Namibiotrupes zumpti Gussmann S. M. & Scholtz, 2000

Gussmann S. M. & Scholtz, C. H., 2000, Systematic revision of endemic southern African genera of Bolboceratinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Bolboceratidae), Journal of Natural History 34, pp. 1045-1123 : 1068-1069

Namibiotrupe s zumpti (Frey) comb. nov.

(®gures 4a±c, f, g, 5f±h, 6c, d, 7)

Bolboceras zumpti Frey, 1955: 1065 ; Krikken 1984: 32 (syn. of Bolboceratellus auspicatus ).

Description

Body length. 9.3±10.4 mm.

Colour. Mid- to dark brown.

Head. Labrum (®gure 5f) sloping downward from obsolete transverse carina in anterior third and posterior two-thirds; asetose; anterior margin sinuate. Clypeus (®gures 5f, 6c, d) sloping upward to apex of well-developed anterior transverse carina; in dorsal view anterior carina straight or feebly arcuate, but straight in frontal view; with virtually straight and feebly bituberculate posterior transverse carina, reaching lateral carina above antennal insertion in males (®gure 5f), not reaching it in female (®gure 6c); with well-developed lateral carina in males (®gure 5f), obsolete carina in female, but distinctly raised above antennal insertion, extending from there in a feebly curved line to a point in line with posterior end of eye-canthus. Frons with distinct, sinuate transverse carina in males (®gure 5f), not reaching sides; with obsolete transverse carina in female (®gure 6c). Antennal club ovoid, slightly shorter than diameter of eye; basal segment setose over entire surface.

Pronotum. With steep anterior declivity, topped by very feebly bowed transverse carina adjacent to elongate antero-lateral concavities; males with pair of large transverse lobes overhanging antero-lateral concavities (®gures 5h, 6d); posterior part of overhangin g lobes with very ®ne, short setae; females lacking lobes (®gure 6c); in both sexes concavities laterally bordered by variably developed rounded to elongate, sometimes carinate swelling; pronotum in posterior part with indented midline, the latter lined with large and densely spaced punctures; entire pronotum with ®ne to minute punctation and scattered larger punctures, larger punctures densely spaced only laterally; antero-lateral angle of pronotal margin acuminate; lateral pronotal margin entire and only part of hypomeron exposed in lateral view.

Scutellum. Basal width about 1.27Ölength (®gure 5g); with scattered large and small punctures.

Elytron. Striae strongly impressed, their punctures large and separated by more or less one puncture diameter (®gure 5g); intervals with very ®ne punctation (approximately three to four punctures between two striae); second stria almost reaching elytral base (®gure 5g).

Legs. Protibia seven- to eight-dentate (®gure 6d). Metatibia in lateral view elongate, only slightly broadening apically; with knoblike projections randomly spread over entire surface above subapical carina. Metatarsus with several subapical setae on tarsomere 2, with each a single subapical seta on tarsomeres 3 and 4.

Male genitalia. Aedeagus as in ®gure 4f, g.

Distribution (®gure 7). Only the holotype from Botswana, three males and one female from Pretoria (Gauteng Province) and surrounds have been collected to date.

Type material examined. HOLOTYPE m, Bolboceras zumpti Frey :` Bechuanaland, Nata [SE 20 26 Aa], xii.54, leg. Zumpt’/` Bolboceras zumpti m.n.sp. Type, Frey, desc. 1955’ [handwriting Frey]/`Type ’ [black print on pink label]/`J.Krikke n 1973 phot.’ (NMBS); PARATYPE m,`Potchefstroom [26.43S 27.06E], Zumpt S.Afr. 1951’ /`nov. spec. Bolboceras zumpti’ [handwriting Frey]/`Cotype ’ [black print on pink label]/`Museu m Frey Tutzing’ (NMBS).

Additional material examined (four specimens). South Africa: 1, l R.S.A., Radium , 25.5S 28.17E, 3.iii.1989, P. Snyman, Department of Entomology, University of Pretoria ( TMSA) ; 1, l Pretoria [25.45S 28.12E], 12.x.1909, A. J. T. Janse ( TMSA) ; 1m, Transvaal , Nylsvley Nature Res., 24.39S 28.42E, 1095m, ii.1978, G. Ferreira, light trap ( SANC) ; 1, l Transvaal , District Pretoria, Doornpoort, 25.38S 28.16E, 2.ii.1992, S. L. Chown ( UPSA) .

Comments. Krikken (1984) synonymized Bolboceras zumpti Frey with Bolboceratellus auspicatus . The description of the former species was based on females only but Frey and Krikken were both unaware that the two type specimens are not conspeci®c. While the holotype is the true `zumpti ’, the paratype clearly represents Namibiotrupe s auspicatus . Krikken (1984) mentioned that one other undescribed Bolboceratellus species was known to him, presumably referring to one male from Pretoria, collected in 1909, and with a label attached saying` Bolboceras sp. , probably new’. However, it is only the females of Bolboceras zumpti that are very similar to minor males and females of Namibiotrupes auspicatus in the pronotal sculpture. On the other hand, the cephalic ornamentation diOEers signi®cantly and clearly links the female holotype of Bolboceras zumpti to the above-listed males. Bolboceras zumpti is therefore now reinstated to species status and transferred to the genus Namibiotrupes .

The acuminate antero-lateral angle of the pronotal margin, the normally shaped antennal club and the elongate metatibia immediately distinguish Namibiotrupe s auspicatus and Namibiotrupe s zumpti from Namibiotrupe s penrithae . The former two species, in particular their females, can best be separated by their cephalic ornamentatio n.