Scarabaeus (Scarabaeolus) soutpansbergensis Deschodt and Davis

Deschodt, Christian M., Davis, Adrian L. V. & Scholtz, Clarke H., 2015, Status changes, new synonymies, key and descriptions of seven new species in the subgenus Scarabaeus (Scarabaeolus) Balthasar 1965 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), Zootaxa 3931 (4), pp. 505-527 : 507-508

Scarabaeus (Scarabaeolus) soutpansbergensis Deschodt and Davis

Figure 3, 8

Diagnosis. This new species is probably most closely related to Scarabaeus (Scarabaeolus) clanceyi Ferreira 1954 but does not have the characteristic hook on the posterior margin of the hind femur, which characterizes that species. It may be separated from Scarabaeus (Scarabaeolus) palemo Olivier, 1789 and Scarabaeus (Scarabaeolus) bohemani Harold, 1868 by the medial swelling of the hind femora and by the orange brown antennae compared to black antennae in S. (S.) bohemani and S. (S.) palemo . It is also much smaller than all the other Scarabaeolus species except Scarabaeus (Scarabaeolus) parvulus ( Boheman, 1860) . The male of this new species is unknown.

Description. Holotype: Body length 10.1mm, black. Pubescence black, except on frons where it is dark brown and pronotum where it is orange. Antennae orange brown.

Head: Frons punctate with iso-diametric punctures and dark brown associated setae. Low puncture-free carina present longitudinally between eyes. Clypeus punctate with punctures extended longitudinally.

Pronotum: Black, punctate, space between punctures smooth, punctures forming deep pits, separated by less than one pit diameter, punctures with short orange associated setae. No longitudinal smooth area. Lateral margins curved, crenulate.

Elytra: Black, lateral sides more or less parallel. Striae deep with regular small punctures, punctures separated by less than two puncture diameters. Interstriae matte bearing deep irregular shaped pits that are mostly matte inside; pits are wider than interstriae creating rugose appearance.

Pygidium: Emarginate and somewhat punctate; inside matte with area outside of punctures smooth. Punctures spaced irregularly, sometimes touching or separated by up to two and a half times the puncture width.

Metasternum: Long fovea between the mesocoxae, medially widest, with a second shorter fovea more distally. Metasternal elevation ending in almost a right angle and steeply sloping toward mesosternum. Area behind mesocoxae punctate, punctures small and widely separated.

Abdominal sternites: Glabrous with shallow indentations laterally.

Legs: Anterior femora shallowly punctate ventrally with dark setae dorsally. Inside margin of anterior tibiae crenulate, outside margin crenulate proximally with four outward pointing teeth distally, each separated by two to four saw-like denticles; denticles between last two teeth fused. Meso- and metafemora with irregular median row of punctures and dark setae. Metafemora swollen medially to give appearance of emargination on either end, inside edge of swollen area flattened. Mesotibiae slender, inside margin smooth and with row of black setae, outside margin with two brushes of black setae in distal third. Vestigial second mesotibial spur absent. Metatibiae with black setae, three bulges distally on outside. All tarsomeres of metatarsi with black setae, last tarsomere longest with claws half its length.

Etymology. The species is named for the Soutpansberg Mountains that dominate the area where it was collected.

Material examined. Holotype: ♀, S.Afr.; Limpopo Prov., Messina Nat. Res., 22[º].21[’] S–30[º].03[’] E, 11.12.2000;E-Y:3396, general collecting, leg.M.Burger,R.Müller, TMSA. Paratype: 1 specimen ♀, Soutpansberg, Limpopo, S22.91579 ºE29.68756º, 3–4.ii.2009, L. J. Niemand, UPSA.