Acrophymus nr. rossi, 1922

Tshililo, Precious, 2020, Review of South African Euryphyminae, Zootaxa 4820 (1), pp. 70-104 : 77-78

Acrophymus nr. rossi

( Figs.7F , 15 )

Material. SOUTH AFRICA: Limpopo, Hoedspruit ; March 1958 S24.366667, E30.95 — 1♀ ( SANC) .

Distribution. Species of this genus were previously recorded from Angola ( Naskrecki 1995) and from Zimbabwe (Dirsh 1963; Dirsh 1965). No species were known to occur in South Africa. Naskrecki (1995) found an undescribed female specimen from Angola, which by the shape of tegmina, it resembles rossi , and this specimen may constitute a ninth species. In the SANC collection, one female specimen was found which may belong to A. rossi or may be a tenth species. In order to determine whether this species is A. rossi or a new species, the first to be detected in South Africa, we require a male and a female specimen collected from the same locality. The current known distribution of A. rossi is Zimbabwe. Given that the only known specimen of Acrophymus from South Africa was found near the Zimbabwe border, this could be an extension in the known range of A. rossi . It seems unlikely that there would be more undescribed species from South Africa.

Remarks: Genus Acrophymus was erected by Uvarov (1922) on the basis of its shape of pronotum, shape of prosternal tubercle, shape of male genitalia, lateral elytra and undeveloped wings. This genus is said to be related to genus Amblyphymus ( Uvarov 1922) .

Dirsh (1963) revised the genus and identified new diagnostic features. The structure of the phallic complex is very unique to this genus, with strongly sclerotized ectophallic membrane, sometimes forming a strong dorsal shield with the tendency of forming a capsule covering the endophallus and the cingulum (Dirsh 1963). Another key diagnostic feature is the moderately large, compressed, widened and weakly sclerotized distal part of the apical valves of penis, with narrow and strongly sclerotized valves of cingulum.

Uvarov’s diagnostic features to this genus are misleading and when carefully examining the structure of the phallic complex, there is a great diversity and the genus might be split into two genera Dirsh (1963).

This genus might be in need of a revision, since Dirsh (1963) in his revision found a great diversity in the structure of the phallic complex but did not revise the genus. We also could not revise the genus since we only have a single female specimen found in South Africa which may or may not be A. rossi .

Figures

FIGURE 7. Photograph showing lateral view of staged: (A) Calliptamuloides minimus, (B) Plegmapteropsis gracilis, (C) Rhachitopis nigripes, (D) Brachyphymus vylderi, (E) Calliptamulus natalensis, (F) Acrophymus nr rossi, (G) Aneuryphymus erythropus (photo credit: Daniel Otte, 2009 from OSF), (H) Rhodesiana maculata (photo credit: Daniel Otte, 2009 from OSF) and (I) Phymeurus illepidus (photo credit: Daniel Otte, 2009 from OSF).

FIGURE 15. Map showing collecting localities of three genera (Phymeurus, Acrophymus and Rhodesiana) species.