Pocapharaptinus soutpanensis Akotsen and Philips

Akotsen-Mensah, Clement & Philips, Keith, 2009, Description of a new genus of spider beetle (Coleoptera: Ptinidae) from South Africa, Zootaxa 2160, pp. 51-67 : 59-61

Pocapharaptinus soutpanensis Akotsen and Philips , new species

Figs. 17, 18 , 29 & 37

Type material. Holotype: S. Africa, Namaqualand, Soutpan Dunes, 31.15S- 17.52E / 1.8.1989; E-Y: 2623 / litter under bushes, Endrödy and Klimaszew. Paratypes: same data as holotype (36). Same data except Soutpan, 15 km N 31.11S- 17.46E / 28.8.1979; E-Y: 1815, white coastal dunes, leg. Endrödy-Younga (1). S. Afr., South West Cape, Lamberts Bay, N 32.04S- 18.19E / 25.8.1981; E-Y: 1844, groundtraps, leg. Endrödy- Younga,/ groundtraps with meat (2), same data except faeces bait (3); same except millipede bait (2); banana bait (6); faeces (2); litter in hummocks (3); same data except Lamberts Bai coast, 32.07S- 18.17E / 30.7.1989; E-Y: 2620, litter in hummocks, Endrödy and Klimaszew (3). S. Afr., Namaq. Coast, Gemskok Vlakte frm., 30.30S- 17.29E / 1.9.1977; E-Y: 1365 / groundtrap with meat bait (4). Same data except with banana bait (5). Same data except with millipede bait. S. Afr., S. W. Cape, Koekenaap, 31.32S- 18.14E / 31.8.1979; E-Y 1625, groundtraps, 59 days, leg. Endrödy-Younga / ground traps with faeces bait (10). Same data except banana bait (8). S. Afr., S. W. Cape, Nortier farm, 32.03S- 18.19E / 25.8.1981; E-Y: 1845 / ground trap with meat bait (15). Same except ferm. banana bait (4). Same data except faeces bait (6). S. Afr., Namaqualand, Stallberg Valley, 30.29S- 18.04E / 4.9.1977; E-Y: 1383, groundtraps, 56 days, leg. Endrödy-Younga, / groundtraps with meat bait (1). S. Afr., SW Cape, Seweputs coast, 31.39S- 18.17E / 28.8.1981; E-Y: 1837, groundtraps, 64 days, leg.

Endrödy-Younga, / groundtraps with meat bait (7). S. Afr., Namaq. Coast, Bitterriver mouth, 30.36S- 17.28E / 3.9.1977; E-Y: 1377, groundtraps, 56 days, leg. Endrödy-Younga, / groundtraps with faeces bait (1)

Diagnosis. This species can be characterized by a strongly acute angled visible cuticle between the pronotal tufts; pronotum with visible and distinct stout lateral setae ( Figs 17 , 29); male genitalia with parameres parallel sided for most of their length, and median lobe nearly the same length (93%) as the parameres (Fig. 37).

Description. Color reddish brown, body oval, convex. Length 1.5–1.8 mm. Head dorsally mainly smooth but with scattered setose tubercles in a band between eyes, tubercles distinct; setae short, strongly recumbent and erect, setal tufts on either side of midline between eyes distinct; carina posterior to antennal fossae present but small. Pronotum with visible surface extending posteriorly between setal tufts narrowly triangular, forming an ~45˚ angle posteriorly; base of setal tufts arising directly from cuticle surface, not raised up on carinae, anterior margin not distinctly swollen; lateral spines distinct, not obscured by finer setae, distinctly thicker than erect elytral setae. Elytra moderately convex, apices rounded, not projecting; erect setae yellow, length short; four round patches of slightly flattened recumbent white setae located anteriorly within puncture rows 3 or 4–6 and posteriorly within 2 or 3–4. Male genitalia with parameres parallel sided except at apex, apices unexpanded, not distinctly curved inwards; median lobe parallel sided for most of length except near apex, total length 93% of that of parameres measured from base (Fig. 37).

Variation. Posterior patches of recumbent white elytral setae occasionally absent.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Afrikaan 'soutpan', meaning salt pan or salt flat, and refers to the Soutpan Dunes in Namaqualand where some type specimens were collected.

Figures

FIGURES 17 – 20. Dorsal and ventral habitus views; 17 – 18. P. soutpanensis; 19 – 20. P. lachnos. Scale bar for Figs. 17, 20 = 0.5 mm and Figs. 18 – 19 = 1.0 mm