Frankenbergerius gomesi (Ferreira)

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 : 2363-2366

Frankenbergerius gomesi (Ferreira)

( Figures 39–43 )

Pseudocoptorhina gomesi Ferreira 1954, p 10 .

Frankenbergerius gomesi (Ferreira) : Ferreira 1972, p 362.

Diagnosis

This species can be distinguished by elytral interval 8 with a long carina occupying twothirds of the length of the elytron and by its small body size.

Figures 28–38. Frankenbergerius spp. (28, 33–37) F. forcipatus . (29–32, 38) F. barratti . (28, 29) Habitus of „. (30– 36) Head (30, 31, 33–35, „; 32, 36, ♀). (37, 38) Aedeagus in dorsal and lateral view.

Description

Black to dark brown, shiny beetle ( Figure 39 ). Body length of males 4.6–7.2 mm, width 2.5–3.2 mm, of females 4–7.3 mm and 2.4–3.9 mm. Dorsal surface with minute setae which may be abraded on most surfaces.

Head. Clypeus with two horn-like processes; processes slightly longer in males ( Figures 41, 42 ). Genae obtuse, finely bordered. Genal sutures distinct. Lateral margin of clypeus with deep sinuation near genal suture. Frontal suture obsolete medially. Dorsal surface of horn-like processes granular, rest of head densely punctate except for middle area of clypeus which is smooth. Eyes small, almost completely divided by canthus, their dorsal parts slit-shaped.

Pronotum. Pronotum narrower in anterior part, 1.6 times wider than long. Anterior margin not sinuate medially, or with minute unclear sinuation. Lateral margins and anterior angles finely bordered, anterior margin and base not bordered. Surface coarsely punctate with more or less elongated punctures.

Elytra. Striae distinct, punctate (punctures separated by three to four puncture diameters). Intervals indistinctly punctate on disc, with elongated tubercles. Interval 8 with long carina occupying two-thirds of elytron.

Underside. Pygidium with deep border, its disc densely punctate. Abdominal and thoracic sternites coarsely punctate except for disc of metasternum.

Legs. Anterior tibiae with smaller teeth between major outer teeth in most specimens. Spur of anterior tibia bifurcated in males and simple, acute in females.

Aedeagus. Parameres with angulate apices in lateral view ( Figure 40 ).

Variability. Except for body size, the specimens examined show very little variation. Females differ from males in not having bifurcated spur of anterior tibiae and clypeus with somewhat shorter processes with smaller sinuation between ( Figures 41, 42 ).

Distribution

This species is known from a number of localities in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.

Type material examined

Holotype: „ with labels ‘‘Uitzicht, Zoutpansberg [Soutpansberg], Nov[ember] 1924, Heske [leg.]’’ and ‘‘ Holotypus Pseudocoptorhina gomesi sp. n. M.C. Ferreira 1954 ’’ (TMSA).

Additional material examined

Mpumalanga: Nelspruit Nature Reserve , 25 ° 29 9 S, 30 ° 55 9 E, 18 December 1986, dry valley, pitfall traps, 53 days, 4 „ and 5♀; rivulent valley, pitfall traps, 4 „ and 2♀; litter, riverine bush, 2 „ and 1♀; Koppie, 2 „ and 3♀ ; 9 February 1987, dry valley, pitfall traps, 58 days, 13 „ and 24♀; rivulent valley, 3 „ and 1♀; 25 October 1986, rivulent valley, pitfall traps, 34 days, 1 „ and 3♀; dry valley, pitfall traps, 34 days, 4 „ and 1♀; 29 November 1986, dry valley, pitfall traps, 19 days, 5 „ and 7♀, S. Endrödy-Younga leg. ( TMSA). 18 km S of Nelspruit, 25 ° 37 9 S, 30 ° 58 9 E, 10 February 1987, pitfall traps, 57 days, 2 „, S. Endrödy- Younga leg. ( TMSA). 16 km N of Barbeton , 25 ° 42 9 S, 30 ° 57 9 E, 24 October 1986, pitfall traps, 31 days, 1♀; 30 November 1986, pitfall traps, 53 days, 1♀; pitfall traps, 57 days, 1 „ and 2♀, S. Endrödy-Younga leg. ( TMSA). 17 km NNW of Barbeton, 25 ° 36 9 S, 29 ° 53 9 E, 10 November 1980, 1 „, S. Endrödy-Younga leg. ( TMSA). Nelspruit , botanical garden , 25 ° 31 9 S, 30 ° 32 9 E, 24 January 1981, pitfall traps, 44 days, 8 „ and 8♀; 6 December 1980, pitfall traps, 45 days, 3 „ and 3♀, S. Endrödy-Younga leg. ( TMSA). Nelspruit, January 1939, 1♀ ( SAMC). Road between Sabie and Sudwala Caves [25 ° 05 9 S, 30 ° 40 9 E], 25 January 1996, fungi in eucalyptus forest next to road, 1 „, I. Pajor leg. ( SANC). Hazyview , 25 ° 04 9 S, 31 ° 07 9 E, 27 January 1996, forest litter, 3♀ ( TMSA) . White River Distr., Farm Lichtfontein [25 ° 19 9 S, 31 ° 01 9 E] , 28 December 1992, 2 „, R. Müller leg. ( TMSA). KwaZulu-Natal: Hluhluwe Game Reserve, 28 ° 05 9 S, 32 ° 04 9 E, 18 January 1992, intercept trap, open biotope, 2♀; 20 January 1992, fungous trunk and litter, 1 „, S. Endrödy-Younga leg. ( TMSA). Empangeni [28 ° 45 9 S, 31 ° 55 9 E] , October 1976, 1♀; November 1976, 1♀; December 1976, 1♀, P. E. Reavel leg. (TMSA).

Figures

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.