Calotheca oberprieleri sp. nov. Figs 2A-D, 6

Type material.

Holotype ♂: South Africa [RSA], CP [ECape], Suurberg Nature Reserve, 900 m, 33°16'S, 25°45'E, 28.xi.1988, R.[G.] Oberprieler leg. (SANC). Paratypes: Republic of South Africa: Eastern Cape, between Grahamstown and Southwell [Southwell 33°24'58"S, 26°36'24"E], 500 m, 13.xi.2006, G. Osella leg., 1♂ (BAQ); Eastern Cape, W Bisho, km 35 da Peddie s.s.n. 2, 280 m, 33°16'69"S, 26°48'95"E [33°14'24"S, 26°45'22"E], 14.xi.2006, G. Osella leg., 1♂ (BAQ); CP [ECape], Umtiza, East London Coast Reserves, East London, 33°02'S, 27°49'E, 25.xi.1988, B.[=E.] Grobbelaar leg., 1♂ and 1♀ (SANC).

Diagnosis.

Calotheca oberprieleri sp. nov. is very similar in shape, size, sculpture and colour to C. pallida and C. prinslooi sp. nov., from which it can be generally distinguished by: surface of median lobe of aedeagus flat ventrally (carinae delimiting a deep sulcus are evident in C. pallida and C. prinslooi sp. nov.) (Figs 2C, 3C, 5C); median lobe sinuate, narrowing in the apical third, wider basally than apically (sinuate and narrowing medially, and as wide basally as apically in C. pallida; and greatest width medially, wider basally than apically and tapering towards the apex in C. prinslooi sp. nov.) (Figs 2C, 3C, 5C); spermatheca only known for one specimen, subreniform and thickset basally (broadly subcylindrical and more slender in C. pallida and C. prinslooi sp. nov.) (Figs 2D, 3D, 5D); pronotal margins which are more rounded laterally (less rounded or more distinctly curved at apical third respectively in C. pallida and C. prinslooi sp. nov.) (Figs 2B, 3B, 5B).

Description of the holotype

(♂). Body elongate-elliptical in dorsal view (Fig. 2A), moderately convex in lateral view; total length of body (LB) = 5.00 mm; maximum pronotal width near base (WP = 2.18 mm); maximum width of elytra in basal third (WE = 2.78 mm). Head, femora, and legs pale brown; pronotum yellow, punctate lateral striae and basal furrows distinctly darkened; elytra yellow, with darkened punctures, and small irregular very sparse shaded reddish patches. Head (cf. Fig. 2B) with surface microreticulate and micropunctate; several setiferous punctures between medial ocular margin and frontal grooves, and near the dorsal part of frontal grooves; frontal grooves deeply impressed, more so anteriorly, sinuate, extending from dorsal ocular margin to interantennal space; interantennal space about 1.5 times the length of the first antennomere; eyes elongate-ovate; dorsal interocular space slightly wider than 1.5 times the transversal width of the eye; antennae slightly shorter than half the body length (LAN = 2.33 mm; LAN/LB = 0.47; LA: 100:50:75:64:79:79:79:79:79:71:100). Pronotum (cf. Fig. 2B) slightly convex, sub-trapezoidal, distinctly transverse (LP = 1.18 mm; WP/LP = 1.85), with clearly rounded sides; surface microreticulate and micropunctate, with additional small, rather dense, evenly distributed punctation; lateral pronotal striae C-shaped, with large, deeply impressed punctures; basal furrows of pronotum deeply impressed; basal and apical margins distinctly bordered, but not raised; lateral margins barely expanded, but visible in dorsal view; anterior angles prominent and pointed; posterior angles widely obtuse. Scutellum sub-triangular, rounded apically. Elytra (Fig. 2A, cf. 2B) moderately elongate and convex (LE = 3.83 mm; WE/LE = 0.73; LE/LP = 3.26), slightly sinuate laterally, jointly rounded apically; lateral margin narrow, barely visible in dorsal view; elytral punctation arranged in single regular rows, punctures deeply impressed; interstriae with finely microreticulate and micropunctate surface; last interstria carinate; humeral calli barely raised. Macropterous. Legs with basal pro- and mesotarsomeres distinctly enlarged, sub-triangular (Fig. 2A). Tarsal claws simple. Underside pale brown; apical abdominal ventrite without preapical sculpture or impressions. Median lobe of aedeagus (cf. Fig. 2C) (LAED = 2.08 mm; LE/LAED = 1.84) distinctly sinuate laterally in ventral view; slightly narrower distally than basally; apex subrounded, with small ventrolateral bulges; ventral surface flat, with a narrow medial furrow in distal third; ventrolateral surface widely wrinkled; dorsal ligula short, formed by two elongate basal lobes and two shorter apical lobes; in lateral view, median lobe distinctly bent down to the apex.

Variability.

Males (n = 4; mean ± standard deviation, range): LE = 3.99 ± 0.17 mm (3.83 ≤ LE ≤ 4.12 mm); WE = 2.88 ± 0.12 mm (2.78 ≤ WE ≤ 3.05 mm); LP = 1.21 ± 0.04 mm (1.18 ≤ LP ≤ 1.28 mm); WP = 2.30 ± 0.12 mm (2.18 ≤ WP ≤ 2.45 mm); LAN = 2.37 ± 0.11 mm (2.25 ≤ LAN ≤ 2.50 mm); LAED = 2.10 ± 0.12 mm (2.00 ≤ LAED ≤ 2.28 mm); LB = 5.12 ± 0.12 mm (5.00 ≤ LB ≤ 5.28 mm); LE/LP = 3.29 ± 0.06 (3.25 ≤ LE/LP ≤ 3.38); WE/WP = 1.25 ± 0.02 (1.24 ≤ WE/WP ≤ 1.28); WP/LP = 1.90 ± 0.04 (1.85 ≤ WP/LP ≤ 1.94); WE/LE = 0.72 ± 0.01 (0.72 ≤ WE/LE ≤ 0.73); LAN/LB = 0.46 ± 0.02 (0.44 ≤ LAN/LB ≤ 0.48); LE/LAED = 1.90 ± 0.08 (1.84 ≤ LE/LAED ≤ 2.03). Females (n = 1): LE = 4.50 mm; WE = 3.38 mm; LP = 1.28 mm; WP = 2.65 mm; LAN = 2.35; LSP = 0.80 mm; LB = 5.75 mm; LE/LP = 3.53; WE/WP = 1.27; WP/LP = 2.08; WE/LE = 0.75; LAN/LB = 0.41; LE/LSP = 5.63. Paratypes very similar in shape, sculpture and colour to the holotype. Female with basal pro- and mesotarsomeres less enlarged than in male. Spermatheca (Fig. 2D) with basal part subreniform, thickset; distal part softly bent, slightly narrower apically, with a very short appendix; distal part clearly shorter than half the length of the basal part; ductus basally inserted, moderately elongate, and with a hint of a coil.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a noun in the genitive case after Rolf G. Oberprieler (Australia, Canberra), one of its collectors.

Distribution.

Republic of South Africa (ECape) (Fig. 6). Chorotype: Southern-Western Afrotropical (SWA).

Ecological notes.

Habitat and host plants unknown. Collected between 280-900 m a.s.l. Adults active in November.