Namaphilus nubibmontanus Deschodt & Davis, 2018

Deschodt, Christian M. & Davis, Adrian L. V., 2018, New deltochiline (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) taxa associated with hyrax dung in arid south western Namibia, Zootaxa 4450 (1) : -

Namaphilus nubibmontanus Deschodt & Davis , new species

( Figs. 1C , 2C–D , 3–4 )

Type material. Holotype male: Nubib Mountain , Namibia, S24.885184° E16.065035°, 14.iii.2017 1184m, Deschodt, Jacobs & Davis ( TMSA) . Paratypes: Three specimens (unsexed), same data as holotype, (2 SANC, 1 UPSA) ; one female: Losberg , Namibia, S25.073295° E16.048717°, 15.iii.2017, C. Deschodt & A. Davis ( UPSA) .

Description: Holotype male: Medium sized beetle. Measurements with head inflexed, 5.22 mm (length) × 3.90 mm (width) × 2.80 mm (height).

Head. Clypeus bidentate and surface shagreened; clypeal margin between teeth slightly concave. One very small tooth on lower clypeal margin between dorsal teeth. Clypeogenal suture indistinct and fairly straight. Clypeal surface faintly punctate.

Pronotum. Convex, and completely covered by small faint punctures, separated by about one and a half lengths of their own diameter. About half of the punctures associated with very short tan setae.

Elytra. Convex with surface shagreened. Elytra fused. Striae unclear. Very faint punctures associated with short and recurved setae on interstriae, all distributed in double rows, except for interstriae adjoining elytral suture, where the punctures are aligned in a single row.

Sterna. Prosternum shagreened with large shallow indistinct punctures, almost touching. Meso- and metasternum fused, mesometasternal suture slightly curved anteriorly. Surface of mesosternum shagreened with clear, medium-sized punctures, punctures separated by at least one puncture diameter. Surface of metasternum shagreened with a few very faint punctures.

Protibia. Inside margin forming bulbous widening distal half of protibia and with no denticles, short tan setae present along the margin. Dorsal surface shagreened, irregularly punctate and with carina extending lengthwise. Tibial apex blunt with small spatulate spur. Tarsi attached under spur close to inner margin of tibia. Ventral surface shagreened with sinuous carina from inside margin of second half to middle of apex. Three teeth at apical third of outer margin, distal two thirds serrated.

Mesotibia. Fairly straight, with smooth margins and with five rows of short tan setae. Apically with two spurs. Tarsi with short tan setae, ending with two claws.

Metatibia. Fairly straight, with smooth margins and five rows of short tan setae. Tarsi with short tan setae, ending with two claws.

Pygidium. Surface shagreened with large shallow punctures.

Aedeagus. Parameres symmetrical, see Fig. 2 .

Female. There is no variation between males and females of this species.

Etymology. This species is named after the Nubib Mountain range, the inselberg where the type series was collected.

Diagnosis. This new species is similar in appearance to Namaphilus endroedyi ( Deschodt, Davis & Scholtz, 2011) but the aedeagi ( Fig. 2 ) are clearly different.

Distribution, conservation status and potential threats. This species may be restricted to the isolated Nubib Mountains in Namibia. As hyrax colonies remain protected in the area of collection within the Namibrand Nature Reserve, N. nubibmontanus new species is probably not facing any current threats. However, it should be assessed as Data Deficient (DD) as the EOO is unknown. This species could encompass a geographic area as small as 1100 km 2 (area of the Nubib Mountains).

Figures

FIGURE 1. A, Ausmontins jacobsi Deschodt & Davis, new genus and species; B, Namaphilus tirasmontanus Deschodt & Davis, new species; C, Namaphilus nubibmontanus Deschodt & Davis, new species; D, Namakwanus kamfferi Deschodt & Davis, new species; E, Namakwanus minutus Deschodt & Davis, new species. Scale bar = 2 mm.

FIGURE 2. Lateral (A, C, E, G) and dorsal (B, D, F) view of the aedeagi. A, B, Ausmontins jacobsi Deschodt & Davis, new genus and species; C, D, Namaphilus nubibmontanus Deschodt & Davis, new species; E, F, Namakwanus minutus Deschodt & Davis, new species; G, Namaphilus endroedyi (Deschodt, Davis & Scholtz, 2011) for comparison with Namaphilus nubibmontanus Deschodt & Davis, new species. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 3. Map showing the localities of all the new and known deltochiline genera and species. The two red lines indicate the area where rock hyrax (shapefile supplied by IUCN 2012) might occur in suitable habitat.

FIGURE 4. Typical terrain of the Nubib Mountains at the type locality of Namaphilus nubibmontanus Deschodt & Davis, new species and Namakwanus minutus Deschodt & Davis, new species. Image taken by ALVD at Namibrand Nature Reserve, 14 March 2017.