Tonyattalus vanharteni gen. et sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: C239C42C-69A9-428A-BE8B-A8BAA64D1F9B

Figs 1–10

Differential diagnosis

The new species is comparable with T. buettikeri (Wittmer, 1980), and differs in its yellow-brown colouration, the 3 rd antennomere simple, lacking small stretched outer edge, 4 th antennomere triangular, not dilated as the small flattened process at outer edge, apical antennomere 1.5 × shorter.

Etymology

The new species, designated as the type species of the new genus ‘ Tonyattalus ’, is named in honour of Antonius van Harten, enthusiastic organiser and participant of the UAE Insect Project, who collected series of soft-winged flower beetles in United Arab Emirates for the first time.

Material examined

Holotype UNITED ARAB EMIRATES • ♂; Sharjah Desert Park; 25.17° N, 55.42° E; 17–24 Mar. 2007; A. van Harten leg. (9043 UAE); light trap; SCH_ISEA_000133.

Allotype UNITED ARAB EMIRATES • ♀; same collection data as for holotype; SCH_ISEA_000134.

Paratypes UNITED ARAB EMIRATES • 1 ♂; same collection data as for holotype; SCH_ISEA_000135 • 4 ♀♀, same collection data as for holotype; SCH_ISEA_000136–139 • 2 ♀♀; al-Ajban; 24.36° N, 55.01° E; 1 Apr.–2 May 2006; A. Van Harten leg. (5664 UAE); Malaise trap; SCH_ISEA_000140–141 • 3 ♂♂; Wadi Bih dam; 25.48° N, 56.04° E; 6–13 May 2007; A. Van Harten leg. (9463 UAE); light trap; SCH_ ISEA_000142–144 • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; SCH_ISEA_000145–146 • 3 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Sharjah Desert Park; 25.17° N, 55.42° E; 30 Apr.–25 May 2008; A. Van Harten leg. (9535 UAE); light trap; SCH_ISEA_000147–151 • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; Wadi Maidaq; 25.18° N, 56.07° E; 24 Sep.–22 Oct. 2006; A. Van Harten leg. (8343 UAE); water traps; SCH_ISEA_000152–154 • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding (9482 UAE); SCH_ISEA_000155–156 • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; same locality as for preceding; 18 Nov.–15 Dec. 2007; A. Van Harten leg.; (9488 UAE); pitfall traps; NHML_000157–160 • 1 ♀; Wadi Wurayah; 25.24° N, 56.17° E; Mar.–Apr. 2007; C. Tourenq leg. (7482 UAE); water traps; SCH_ISEA_000161 • 1 ♀; same locality as for preceding; 25 Feb. 2008; A. Polaszek leg. (8807 UAE); hand-collected; SCH_ISEA_000162 • 1 ♂; Wadi Siji; 25.09° N, 56.02° E; 24 24 Sep.–22 Oct. 2006; A. Van Harten leg. (8372 UAE); water traps; SCH_ISEA_000163 .

Description

Holotype, male (Figs 1–2)

BODY. Parallel, slightly expanded posteriorly, with apical abdominal segments not covered by the elytra.

COLOURATION. Yellow, except for meso- and metathoracic ventrites and two basal abdominal ventrites underside, traces of transverse fascia on head and distal side of pronotum, triangular spot on base of elytra narrowly continuing up into apical part, and narrow margins on apices of elytra brown, vesicles and thoracic mesepimera yellow.

HEAD. Narrower as pronotum (Fig. 4), slightly elongate, eyes small, weakly protruding over contour of head; frons and inter-ocular area flat and slightly impressed, glabrous, lacking depression or protuberances; clypeus slightly elongate, transverse, straight; labrum short and transverse; palpi short, ultimate palpomere thin, cylindrical, slightly narrowed and flattened apically. Surface of head dull, sparsely and finely punctured, evenly covered with white adpressed fine pubescence.

ANTENNAE. Flabellate, not long, reaching base of elytra; 1 st antennomere enlarged, sub-conic, 2 nd antennomere oval, ½ × as long as 3 rd antennomere, 3 rd antennomere triangular, not wider than 4 th, 4 th antennomere wide triangular, with somewhat dilated outer edge, 5 th with more strongly dilated outer edge, 6 th –10 th segments flabellate, cylindrical with long dilated outer edges, terminal antennomere distinctly longest, curved at basal third, evenly rounded at apex (Fig. 3), surface evenly covered with fine short, pale pubescence and erect long fine pale hairs on outer edges of dilated processes of antennomeres.

PRONOTUM (Figs 2, 4, 10). Transverse, with rounded lateral sides, not sinuate or depressed at base, with straight anterior and posterior sides; margination thin and distinct, surface with smoothed sparse punctures and covered with short white adpressed fine hairs.

SCUTELLUM. Small, rectangular, narrow, slightly transverse, with slightly subparallel apex; surface sparsely punctured and covered with fine adpressed light hairs.

ELYTRA. Subparallel, weakly expanded posteriorly and not covering last segments of abdomen in both sexes (Figs 1–2, 9–10); humeri indistinct, small, protruding; surface densely punctured, covered with light dense adpressed short hairs.

HIND WINGS. Normally developed.

LEGS. Thin and long; posterior femora reaching abdomen apex; anterior tarsi (Fig. 5) five-segmented, compressed, with comb above 2 nd segment, 2 nd –3 rd tarsomeres equal in length, 1 st 1.2 × as long as 2 nd, terminal tarsomere slightly narrower and depressed, longest, as long as 1 st –4 th tarsomeres in anterior legs, 1 st –3 rd in intermediate legs and 1 st –2 nd in posterior legs; claws thin, weakly curved and sharp, with dentate small lamellae at base; femora and tibia simple, not swollen or strongly curved, lacking indentation; surface indistinctly and covered with short and sparse adpressed light pubescence.

VENTRAL BODY. Surface weakly punctured, very sparsely covered with fine, depressed light pubescence; metathorax weakly swollen, narrow, transverse, lacking appendages or tuft of hairs, but with specific straight and edged distal side, which is slightly lamellate. Pygidium (Fig. 6) undivided, evenly rounded and narrowed distally, with oval emargination in middle; 8 th ultimate abdominal ventrite (Fig. 7) strongly narrowed, bilaciniate, but both lobes narrowly adjoined, evenly rounded distally, with round-triangular emargination in middle and sharp lateral processes; aedeagus (Fig. 8) elongate and strongly curved dorsally, typical of Attalini, with long sharpened bristle in inner sac in middle of distal part, tegmen wide, transverse, with thin short appendages (Fig. 8).

MEASUREMENTS. Length 2.1 mm, width (at elytral base) 0.7 mm.

Female

Differs from male by somewhat shorter and dentate antennae; anterior tarsi lacking comb on 2 nd tarsomere; body slightly larger.

Length 2.3–2.4 mm, width (at elytral base) 0.75 mm (Figs 9–10).

Distribution

United Arab Emirates.