Macroderes tortuosus Abdalla and Scholtz, 2018

Abdalla, Ishtiag H., Deschodt, Christian M., Scholtz, Clarke H. & Sole, Catherine L., 2018, An update to the taxonomy of the genus Macroderes Westwood 1842 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) with descriptions of new species from South Africa, Zootaxa 4504 (1), pp. 41-75 : 69

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4504.1.3
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:52BA28B6-4280-4BD0-8B38-C794F04E4A66
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5996766
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/7384BF25-B384-44DF-B0B0-303B16AF9D45
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:7384BF25-B384-44DF-B0B0-303B16AF9D45
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Macroderes tortuosus Abdalla and Scholtz
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Macroderes tortuosus Abdalla and Scholtz View in CoL , new species

( Figs. 22 View FIGURES 19–23 , 39 View FIGURES 24–39 , 82 View FIGURES 82–87 , 89 View FIGURES 88–93 , 99 View FIGURES 94–99 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:7384BF25-B384-44DF-B0B0-303B16AF9D45

Type locality. South Africa, Western Cape Province, Gifberg , 31°48'5.22S 18°55'7.16E GoogleMaps .

Type material. Holotype, ♂ ( TMSA): “ South Africa / Western Cape Province / Gifberg / 26km SE of Vanrhynsdorp / 31° 48' 5.22 S 18° 55' 7.16 E / Alt 377 m / 16.vi.2016 / C. Scholtz [printed] // HOLOTYPE / Macroderes tortuosus / Abdalla & Scholtz / 2018 / [red label, printed]” GoogleMaps . Paratypes: 1♂ and 2♀♀ ( TMSA) same data as holotype GoogleMaps ; 2 ♂♂ ( TMSA): “ South Africa / Western Cape Province / Gifberg / 26 km SE of / Vanrhynsdorp / 31° 48 '5.22 S 18° 55' 7.16 E / Alt 377 m / 21.vii.2016 / C. Deschodt & W.P. Strümpher 1 leg [printed] // PARATYPE / Macroderes tortuosus / Abdalla & Scholtz / 2018 / [red label, printed]” GoogleMaps .

Holotype description. Holotype, ♂ ( Fig. 22 View FIGURES 19–23 ). Body length 10.6 mm, body width 7.7 mm.

Head. Clypeus very broad, semi–circular, edges with narrow border and two teeth on anterior margin. Genae acute angled. Frons densely punctate with small round punctures. Frontoclypeal suture slightly curved without tubercle in the middle. Clypeogenal suture present but poorly defined towards the clypeal edge. Dorsal surface of clypeus densely punctate with more or less elongated punctures becoming rugose near the clypeal margin.

Pronotum. Form trapezoidal, shagreened, matte, excavated anterolaterally, lateral edges delimited by narrow borders, borders crenulated, punctate, base not bordered. Pronotum anterior angle obtusely angled, posterior rounded angled appears entire in dorsal view. Pronotal sides rugose with formation of distinct tubercles. Base lacking a longitudinal depression. Pronotal surface punctate with elongated, confluent, coarse punctures ( Figs. 82 View FIGURES 82–87 , 89 View FIGURES 88–93 ). The confluent punctures flowing together forming twisted–like channels. Punctures with short yellow setae. Punctures becoming smaller towards the pronotum anterior edge. Punctures spaced by elevated matte areas.

Elytra. Elytral intervals convex, strongly shagreened, matte, densely punctate with large roughly round punctures. Punctures associated with short yellow setae in the middle. Punctures separated by elevated matte areas. Striae with fine punctures spaced by 2–4 times their own diameter ( Fig. 99 View FIGURES 94–99 ). Stria 9 short, close to stria 10, 2/3 the length of the elytron.

Aedeagus. Sclerite of internal sac curved basally and with very long lateral process, ( Fig. 39 View FIGURES 24–39 ).

Size range. Males length: 10.0– 10.7 mm, width: 7.4–7.9 mm; females length: 8.7–9.8 mm, width: 6.4–7.2 mm.

Female. Female differs from male by having pronotum less excavated anterolaterally than in male.

Etymology. The name of this species is taken from the Latin adjective tortuosus (twisted) for many turns in the pronotum.

Differential diagnosis. This species is most similar to M. amplior in having pronotum with elongated punctures ( Figs. 82 View FIGURES 82–87 , 89 View FIGURES 88–93 ) but it is different from the latter in having close punctures and the pronotum lateral edges punctuate and crenulation clearly visible in dorsal view.

Habitat and distribution. This species was collected from the base of the Gifberg ( Fig. 2) at the northern end of the Bokkeveld Escarpment Mountain Plateau just south of Vanrhynsdorp. These mountains consist of Bokkeveld Sandstone Fynbos ( Mucina & Rutherford 2006). The habitat is very rocky with shallow soil, poor in mineral content.