Scarabaeus (Scarabaeolus) carniphilus Davis and Deschodt

Deschodt, Christian M., Davis, Adrian L. V. & Scholtz, Clarke H., 2015, Status changes, new synonymies, key and descriptions of seven new species in the subgenus Scarabaeus (Scarabaeolus) Balthasar 1965 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), Zootaxa 3931 (4), pp. 505-527 : 510-516

Scarabaeus (Scarabaeolus) carniphilus Davis and Deschodt

Figure 3, 6, 8

Diagnosis. Scarabaeus (Scarabaeolus) carniphilus can be separated from Scarabaeus (Scarabaeolus) andreaei Zur Strassen, 1963 by lacking the fine, but very dense and light brown setae on the elytra that characterize S. (S.) andreaei . The punctures on the elytra of S. (S.) carniphilus are more random than those in Scarabaeus (Scarabaeolus) anderseni Waterhouse 1890 , which are often opposite each other on adjacent interstriae to give the appearance of being two halves of the same puncture.

Description. Holotype: Body length 14.4 mm, metallic green. Pubescence on legs brown, that on body light brown. Antennae orange.

Head: Frons matte with few punctures, each puncture with a central black seta. Median longitudinal carina present. Clypeus punctate with light brown setae.

Pronotum: Convex, matte and punctate. Very narrow longitudinal smooth line present. Punctures sometimes almost touching and sometimes half a puncture diameter apart. Lateral margins strongly curved, crenulate anteriorly, becoming smooth posteriorly.

Elytra: Slightly wider at base than at apex. Striae shallow, indistinct. Interstriae with punctures often overlapping creating rugose effect, punctures often open into striae.

Pygidium: Emarginate and punctate. Punctures dense and irregular, separated by less than one puncture width.

Metasternum: Shallow fovea between the mesocoxae with a shorter one distally. End of metasternal elevation rounded, almost right angled, steeply sloping toward mesosternum. Area behind mesocoxae with small densely spaced punctures. Abdominal sternites smooth with indentations laterally.

Legs: Anterior femora: thick at base, ventrally punctate with black setae. Outside margin of anterior tibiae bearing small saw-like teeth proximally and four sharp outward pointing teeth distally, each separated by seven to eight saw-like denticles. Inside margin slightly curved inward, slightly crenulate and with black setae along entire margin. Meso- and metafemora with median row of punctures and associated dark brown setae. Inside margin of mesotibiae smooth with row of black setae, outside margin with two brushes of black setae in distal third. Vestigial second mesotibial spur present. Metatibiae slightly curved inward with black setae. All tarsomeres of metatarsi with setae, last tarsomere longest with claws half its length.

Aedeagus: see Figure 6.

Etymology. S. (S.) carniphilus was only sampled by carrion-baited pitfall traps and not by traps baited with various dung types. It is, thus, named for this association.

Material examined. Holotype: ♂, Mabuasehube Game Reserve, SW Botswana, ii.2006, 25 º03’56,3”S 22º01’56.8”E Tshikae & Deschodt, TMSA. Paratypes: 8 specimens, unsexed, same data as holotype, 3 UPSA, 3 TMSA, 2 SANC; 1 specimen, 1012, VRYBURG, N.CP, (50 kms SW) 28.II.73, Bornemissza & Temby, SANC.

FIGURE 3. A. S. (S.) soutpansbergensis . B. S. (S.) megaparvulus . C. S. (S.) niemandi . D. S. (S.) carniphilus .

FIGURE 4. A. S. (S.) planipennis . B. S. (S.) ermienae . C. S. (S.) nitidus .

FIGURE 6. Aedeagi of: A. S. (S.) megaparvulus . B. S. (S.) niemandi . C. S. (S.) carniphilus . D. S. (S.) ermienae . E. S. (S.) planipennis . F. S. (S.) nitidus . From top to bottom, photographs of aedeagi are of the left, dorsal and right view for each species.