Hesperus mylomys HROMÁDKA 2009

Hromádka, L., 2012, Revision of the Afrotropical species of the genus Hesperus FAUVEL (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Philonthina), Linzer biologische Beiträge 44 (1), pp. 551-589 : 566-567

Hesperus mylomys HROMÁDKA 2009 (Figs 50-52)

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype: R.S.Africa, 30.-xi.-1996, 33°59.0´S / 22°40.6´E Cape Prov.: Wilderness NP: Langvlei, Malachite bird hide, Juncus krausi+bush litter sievings, leg. B. + M. Uhlig // Holotype Hesperus mylomys Hromádka det., 2009, [red oblong label printed] (ZMHB). PARATYPES:, of South Africa: 9.-xi.-1997, 34°27.2´S / 20°24.2´E, Cape Prov.: De Hoop NR: De Hoop Vlei: Phragmites sievings, leg. M. Uhlig (ZMHB), R.S. Africa: 10.-xi.-1997, 34°27.2´S / 20°24.2´E, Cape Prov.: De Hoop NR: Carex sievings, leg. M. Uhlig (cHPC, ZMHB).

R e d e s c r i p t i o n: Body length 8.3-9.6 mm, length of fore body (to end of elytra) 4.2-4.7 mm.

C o l o u r a t i o n: Head, pronotum, scutellum and abdomen black, elytra purple, maxillary and labial palpi, and mandibles brown, antennae brown-black, antennomeres 9- 11 brown-yellow, legs black-brown.

Head square, as long as wide, parallel-sided, posterior angles obtusely rounded. Posterior half including temples coarsely and densely punctate, with narrow impunctate midline. Punctures distinctly larger than eye-facets, separated by one or one and half puncture diameters in transverse direction. Eyes small and flat, distinctly shorter than temples (ratio 9: 19). Surface with very fine and dense microsculpture consisting of transverse and oblique waves.

Antennae short and stout, reaching midlength of pronotum when reclined, antennomere 1 twice as long as antennomere 11, antennomere 2 shorter than antennomere 3.

Pronotum wider than long (ratio 40: 38), distinctly and sinuately narrowed posteriad. Posterior angles conspicuously rounded. Pronotum with narrow impunctate midline. Each side very densely and coarsely punctate. Punctures slightly coarser and larger than those on head. Separaed by less than a puncture diameter in transverse direction. Surface with microsculpture similar to that on head.

Scutellum finely and sparsely punctate, punctures as large as eye-facets, surface between punctures with dense isodiametrical microsculpture.

Elytra as wide as long, parallel-sided, very densely, coarsely and wrinkly punctate, all punctures contiguous. Surface without microsculpture; setation dark.

Legs. Metatibia longer than metatarsus (ratio 32: 27). Metatarsomere 1 longer than metatarsomere 5.

Abdomen wide, very slightly narrowed posteriad. First three visible tergites with two basal lines, elevated area between lines punctate. Punctation of visible tergites very dense, all punctures drop-shaped. Surface without microsculpture; setation similar to that on elytra.

Male. Protarsomeres 1-3 conspicuously dilated and sub-bilobed, each covered with modified pale setae ventrally, protarsomere 4 narrower than preceding ones, heartshaped. Aedeagus (Figs 50-52).

Female. Protarsomeres 1-3 less dilated than those of male, each covered with modified pale setae ventrally, protarsomere 4 small.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s Hesperus mylomys may be distinguished from the most similar species H. gestroi by the darker colouration of the elytra, denser punctation of the scutellum, unicolored abdomen and by the different shape of the aedeagus.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Republic of South Africa.