Blaps teocchii Soldati, 2017

Laurent Soldati, Fabien L. Condamine, Anne-Laure Clamens & Gael J. Kergoat, 2017, Documenting tenebrionid diversity: progress on Blaps Fabricius (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Tenebrioninae, Blaptini) systematics, with the description of Fve new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 282, pp. 1-29 : 18-20

Blaps teocchii Soldati sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BBAE8764-F336-4941-9657-009531E258BC

Fig. 5A–I

Etymology

This species is named in honour of Pierre Teocchi, cerambycid specialist, to whom one of us (L. Soldati) owes having become an entomologist.

Material examined

Holotype

TUNISIA: ♂, “Zaghouan, 20–22.V.1995, M. Ouda leg. / Blaps teocchii m. n. sp. L. Soldati 2015, HOLOTYPE” (MNHN).

Allotype

TUNISIA: ♀, same data as holotype (MNHN).

Paratypes

TUNISIA: 1 ♂, same data as holotype (CS); 1 ♂, same data as holotype (CT).

Description

Length: 31.0–33.0 mm; width: 11.0–13.0 mm. Semi-gloss black. Oval-oblong ( Fig. 5A–C ). Upper surface covered with very fne, sparse and superfcial punctures, denser on head and pronotum.

HEAD. Clypeus arcuately emarginated, with lateral angles right and protruding frontwards, leaving clypeolabial membrane partially visible. Clypeo-frontal suture reduced to thin gloss line. Middle of frons (disc) with faint transverse depression. Mentum transverse, coarsely punctate and slightly impressed in middle of anterior edge. Gula microshagreened, matte. Labium deeply notched in middle of front edge.

ANTENNAE. Slender, barely reaching pronotal base when directed backwards ( Fig. 5D ).

PRONOTUM. Broadest in its middle, with sides narrowed almost in straight line posteriorly and arcuately towards front. Anterior angles rounded. Posterior angles obtuse and blunt. External rim fne, complete on lateral margins but obliterated in middle of front edge and base. Disc slightly convex. Punctation fne, uniform, as on head. Carina of anterior foramen of pronotum thick and neck-shaped below. Episternum of prosternum superfcially wrinkled. Prosternal apophysis vertically bent just behind anterior coxae, then fat and non-protruding posteriorly.

ELYTRA. Ovoid, broadest around its middle, depressed on disc. Upper surface smooth and covered with very fne and sparse punctures; background integument semi-gloss. Caudal extension at apex of elytra (mucro) measuring between 1.0 and 2.5 mm. Seen from above, mucro almost subparallel; deep suture fanked by two thick, coarsely transversely wrinkled ribs, slightly converging toward apex, apex ending in narrow apical gap ( Fig. 5E ). In lateral view, mucro regularly sloping up to apex ( Fig. 5F ). Seen from below, mucro regularly excavated, with sharp external edges and bottom transversally wrinkled.

ABDOMEN. Ventrites wrinkled-punctate; anal ventrite densely punctate, with external rim complete and quite thick.

LEGS. Protibiae long and fexuous. Mesotibiae curved. Inner face of pro- and mesotibiae widely grooved. Tarsi elongated and stout; claws long. Hind tarsi as long as ¾ of length of corresponding tibiae.

SEXUAL DIMORPHISM. No yellow tuft of bristles between ventrites 1 and 2, but strong callosity present between middle and anterior ridge of intercoxal process of ventrite 1 and directed backwards, with some oblique folds on front side. Elytra slightly larger than pronotum in males. Pseudopleural carina only visible on anterior half from above in males, or on anterior third in females, because of transversal convexity of elytra. In lateral view, posterior declivity of elytra steeper in females. Mucro longer in males (2.5 mm) than in females (1.0 mm) ( Fig. 5E, G ). Rear edges of median and especially hind tibiae strongly denticulate in males. Male metatibiae fexuous and shallowly emarginated on inner face at middle third; straight and simple in females.

AEDEAGUS. Parameres bottleneck-shaped on sternal face ( Fig. 5H ), with apex acuminate. In lateral view ( Fig. 5I ), parameres thick and convex at base, then narrowed almost in straight line up to apex.

Bionomics

Unknown.

Distribution

Tunisia. So far known only from the type locality of Zaghouan in Tunisia.

Remarks

This species belongs to the Blaps emondi species group (sensu Condamine et al. 2011). It is morphologically very similar to B. maldesi sp. nov. from Tunisia (see above for more information).

Figures

Fig. 5. Blaps teocchii Soldati sp. nov. A. ♂, habitus (dorsal view). B. ♂, habitus (lateral view). C. ♂, habitus (ventral view). D. ♂, left antenna (dorsal view). E. ♂, mucro (dorsal view). F. ♂, mucro (lateral view). G. ♀, mucro (dorsal view). H. ♂, aedeagus (ventral view). I. ♂, aedeagus (lateral view). Scale bars: A – C = 10 mm; D = 5 mm; E – G = 2 mm; H – I = 1.5 mm.