Atrichelaphinis (Eugeaphinis) bomboesbergica, Rojkoff, Sebastien & Perissinotto, Renzo, 2015

Rojkoff, Sebastien & Perissinotto, Renzo, 2015, Review of the genera Anelaphinis Kolbe, 1892 and Atrichelaphinis Kraatz, 1898 (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Cetoniinae), ZooKeys 482, pp. 91-142 : 112

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Scarabaeidae

Atrichelaphinis (Eugeaphinis) bomboesbergica sp. n. Figure 12

Type specimens.

Holotype male: South Africa EC, Hofmeyr, 28-XI-2011, R. Perissinotto & L. Clennell leg (ISAM). Paratypes: 1♂, same data as holotype (ISAM, PCRP); 1♂, same data as holotype, but 10-XII-2011 (PCRP); 8♂ 3♀, same data as holotype, but 24-XII-2011 (TMSA, PCSR); 2♂ 1♀, same data as holotype, but 26-XII-2011 (PCRP); 8♀, same data as holotype, but 18-XII-2010 (PCRP, PCSR).

Description

(n = 25). Size: length ♂, 9.4-11.7 mm; ♀, 10.1-12.8 mm; width ♂, 5.8-6.7 mm; ♀, 6.2 to 7.8 mm.

Body. Dorsal surface slightly shiny, ground colour from ochraceous to light-brown, with many black/dark brown markings and small white maculae; scale-like setae present and particularly well developed on pronotum, more extensive in male than in female.

Head. Anterior margin of clypeus sharply upturned, particularly in male, sligthly bilobed apically, anterior angles weakly rounded, lateral declivity visible from above; large crescent to horseshoe punctures, particularly dense on frons and vertex; scale-type setae particularly long and dense from frons to vertex; antennae with pedicel and flagellum reddish-brown, but clubs dark brown to black, club notably longer in male than in female.

Pronotum. With black markings not covering more than half of total area and particularly developed on anterior part of disc, on both sides of medial line; anterior margin tectiform; disc moderately tuberculate in front; with scale-like setae and round punctures diffuse but widespread thoughout surface, setae more dense and longer on lateral margins; lateral margins and angles smoothly rounded with ante-scutellar arch relatively straight.

Scutellum. With apex from weakly rounded to acute; lateral margins from straight to weakly concave, with shallow and narrow lateral grooves; prominent oblong medial black mark extending from base to middle of disc; exhibiting few fine punctures on apical half but no scale-like setae.

Elytra. Weakly tricostate, with costae barely visible in apical part; sutural costa bulging out towards middle of elytral length; striae partly geminate and with coarse horseshoe sculpture; black marking most developed around humeral and apical calluses and in mid area of lateral half; apical sutural end virtually straight in male but curving outwards in female.

Pygidium. Brown to reddish at centre, becoming dark brown to black towards lateral and lower margins; fine sculture and dense cover of scale-like setae throughout surface; exhibiting 2-3 pairs of depressed areas close to lateral margins.

Underside. Dark brown to black with white scattered maculae, particularly on metasternum and lateral margins of abdominal sternites; densely covered with long white setae, replaced in mid area of metasternum and abdominal sternites by few scattered scale-like setae; coarse and scattered horseshoe sculpture throughout, except on central areas of sternum and abdominal sternites; abdominal sternites weakly concave at middle in male, slightly convex in female; mesosternal apophysis ochraceous, small and rounded, with no projections extending between mesocoxae.

Legs. Tibia and femora light brown, with dark brown to black tips and joints; scattered white maculae present on both dorsal and ventral sides; tarsi dark brown to black; protibia unidentate but broadening remarkably towards apex, forming spade-like structure; numerous long setae throughout surface and scale-like setae at joints; metatibial spurs thin and acute in male, slightly enlarged and blunt in female.

Aedeagus. Parameres virtually straight from base to apical convergence, forming then a perfectly round apex, with slight indent at centre (dorsal view); apical margin curving downwards, but no ventral folding or projections visible in lateral view.

Derivatio nominis.

The species is named after the Bamboesberg mountain range of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, where it was discovered on its south-western slopes.

Remarks.

This new species represents the southernmost extension of the genus distribution range in the Afrotropical Region. Atrichelaphinis bamboesbergica appears to be restricted to a small area of the eastern Karoo semiarid region, where its larval stages develop exclusively in the dung middens of the antbear, Orycteropus afer (Pallas, 1766). Adults have a relatively short life span (2-3 weeks) and appear to be unable to feed, as none has yet been observed either on fruits, flowers or sap flows.