Cholovocera occulta sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 5315A058-8EAE-4B9E-AA2E-934DDAF70DF5

Figs 4G, 7C, 9B, 11C, 12G, 13F, 14L–M, 22

Differential diagnosis

The male of Cholovocera occulta Delgado & Palma sp. nov. can be easily distinguished from all the other species in the genus by the unique morphology of the terminal antennomere (Fig. 13F). Also, the aedeagus and the paramere are diagnostic, especially to separate Ch. occulta sp. nov. from the externally more similar species, such as Ch. punctata and Ch. attae (Fig. 22 against Figs 16, 19).

The spermatheca of Ch. occulta sp. nov. is diagnostic, in particular its truncated ramus, the bent cornu, and a nodulus shaped like an inverted amphora (Fig. 7C).

Etymology

The species epithet ‘ occulta ’ (Latin for ‘hidden’) refers to the fact that this species has remained undescribed and unnamed, despite being available for study in several well-known European museums during many years. The name also alludes to the lifestyle of these beetles, hidden inside ant nests.

Type material examined

Cholovocera occulta sp. nov.: we designate as type material a holotype male and eight paratypes, one male and seven females, deposited in two museums in Germany (see below).

Holotype

ALGERIA • 1 ♂; Oran; MFNB.

Paratypes

ALGERIA • 7 ♀ ♀; Oran; MFNB • 1 ♂; Oran; SMTD .

Additional material examined, non types

FRANCE – Languedoc-Rousillon • 2 ♂ ♂, 1 ♀; “P.O.” [Pyrénées-Orientales], Collioure; Liveillé leg.; MHNG – Provence-Côte D’azur • 1 ♂; Toulon; SDEI 10821 • 1 ♂; Toulon; 20 Apr. 1945; V. Barbier leg.; “En nombre, sous une grosse pierre, prés de l'entrée d’un nid de Messor, follés du fortification” [In great numbers, under a stone, near the entry of a nest of Messor, fortification walls]; MHNG • 1 ♂; France, Gard, St. Gilles, Le grand Bois; 27 Mar. 1978; Kiener leg.; [associated with a Messor barbarus worker ant]; MHNG • 1 ♂; Gallia Toulon; MHNG – France, no specific locality • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; “gall. mer”; SDEI 10852–10853 • 1 ♀; “mer.”; SDEI 10822 • 1 ♀; “ Galia mer.”; SMTD • 1 ♂, 8 ♀♀; “gallia”; MFNB.

ALGERIA – Algier • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; ZFMK • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; NMPC • 1 ♀; MFNB – Algeria, no specific locality • 4 ♂♂, 1 ♀; “Algerie”; NHMB .

CZECH REPUBLIC – Parduvice • 1 ♀; “Vysoká”; NMPC – Moravian-Silesia • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; “Gnojnik (Siles.)”; A. Hetschko; NMPC .

Note

The localities associated with the last three specimens are placed far outside the range of the other material of Ch. occulta sp. nov., as well as all other species of Cholovocera . We agree with the curator of the National Museum of the Czech Republic (NMPC) in that the data given on the labels are most likely incorrect (J. Hájek, pers. comm. 8 Oct. 2021).

Type locality

Oran, Algeria.

Description

Male as in Fig. 11C. Body length 1.33 mm average, range 1.30–1.40 mm (n = 11, males and females). Shape of body oval, with the lateral margins of the pronotum continuous with those of the elytra, i.e., without an indentation. Elytral apex moderately acute. Terminal antennomeres sexually dimorphic: that of the male with a sinuous internal margin (Fig. 13F), but the female with a straight internal margin (Fig. 12G). Metatibiae as in Fig. 14L–M, narrower in the proximal half and with curved margins, especially in the male. Prosternal process keeled anteriorly, with a wide median constriction and triangular distally (Fig. 4G). Male last visible ventrite with a marked emargination and bordered by a brush of long setae.

Median lobe of aedeagus subrectangular, with an acutely pointed triangular apex in ventral view (Fig. 22A). Aedeagus in lateral view as in Fig. 22C. Distal portion of paramere short, triangular, pointed, with two short setae (Fig. 22A–B). Spermathecal duct short and spermathecal reservoir c-shaped; ramus short and truncated distally, cornu sharply bent and nodulus moderately developed, shaped like an inverted amphora (Fig. 7C).

Geographic distribution

The known distribution of Cholovocera occulta sp. nov. extends from the Mediterranean coast of France in the north, to the Mediterranean coast of Algeria in the south.

Host ants

Our examination of two samples of Ch. occulta sp. nov. preserved with ants showed that it is associated with a species of Messor, most likely M. barbarus, in Southern France.

Remarks

Although at first we found it surprising that a clearly different species of Cholovocera could remain undescribed for such a long time, we believe the reason for that may have been the fact that all the specimens we examined needed to be remounted to expose their legs and antennae hidden under the body. Once the antennae of the males were uncovered, we soon realised we had a different, undescribed and unnamed species in front of us.

Considering that we only have five detailed locality records, it is difficult to ascertain the total geographic distribution of Ch. occulta sp. nov., but we expect that more samples will be found, which will enlarge the present known distribution.