Helibatus banaszkiewiczae, Iwan, Dariusz & Schimrosczyk, David, 2013

Iwan, Dariusz & Schimrosczyk, David, 2013, A second species of the genus Helibatus Mulsant & Rey, 1859 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Opatrina), Zootaxa 3626 (4), pp. 569-575 : 571

Helibatus banaszkiewiczae sp. nov.

Etymology. This new species is named in honor of the late Margaret Banaszkiewicz - our colleague and excellent young specialist of Tenebrionidae who passed away in 2010.

Type material. Holotype: 13 "Marble Hall, V.1962, TV., Rorke" (TMNH). Paratypes: 2Ƥ "Marble Hall, V.1962, TV., Rorke" (TMNH).

Distribution. Republic of South Africa (Limpopo Province).

Diagnosis. The species differs from H. morio in the structure of the metaventral process (simple, not toothlike), cf. Figs. 10 and 9; punctation on the pronotal disc (punctures fine, never confluent), cf. Figs. 6 and 5 ; and the structure of the elytron (intervals almost flat, not convex, and striae never in form of sulci), cf. Figs. 8 and 7 .

Description. Body length ca. 9.6–11.0 mm [holotype—11.0 mm] ( Fig. 15 ). Body surface shining, dark brown, legs and antennae brown. Pronotum length/breadth ratio ca. 0.64, elytra length/breadth ratio ca. 1.24–1.27, length ratio elytra/pronotum ca. 2.00–2.03, breadth ratio elytra/pronotum ca. 1.02–1.03.

Genae protruding outwards, slightly wider than eyes. Clypeus on same level as frons, distinctly emarginate (ratio of length of clypeus/depth of emargination ca. 2.08). Head covered with tubercles, more elongate on frons than on clypeus ( Fig. 1 ). Antennae ( Fig. 3 ) – ratio of length/width of 2–11 antennomeres as follow: 0.6/0.8; 0.8/0.8; 0.6/ 0.8; 0.6/0.8; 0.6/0.9; 0.6/1.1; 0.7/1.4; 0.6/1.4; 0.7/1.3; 0.9/1.2; antennomeres 7–11 widened, transverse. Lateral margins of mentum together with medial carina form sharp apical spike. Lateral wings of mentum small,visible. Terminal maxillary palpomere moderately widened, securiform ( Fig. 2 ).

Pronotum transverse, widest in middle, regularly narrowed to posterior angle. Posterior angles obtusely rectangular. Pronotal disc regularly convex, with distinct and roundish punctures on disc, gradually replaced by elongate tubercles on sides. Pronotal border interrupted in middle of anterior and basal margins. Border of lateral margins entire and very narrow (breadth ratio border/base of 3rd antennomere ca. 0.29). Pronotal base straight, protruding medially slightly beyond level of posterior angles. Lateral gutters of pronotum narrow, bare, without punctures or tubercles ( Fig. 6 ). Anterior margin of prosternum bordered. Prosternal process subparallel covered with roundish tubercles and numerous, long, gold-yellow setae. Border of prosternal process disappearing at apex ( Fig. 4 ). Pronotal hypomera covered with elongated tubercles. Border in form of bare stripe, without punctures or tubercles.

Elytra widest in middle. Elytron with 9 striae. Punctures on striae larger than on intervals. Intervals on disc weakly convex, almost flat; intervals distinctly sparsly punctate, apex and lateral sides of elytra with fine tubercles. Elytral base bordered, humeri rectangular, not protruding outwards ( Fig. 8 ).

Wings absent. Epipleuron flat, strongly widened at level of 5th abdominal ventrite.

Abdominal ventrites distinctly transverse (Fig. 13); apical parts of ventrites 2–5 with regularly distributed, small tubercles, replaced by large punctures towards base; 1st visible abdominal ventrite covered only with small tubercles; last abdominal ventrite flat (Fig. 11). Metaventrite covered with long, gold-yellow setae. Metaventral process simple, without denticulation. Process of 1st abdominal ventrite in males projecting forward beyond metaventrite apical margin (Fig. 10).

Legs non-dimorphic (Fig. 12A–C).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Helibatus banaszkiewiczae sp. nov., male (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8), H. morio Mulsant & Rey, 1859, male (5, 7). Head, dorsal (1). Mentum (2). Antenna (3). Prosternal process (4). Pronotum (5, 6). Elytral base (7, 8).

FIGURE 14 – 16. Helibatus morio Mulsant & Rey, 1859, male (14); H. banaszkiewiczae sp. nov., male (15). Map of distribution (16).