Tibipectinus caeruleoviolaceus Tshernyshev, 2020

Tshernyshev, S. E. & Shcherbakov, M. V., 2020, A new genus and species of the soft flower beetles tribe Apalochrini (Coleoptera: Malachiidae) from Africa, Far Eastern Entomologist 416, pp. 1-9 : 6-8

Tibipectinus caeruleoviolaceus Tshernyshev , sp. n.

http://zoobank.org/NomenclaturalActs/ 990F1490-D7D6-4D79-BA2F-840FB178749C

Figs 1–13

TYPE MATERIAL. Holotype – male, Tanzania East.: Coast Region, Utete ,

Rufiji River, Kindwitwi Guest House , 8  00  S, 38  46  E; 10–14.XII 1993, M. Snizek leg. ( ISEA). Allotype – female, and paratypes (3 males and 2 females), idem.

DESCRIPTION. Holotype, male ( Figs 1, 2 ). Body elongate, subparallel, expanded posteriorly.

Apical part and underside of the 1st antennomere, the 2nd antennomere, the 3rd-

4th antennomeres excepting dorsal surface and base of the 5th antennomeres, intermediate palpomeres, anterior tibia excepting outer sides of dilated lobes and bases of intermediate tibiae, outer half of anterior femora and intermediate femora excepting dark margination of distal side, median area of the abdomen yellow-brown other body parts black-brown; upper surface of head, pronotum and elytra with blue violaceous metallic lustre. Surface almost completely lacking pubescence, only present locally on head, sides of pronotum, on disc of scutellum and sides of elytra are visible semierect light short and fine hairs. Vesicles yellow-brown, and thoracic mesepimera black.

Head slightly narrower than pronotum, flat, not impressed; eyes slightly protruding, small, round, frons flat; genae short and straight; clypeus narrow, transverse,

straight; labrum narrow, transverse; palpi simple with apical segment slightly flattened, rectagular; surface of head shining, almost completely lacking punctures except laterally behind eyes, sparsely covered with fine adpressed light pubescence and single long and strong black erect hair behind eyes.

Antennae filiform ( Fig. 3 ), 1.6 mm long, reaching the base of pronotum ( Fig. 1 );

1st antennomere subconic, wide, 2nd small, round almost completely hidden by the

1st, 3rd and 4th antennomeres triangular, elongate, 4th antennomere slightly shorter than the 3rd, 3rd antennomere 0.7 times as long as the 1st, 5th-10th antennomeres subquadrate, each following is slightly wider than the preceding one, apical antennomere ovoid, as long as the 4th antennomere; surface evenly covered with short,

dark erect pubescence.

Pronotum quadrate with evenly rounded angles, not narrowed apically, strongly impressed near base with posterior margin elevated and swollen ( Fig. 1 ); slightly produced anteriorly and straight posteriorly; margination of sides distinct; surface almost completely lacking punctures, only with traces of puncturation, shining, with single light fine semierect hairs on sides behind eyes.

ternal appearance, dorsal view; 2 – external appearance, lateral view; 3 – left antenna; 4 – left anterior tarsus; 5 – femur of left anterior leg; 6 – left anterior leg, ventral view; 7 – left anterior leg, dorsal view; 8 – left intermediate leg, ventral view; 9 – femur and tarsus of left intermediate leg, dorsal view; 10 – pygidium; 11 – ultimate abdominal ventrite; 12 – aedeagus,

dorsal view; 13 – tegmen. Scale bar 0.5 mm.

Scutellum rectangular, distinct and narrow, transverse, finely and densely punctured and possessing sparse fine light pubescence, margination of sides indistinct.

Elytra subparallel, widened posteriorly just behind the base, at base slightly wider than pronotum ( Fig. 1 ); humeri distinct and protruding; apices evenly rounded,

simple; disc distinctly marginate on external sides, suture wide, slightly elevated,

distinct from scutellum to the elytral apices; surface shining, densely and punctured, with distinct microsculpture, sparsely covered with thin light semi-erect pubescence.

Hind wings normally developed.

Legs short and strong; posterior femora not reaching elytral apex; anterior tibiae widened and excavate, possess curved lamellate widened lobe above, apical fourth depressed and elongate, with outer spur strong and straight ( Figs 6, 7 ); intermediate tibiae widened distally, stout, with thin strong elongate appendage in outer side distally, which is widened at apex and parallel to tibia ( Fig. 9 ); inner side of the tibiae twice roundly impressed ( Figs 8, 9 ); femora in anterior and posterior legs slightly swollen, anterior with depression in outer side covered with tuft of hairs and edged with row of short erect setae ( Fig. 5 ), intermediate femora with semi-circular emargination on inner side ( Fig. 8 ); posterior legs simple, thin, straight; all tarsi 5-

segmented, slightly compressed, not long, anterior tarsi with small transverse comb above the 2nd segment, 1st segment subquadrate or trapezoid, enlarged, 2nd

tarsomeres in anterior and intermediate legs twice as short as those of posterior; 1st

and 2nd tarsomeres are equal in length and each twice as large as 3rd or 4th

tarsomeres, claw-segment as long as 1st and 2nd tarsomeres together and half as wide in anterior and posterior legs, and of the same length as 1st tarsomere in intermediate legs; claws short, thin, narrow, with oval pellucid plate possessing small curved setae above; first tarsomere in intermediate legs enlarged, suboval,

densely pubescent with goldish erect fine hairs.

Ventral body surface with smoothed sparse punctures, shining, sparsely covered with short, fine, adpressed goldish pubescence; metathorax swollen, slightly bituberculate because of longitudinal short stria in middle, lacking appendage of hair tuft.

Pygidium undivided, evenly rounded and narrowed distally, with straight distal side

( Fig. 10 ); lateral lobes of the 8th ultimate abdominal ventrite thin, indistinctly adjoined,

narrowed distally, with triangular emargination in middle ( Fig. 11 ); aedeagus almost completely straight, wide, with small, short and slightly down-curved lamella; two strong black horn-like intersecting bristles are visible in distal half of the aedeagus from both sides of inner sack ( Fig. 12 ). Tegumen narrow, wide, with short and very thin parameres ( Fig. 13 ).

Length 4.2 mm, width (at elytral base) 1.3 mm.

Female body somewhat longer and wider, antennae slender, 1st tarsomere as wide as the other tarsomeres, not enlarged, 2nd tarsomere lacking comb; all tibiae and femora simple, lacking excavations or appendages. Length 4.3 mm, width (at elytral base) 1.3 mm.

DISTRIBUTION. Known from type locality only, Tanzania: Coast Region .

ETYMOLOGY. The name of the new species is compiled from two Latin words reflecting specific combination in colouration, caeruleus- blue and violaceus- violet.

Figures

Figs 1–13. Tibipectinus caeruleoviolaceus Tshernyshev sp. n., holotype, male. 1 – ex-