Asthenopholis crypsis, Harrison, James G., 2009

Harrison, James G., 2009, A taxonomic revision of the African leaf chafer genus Asthenopholis Brenske, 1898 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae): a SEM study, Zootaxa 2225, pp. 1-48 : 25-38

Asthenopholis crypsis sp. nov.

(Figs. 6, 22, 34–35, 48–49, 79–83, 104–105, 125–127, 144–145, 165–167, 179).

Diagnosis. Head, thorax, scutellum black, elytra russet brown (Fig. 6). Note that the black and red form of A. minor has the same colour pattern, thus one needs to confirm the identification with examination of the male genitalia (Figs. 165–167). Propygidial groove reduced in some individuals. Currently this species is only known from Boston and Impendle Nature Reserve in KwaZulu– Natal (Fig. 22).

Description. Holotype. Male: Length 16.0 mm, width 8.5 mm. Colour (Fig. 6): Head, thorax, scutellum black, elytra russet brown. Head (Figs. 34–35): Head clothed with pointed, fine scales; finer setae around eye protuberance and area behind the clypeal suture junction. Clypeus slightly reflexed in the middle, anterior edges bowl shaped. Pronotum (Figs. 48–49, 79–83): Pronotum ratio 1.47:1. Pronotum uniformly covered with small, white, lanceolate scales; lateral margin finely serrated; serrations caused by setiferous punctures containing fine tan setae, almost straight posteriad, with basolateral angles not protruding. Scutellum (Figs. 104–105): Scutellum triangular to almost half ovoid, edges rounded, apex blunt and uniformly covered with two setal types. Slight uniform depression anteriormedially. Elytra (Figs. 125–127): Fine, white, lanceolate scales on the elytra (Fig. 126); suture and costae indistinct, denudate maculae on basal third of elytra. Anterior elytral rim prominent. Pygidium (Figs. 144–145): Pygidium flat and uniformly covered by fine, white setae. Male genitalia illustrated in Figs. 165–167.

Female. Unknown.

Morphological variability. Size (n = 43). Length: mean 14.88 mm, (range 14.0–16.0 mm). Width: mean 7.88 mm, (range 7.0– 8.5 mm). Pronotum ratio 1.53:1 (n = 43). There is little variability within the eight males examined, but refer to the same section for A. minor , where intraspecific variation is greater.

Etymology. Prior to male genitalia examination this species was undetected and cryptic within the black and russet form of A. minor , consequently, it is named “ crypsis ” a biological term meaning camouflaged.

PLATE 10. Figs. 46–53: Dorsal view of head and pronotal apex of: 46–47 A. minor (black form); 48–49 A. crypsis sp. nov.; 50–51 A. minor (black and russet form); 52–53 A. subfasciata . Scale bars = 100 µm.

PLATE 11. Figs. 54–73: Pronota of Asthenopholis species, 54–58 A. adspersa ; 59–63 A. rex sp. nov.; 64–68 A. crassa ; 69–73 A. ugandensis . Anterior pronotal edge (APE) 55, 60, 65, 70, including enlarged seta/e on the APE 56, 61, 66, 71. Posterior pronotal edge (PPE) 57, 62, 67, 72; including enlarged seta/e on the PPE 58, 63, 68, 73. Scale bars (54, 59, 64, 69) = 1 mm; (55, 57, 60, 62, 65, 67, 70, 72, 73) = 100 µm; (56, 58, 61, 63, 66, 68, 71) = 10 µm.

PLATE 12. Figs. 74–93: Pronota of Asthenopholis species, 74–78 A. minor (black form); 79–83 A. crypsis sp. nov.; 84– 88 A. minor (black and russet form); 89–93 A. subfasciata . Anterior pronotal edge (APE) 75, 80, 85, 90, including enlarged seta/e on the APE 76, 81, 86, 91. Posterior pronotal edge (PPE) 77, 82, 87, 92; including enlarged seta/e on the PPE 78, 83, 88, 93. Scale bars (74, 79, 84, 89) = 1 mm; (75, 77, 78, 80, 82, 85, 87, 88, 90, 92) = 100 µm; (76, 81, 83, 86, 91, 93) = 10 µm.

PLATE 13. Figs. 94–101: Scutellum and right hand side of scutellum enlarged: 94–95 A. adspersa ; 96–97 A. rex sp. nov.; 98–99 A. crassa ; 100–101 A. ugandensis . Scale bars (94, 98, 100) = 100 µm; (96) = 1 mm; (95, 97, 99, 101) = 10 µm.

PLATE 14. Figs. 102–109: Scutellum and setae of scutellum enlarged: 102–103 A. minor (black form); 104–105 A. crypsis sp. nov.; 106–107 A. minor (black and russet form); 108–109 A. subfasciata . Scale bars on left = 100 µm; right = 10 µm.

PLATE 15. Figs. 110–121: Left hand side elytron, an enlarged scale near the scutellum and cuticle microsculpture anterior to this scale: 110–112 A. adspersa ; 113–115 A. rex sp. nov.; 116–118 A. crassa ; 119–121 A. ugandensis . Scale bars (110, 113, 116, 119) = 1 mm; (scale and microsculpture) = 10 µm.

PLATE 16. Figs. 122–133: Left hand side elytron, a scale near the scutellum, and cuticle microsculpture anterior to the same scale: 122–124 A. minor (black form); 125–127 of A. crypsis sp. nov.; 128–130 A. minor (black and russet form); 131–133 A. subfasciata . Scale bars (122, 125, 128, 131) = 1 mm; (123, 126, 129, 132) = 10 µm; (124, 127, 130, 133) = 1 µm.

PLATE 17. Figs. 134–141: Anterior medial section of the pygidium with setae / scales (dorsum rotated to left hand side): 134–135 A. adspersa ; 136–137 A. rex sp. nov.; 138–139 A. crassa ; 140–141 A. ugandensis . Scale bars on left = 100 µm; right = 10 µm.

PLATE 18. Figs. 142–149: Anterior medial section of the pygidium and its setae / scales (dorsum rotated to left hand side): 142–143 A. minor (black form); 144–145 A. crypsis sp. nov.; 146–147 A. minor (black and russet form); 148–149 A. subfasciata . Scale bars on left = 100 µm; right = 10 µm.

PLATE 19. Figs. 150–161: Male genitalia, in left, anterior and right lateral view, of Asthenopholis species: 150–152 A. adspersa ; 153–155 A. rex sp. nov.; 156–158 A. crassa ; 159–161 A. ugandensis . Scale indicated on each figure.

PLATE 20. Figs. 162–173: Male genitalia, in left, anterior and right lateral view, of Asthenopholis species: 162–164 A. minor (black form); 165–167 A. crypsis sp. nov.; 168–170 A. minor (black and russet form); 171–173 A. subfasciata . Scale indicated on each figure.

PLATE 21. Figs. 174–180: An estimate (based on museum records) of the seasonal activity of Asthenopholis species: 174 A. adspersa ; 175. A. rex sp. nov.; 176. A. crassa ; 177. A. ugandensis ; 178. A. minor ; 179. A. crypsis sp. nov.; 180. A. subfasciata .

Distribution. Only known from two localities; Boston and Impendle, but possibly distributed within the Impendle–Boston–Central Midlands area, which has quite a few endemic species (e.g. insects, reptiles, and plants). The reason for this appears to be that the central mist belt lies between the Umzimkulu–Umkomaas River systems and the Tugela River systems (i.e. vicariance) and that the central mist belt has a fairly unique combination of environmental features, in terms of temperature (the environment is temperate and therefore mild), precipitation (including a lot of mist, but relatively little frost compared with higher altitudes), and relatively high mountain ranges (e.g. the Bulwer Mountain and Nhlosane Mountain range) (A. J. Armstrong, Conservation Planning Division, KwaZulu– Natal Wildlife, Cascades, South Africa; personal communication 2008).

Conservation status. Unknown, but does occur in the Impendle Nature Reserve.

Natural history and pest status. Unknown, but like A. minor it is possibly also diurnal. Phenology indicated in Fig. 179.

Remarks. A single damaged specimen from Swellendam (collected in 1870) has a similar but different male genitalia type to the northern A. crypsis . Thus, it either represents the southern population of A. crypsis or is another undescribed species. This specimen is labelled “ Asthenopholis species near to crypsis Harrison, 2009 [non-type]” pending the search for additional specimens from the Swellendam area. However, it shares the black head, thorax and elytra with A. minor and A. crypsis .

Type material ( Asthenopholis crypsis sp. nov.): (Holotype 3, 73 paratypes). Holotype: “ SOUTH AFRICA, KZN, [KwaZulu– Natal], Impendle [Nature Reserve], 17 Nov. 2001, R. Perissinotto & L. Clennell / [male genitalia card mounted] / JduGH72 / Holotype 3, Asthenopholis crypsis sp. nov. Harrison, J. du G. 2009” [specimen condition; undamaged] (13 TMSA). Paratypes: “Boston, 2:12:[19]03 / Cl[aude]. Fuller Coll. Maritzburg, Dec. 1912 / Natal Mus., Maritzburg. 1913–330.” / JduGH91 / Paratype 3, Asthenopholis crypsis sp. nov. Harrison, J. du G. 2009” (13 BMNH); “Boston, 2:12:[19]03 / Cl. Fuller Coll. Maritzburg, Dec. 1912 / Asthenopholis minor det. A. V. Evans / JduGH90 / Paratype 3, Asthenopholis crypsis sp. nov. Harrison, J. du G. 2009” (13 LACM); “Boston, 2:12:[19]03 / Cl. Fuller Coll. Maritzburg, Dec. 1912 / A. minor det. A.V. Evans / JduGH89 / Paratype 3, Asthenopholis crypsis sp. nov. Harrison, J. du G. 2009” (53 1 SEM TMSA).

Additional non-type material examined (13). SOUTH AFRICA, Western Cape, Small [4.0 x 4.0 mm] blue green square of paper [= specimen from the Afrotropical region] / “Swellendam // [18]70. 8.” [year and BMNH accession code, on white circle, numbers on reverse, interpretation based on personal communication with Malcolm Kerley, BMNH; 2008], Asthenopholis species near to crypsis Harrison, 2009 [non-type]” (13 BMNH).