Nucleotops nimbaceps Perkins and Balfour­Browne, 1994

Perkins, Philip D., 2004, A revision of the South African endemic humicolous beetle genus Nucleotops Perkins and Balfour­Browne (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae), Zootaxa 559, pp. 1-12 : 4-6

Nucleotops nimbaceps Perkins and Balfour­Browne, 1994

( Figures 1, 2 , 5 , 8)

Nucleotops nimbaceps Perkins and Balfour­Browne, 1994: 13 .

Type Material. Holotype (male): South Africa, Cape­Cederberg, jeep track, 1130m, 32.28°S­ 19.14°E, sifted, marsh shore, 7 November 1983, Endrödy­Younga (#2055); deposited in the TMSA. Paratypes (all collected by Sebastian Endrödy­Younga, unless otherwise noted): Same data as holotype, (69 TMSA). S. W. Cape Mts., Hawequas SE, 1100m, 33.34°S­ 19.08°E, sifted, 5 November 1973, (#202), (12 TMSA). S. W. CapeMts., Hawequas SE, 1100m, 33.41°S­ 19.06°E, water collection in rapid, 5 November 1973, (#203), (2 TMSA). S. W. Cape, Bainskloof, Breë R., 33.30°S­ 19.10°E, shore washing, 10 November 1973, (#227), (1 TMSA). S.W. Cape, Devil's Kloff, 850m, 32.28°S­ 19.06°E, sifted, 30 October1981, (#1909), (16 TMSA). S.W. Cape, Devil's Kloff, 850m, 32.28S­ 19.06E, sifted litter, 9 November 1983, (#2060), (4 TMSA). W. Cape, Hawequas, 33.34°S­ 19.08°E, sifted humus, 5 November 1973, (#199), (1 TMSA). Cape, Cederbg., Algeria forest st., 32.22°S­ 19.03°E, sifted, gallery bush, 3 November 1981, (#1916), (1 TMSA). Seder Berg, 500–1100m, Clanwilliam distr. C.P., 32.10°S­ 18.52°E, humus under bushes and large stones, April 1962, N. Leleup (ZA 99), (34 TMSA). W. Cape, Hawequas, 33.34°S­ 19.08°E, sifted humus, 5 November 1973, (#200), (2 TMSA). Paarl District, Upper Fransch Hoek Forest Reserve, 33.59°S­ 19.03°E, ( GBG 554F), 16 April 1952, A. D. Harrison, (2 AMG). Additional material: Same data as holotype, (1,028 TMSA). S.W. Cape, Devil's Kloff, 850m, 32.28°S­ 19.06°E, sifted, 30 October1981, (#1909), (256 TMSA). Representative specimens deposited in AMG, ANIC, BMNH, CMNH, FMNH, MCZ, QMBA, SAMA, and USNM.

Diagnosis. Immediately recognized by the markedly gibbose frons ( Figs. 1, 2 ).

Description. Size (length/width, mm): holotype body 1.91/0.77, head 0.28/0.50, pronotum 0.42/0.61, elytra 1.24/0.77. Piceo­castaneous, frontal gibbosity of head black, sides of pronotum and elytra pale rufo­testaceous; venter with head and prosternum rufescent, meso­ and metathorax and abdomen piceous, elytral epipleurae testaceous.

Eyes small, in dorsal aspect 9 convex facets in longest series. Temples from above linear, seen from side about 0.25 length of eye, hind edge sharp, posterior face concave for reception of antennal club. Ocelli distinctively raised, each produced anteriorly in subcylindrical shape and joining side of gibbosity. Frons with strong median gibbosity divided by midlongitudinal impression, gibbosity anteriorly angulate and with sides undercut; area between gibbosity and eye concave, depressed below level of eye; sides behind frontoclypeal suture upturned and produced inwards in form of strong tooth, apex of tooth only narrowly separated from angulately produced anterior side of gibbosity. Clypeus with sides upturned conjointly with sides of frons, shovel­shaped. Labrum deflexed sharply from plane of clypeus; sides emarginate and fringed with row of long setae each of which curves toward anterior and lies against next seta in row, anterior margin fringed with less apparent setae; U­shaped apicomedian emargination deep, nearly attaining 0.5 length of labrum, margin weakly upturned. Labrum, clypeus and non­gibbose portion offrons microreticulate and with very short sparse setae, gibbosity with distinct setigerous punctures.

Pronotum cordiform, anterior margin very weakly bisinuate, median 0.4 with narrow hyaline border, anterior angle minutely rectangular then side markedly arcuate to middle where produced in weak tooth, then concavely attenuate to rectangular basal angle, posterior margin nearly straight. Disc with median furrow deep with elongate anterior and short posterior foveae in furrow, admedian carinae sharp except weakly inflated just behind middle; posterior admedian foveae very deep, each bordered laterally by rounded elevation. Adlateral foveae small, each pit­like and bordered with two minute teeth opposite one another and with apices approximate. Lateral depressions nearly flat, only slightly longitudinally convex, sides thickened and weakly denticulate or microrugulose. Surface microreticulate, reliefs rather densely but finely punctate, each puncture with very short seta; anterior and posterior 0.25, except carinae, with deep dense large punctures, 2x size of eye facets.

Elytra ten seriate­punctate; series paired, 1–2, 3–4 and 5–6, punctures of each serial pair virtually contiguous; each puncture large, deeply impressed, with granule on each side. Intervals 2, 4 and 6 markedly costate as follow: 2nd high at base, decreasing in height posteriorly and disappearing at summit of posterior declivity; 4th arising gradually well behind base and not quite attaining apex; 6th arising at shoulder, of equal height for most of length, then gradually decreasing in height and not quite attaining end of 4th costa. Surface of costae with short rather dense setae like pronotal reliefs. Suture moderately raised in distal 0.5. Sides moderately explanate. Apices conjointly moderately sharply rounded.

Ventral pubescence very short and very sparse except denser laterally on prosternum. Entirely microreticulate and dull except shining around large, deep and quite thickly pubescent median sub­basal metasternal fovea. Prosternum with well developed midlongitudinal carina,sublateral carina on each side short, attaining midlength of prosternum. Mesosternal median fovea and surrounding elevation well developed. Metasternum laterally sparsely but quite coarsely punctate. Abdominal sternum 1 with submedian oblique carina on each side attaining posterior margin; in male sterna 6–7 densely pubescent, apical margin of 6 weakly emarginate; in female sternum 6 shining in basal 0.3, apical 0.7 depressed and densely pubescent, apical margin markedly arcuate. Last tergum in male apicomedially emarginate and bearing short fine setae; in female margin rounded and bearing row of very short and stout peg­like setae and few interspersed fine flagelliform setae.

Aedeagus: Length 0.38 mm; main­piece with irregular row of moderately strong setae over distal 0.5; parameres shorter than main­piece, apical setae very short; distal piece angled before gonopore ( Fig. 5 ).

Distribution. Western Cape Province, in a north­south distribution pattern (Fig. 8).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 2. Nucleotops nimbaceps holotype. — 1. Dorsal and lateral habitus. — 2. Head and pronotum, frontal view.

FIGURES 5 – 7. Nucleotops, aedeagi of holotypes. — 5. N. nimbaceps. — 6. N. interceps. — 7. N. endroedyi.