Sisyphus muricatus ( Olivier, 1789 )

Daniel, Gimo M., Davis, Adrian Lv., Sole, Catherine L. & Scholtz, Clarke H., 2020, Taxonomic review of the tribe Sisyphini sensu stricto Mulsant, 1842 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) in southern Africa, including new species descriptions, Insect Systematics & Evolution 51 (1), pp. 1-61 : 11

Sisyphus muricatus ( Olivier, 1789) ( Figs. 2 , 3A )

Scarabaeus muricatus Olivier, 1789

Olivier 1789: 188–9, Gory 1833: 7–8; Harold 1869: 985; Péringuey 1902: 105–6; Arrow, 1927: 458; Haaf 1955: 367–8; Ferreira 1972: 801; Paschalidis 1974: 7–9, Montreuil 2015c: 3, 11; Daniel et al. 2016: 71.

Type locality: Cape of Good Hope ( South Africa).

Size: Male: length: 12.5–11.0 mm, width: 8.0– 6.5 mm; Female: length: 12– 9.6 mm, width 6.5–5.0 mm.

Diagnosis: S. muricatus is similar to S. neobornemisszanus . However, it differs by bearing, mostly, more strongly developed clypeo-frontal carinae; also, very strong, deep, lateral emargination and distinct shiny punctation on the pronotum.

Examined non-type material: See Supplementary information.

Distribution: S. muricatus shows an Afrotemperate forest and montane grassland distribution in South Africa ( Davis et al., 2008, 2002 a, 1999) ( Fig. 4 ). It has been recorded from grassland in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park and the foothills of the Drakensberg. It has also been collected in grassland at Mount Sheba. There are records of this species in coastal afrotemperate forest ( Davis et al. 1999) in the Cape (Knysna Forest, Garden of Eden, and George). However, these qualitative data are insufficient to support a significant association with shaded vegetation on the south coast of South Africa.

Remarks: The species was originally described as Scarabaeus muricatus by Olivier (1789) from an unspecified type locality in “la Amérique méridionale”. Gory (1833) transferred the species to the genus Sisyphus citing the Cape of Good Hope ( South Africa) as the type locality.

Figures

Fig. 2. Images of the habitus of the muricatus species-group: A. S. muricatus; B. S. neobornemisszanus; C. S. fasciculatus; D. S. perissinottoi; E. S. manni; F. S. swazi sp. n. G. S. alveatus. I. Fully developed hind wing, which is typical to most of Sisyphus species in southern Africa H. Brachypterous hind wing of S. alveatus. J. Sclerite represents a reduced hind wing of S. swazi sp. n.

Fig. 3. Images of the aedeagi of the muricatus species-group: A. S. muricatus; B. S. neobornemisszanus; C. S. fasciculatus; D. S. perissinottoi; E. S. manni; F. S. swazi sp. n; G. S. alveatus.

Fig. 4. Distribution map for the muricatus species-groups.