Frankenbergerius nitidus, Frolov & Scholtz, 2005

Frolov, A. V. & Scholtz, C. H., 2005, Revision of the southern African genus Frankenbergerius Balthasar with description of new taxa (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), Journal of Natural History 39 (25), pp. 2355-2377 : 2375-2376

Frankenbergerius nitidus sp. n.

( Figures 13 , 43 )

Diagnosis

This species is similar to F. nanus and F. opacus sp. n. but can be separated from the former by having the last abdominal sternite flat, without a transverse convexity, and by shiny elytral intervals with rounded to elongated tubercles. From F. opacus n. sp. it differs in having the base of the pronotum flat, very close elytral striae 9 and 10, and pygidium without longitudinal keel in basal part.

Description

Holotype: ♀ ( Figure 13 ). Body black, shiny, length 7.5 mm, width 4.5 mm. Dorsal surface without setae.

Head. Clypeus with anterior angles dentiform with deep sinuation between. Genae rounded, finely bordered. Genal sutures visible as fine lines. Lateral margins of clypeus very feebly sinuate near genal suture. Frontal suture indistinct. Genae and anterior part of clypeus densely punctate, almost rugose. Disc of head with minute, feebly visible punctures.

Pronotum. Anterior angles rounded. Lateral and anterior margins bordered. Border of anterior margin widened at middle, without distinct sinuation. Base not bordered. Hind angles rounded. Dorsal surface densely and coarsely punctate; punctures separated by 0.2– 0.3 times their diameters on disc, becoming denser laterally.

Elytra. Striae distinct, punctate (punctures as wide as striae, separated by three to four puncture diameters); striae 9 and 10 very close, with deeper and larger punctures. Intervals shiny, impunctate, with rounded to elongated tubercles.

Underside. Pygidium with strong border, its disc densely punctate. Disc of metasternum and mesosternum smooth.

Legs. Anterior legs with three outer teeth without smaller teeth between. Anterior tibial spur acute and curved outwards.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution

This species is known from one locality in Namaqualand (Northern Cape Province) ( Figure 43 ).

Type material

Holotype: ♀, RSA, Northern Cape Province, Hoekbaai , 31 ° 11 9 S, 17 ° 47 9 E, 28 August 1979, white mesembr. [ Mesembryanthemaceae ] flow[er], Endrödy-Younga leg. ( TMSA).

The specimen was collected on a flower most probably by chance since no species of related taxa are know to be associated with flowers.

Figures

Figures 13–22. Frankenbergerius spp. (13) F. nitidus sp. n., holotype. (14–16, 22) F. armatus armatus. (17–21) F. armatus tuberculatus ssp. n. (13, 21, 22) Habitus (13, ♀; 21, 22 „; 21, holotype). (14–20) Head (14, 15, 17–19, „; 16, 20, ♀).

Figures 39–43. Frankenbergerius spp. (39–42) F. gomesi. (39) Habitus of „. (40) Aedeagus in dorsal and lateral view. (41, 42) Head of „ and ♀, respectively. (43) Distribution map of Frankenbergerius.