Gonaporus emiratus I. Zonstein & Wahis, sp. nov.

(Figs 40, 90, 101, 112, 123, 133, 144, 155, 166, 177, 202, 210)

Diagnosis. G. emiratus sp. nov. is most similar to G. alfierii; in that the males of both species, unlike those of other congeners, share the lack of a ventral tooth on the claws. The head (clypeus, frons and occiput), propleuron, pronotum and procoxa of both species are strongly setose with long fine whitish setae (in addition to brown setae along inner orbit). The other congeners have long fine whitish setae almost restricted to the posterior part of the head and propleuron. The female of G. emiratus sp. nov. differs from that of G. a l f i e r i i by the shorter protarsomere 1; widened, almost spatulate spines of the tarsal comb (Fig. 133), ventral tooth of claws slightly tapering apically (Fig. 40) and shorter malar space (Table 1). The male of G. emiratus sp. nov. differs from that of G. alfierii by the shape of the subgenital plate and genitalia (Figs 202, 210). Female of G. emiratus sp. nov. has 1–2 short anteroventral spines on the protarsomere 1; whereas the females of G. israelicus and G. setitarsus sp. nov. have 2–3 long anteroventral spines on the protarsomere 1 (Figs 26, 135, 139). Female of G. emiratus sp. nov. differs from that of G. ecbatanus by the straight abscissa Rs1 of the hind wing (Fig. 177) and tapering claw; from that of G. maureanus by the longer, considerably widened spines in the tarsal comb (Fig. 133); and from the females of the other species of Gonaporus by the presence of only three posterior spines of the tarsal comb on the protarsomere 1.

Description. Female. Body length 5.5–8.8 mm. Structure: see Table 1. Coloration: Head mostly black; clypeus mostly black, with orange apical 0.25–0.33 and yellow smooth margin; mandible mostly yellow, orange-brown on apical 0.33; antenna black. Mesosoma black to mostly black with pronotum narrowly orange laterally; tegula light yellowish-orange to brownish-orange. Legs: Coxae from black to mostly orange; trochanters black to mostly orange; femora black basally, orange apically; tibiae blackish-orange; tarsomere 1 mostly orange-brown, narrowly blackish-brown apically; other tarsomeres blackish-brown; spurs whitish basally, blackish apically; spines of tarsal comb mostly hyaline, orange-brown basally; spines on tibiae and femora orange-brown; tarsi with brown spines. Metasoma: Segments 1–2 or 1–3 entirely to mostly orange-brown, blackish medially; segments 3–5 or 4–5 mostly black basally and orange-brown apically; segment 6 dark orange-black. Pygidium orange-black and shiny. Setae: Head, propleuron and procoxa with numerous long fine curved whitish setae. Protarsomere 1 with 3 long spines posteriorly and 1–2 short spines anteroventrally.

Male. Body length 5.1 mm. Structure: see Table 2. Protarsus (Fig. 144). Subgenital plate (Fig. 202): Hirsute, broad lanceolate, with well-developed median keel. Genitalia (Fig. 210). Coloration: Head black; mandible mostly orange-yellow, dark orange-brown apically; antenna black. Mesosoma black; tegula yellowish-orange. Legs: Coxae mostly black, orange apically; trochanters black; femora mostly black, orange apically; tibiae mostly black, orange basally and apically; tarsi mostly brown; protarsomere 1mostly brown, orange-brown basally; protibial spur orange basally, brownish apically; other spurs brown; leg spines brown. Metasoma: Segment 1–3 orange, segments 4–7 mostly blackish-brown, yellowish-orange apically. Setae: Head (posteriorly) and propleuron with numerous long fine whitish setae; clypeus with few short brownish setae.

Etymology. The specific epithet denotes the type locality of this species.

Material examined. Holotype: ♀, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Al Saad, 27.ii.1981, C.G. Roche (BMNH). Paratypes: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Al Saad, 30.i.1981, C.G. Roche, 3♀; same 17.i.1981, 1♀; same, 6.ii.1981, 1♀; Shweib [=Al Shuwaib], Madam, 24.iii.1987, I.L. Hamer, 1♂ (BMNH).

Distribution. United Arab Emirates (Fig. 216).

Habitat. Probably sandy deserts.

Biology. Unknown.