striae extremely shallow, indistinct ....................................................... Sphaeraphodius Kakizoe, Jiang & Wang , new genus

2a’. Not all of the above character status simultaneously present...................................................... 2

Figures

FIGURES 1A–C. Sphaeraphodius gaohani Kakizoe, Jiang & Wang, new genus and new species (holotype, female).A, habitus, dorsal view; B, habitus, ventral view; C, habitus, lateral view.

FIGURES 2A–E. Sphaeraphodius gaohani Kakizoe, Jiang & Wang, new genus and new species (holotype, female). A, head, dorsal view; B, right elytron, dorsal view; C, antennae, ventral view; D, right hind wing, dorsal view; E, tergite 8 (pygidium), dorsal view.

FIGURES 3A–J. Sphaeraphodius gaohani Kakizoe, Jiang & Wang, new genus and new species (holotype, female).A, epipharynx, ventral view; B, left mandible, dorsal view; C, left mandible, ventral view; D, left maxilla, ventral view; E. labium, left half of dorsal view; F, labium, right lateral view; G, mentum, ventral view; H, abdominal segment IX; I, spermatheca; J, distal gonocoxite.

FIGURES 4A–I. Sphaeraphodius gaohani Kakizoe, Jiang & Wang, new genus and new species (holotype, female), and potential host termite. A, right fore leg, dorsal view; B, right middle leg, dorsal view; C, right hind leg, dorsal view; D, outer edge of right mesotibia; E, ditto, metatibia; F, apical spinules of right metatibia; G, potential host termite, soldier, dorsal view; H, ditto, left mandible, dorsal view; I, ditto, right mandible, dorsal view.