Boboceratex jouberti, 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 : 1119-1120

Boboceratex jouberti spec. nov.

(®gures 24a±c, e, 27a, b, 29a±e, 33a, 35)

Description

Body length. 14.1±17.3 mm.

Colour. Mid-brown, but elytra usually dark brown except for mid-brown humeral umbone and elytral margin.

Head. Dorsal surface asetose. Outer margin of mandible (®gures 27a, 33a) distinctly sinuate and anteriorly strongly curved inward. Labrum (®gure 27a) asetose; declivous in anterior third and posterior two-thirds, transverse carina obsolete; anterior margin distinctly sinuate. Clypeus (®gure 27a) sloping upward posteriorly to apex of mostly obsolete transverse anterior carina; anterior carina medially often with feeble tubercle; lateral carina obsolete anteriorly but raised and distinct above antennal insertion, continuing from there posteriorly in a slightly arcuate line, and feebly developed near eye-canthus, to almost posterior end of frons; antero-lateral angle of genae sharply raised; with posterior transverse bituberculate carina, carina U-shaped between tubercles; carina laterally terminating with tubercles, not joining lateral clypeal margin. Frons slightly depressed in the middle, depression bordered by a slight swelling on each side in the posterior part. Antennal club with glabrous area of basal segment two-thirds of exposed surface.

Pronotum (®gures 29d, e, 33a). With large concavity occupying anterior median two-thirds of pronotum; concavity slightly narrowed to posterior U- or V-shaped end (®gure 33a), sides steepest at posterior end; posteriorly with distinctly impressed midline opening up into concavity but not reaching posterior pronotal margin; each endpoint of the`U’ or`V’ feebly tuberculate; concavity with very ®ne punctures, interspersed with larger punctures, the latter becoming largerÐbut not deeperÐ and often conūent towards sides; concavity at its widest point narrower than frons between eyes; lateral margin entire.

Scutellum (®gure 27b). Basal width about 1.6Ölength; with large, often conūent but shallow punctures.

Elytron. Striae moderately impressed, their punctures separated by two to four puncture diameters (®gure 27b); intervals with double punctation (about four ®ne and 12±15 minute punctures between two striae).

Metasternum. As in generic description but longitudinal suture reaching mesometasternal suture (®gure 24a).

Legs. Protibia ®ve-dentate. Metatibia in lateral view distinctly broadening towards apex; with subapical carina unlobed; with knoblike projections spread over surface above subapical carina. Metatarsus with one subapical seta each on tarsomere 2 and 3, but lacking subapical setae on tarsomere 4.

Male genitalia. Aedeagus as in ®gure 29a±c.

Distribution (®gure 35). The species is known from two localities in southwestern Namibia and from Brandvlei in the Northern Cape Province, South Africa.

Type material examined. HOLOTYPE: l` South Africa, Northern Cape Province, Brandvlei , 30.27S 20.29E, 12± 14.iv.1997, leg. C. R. Owen’ ( TMSA); 12 PARATYPES: 1m ( TMSA) , 1x (UPSA), 1, l 1m ( AJCS) , 2 ll, 1m, 3x ( COCS) , same data as holotype; 1x,` Brandkaross [28.28S 16.40E], Richtersveld, 9.v.1953, C.Koch’ /`’l /` Bolboceras spurium PeÂring. ’ [handwriting Andreae, curator ex SAMC] ( TMSA) ; 1, l` S.W. Afr., S. Namib, Klinghard Mt. , 27.18S ± 15.42E, 29.vii.1981, E-Y: 1809, night, rocky hill, leg. EndroÈdy-Younga’ ( TMSA) .

Etymology. The species is named after Mr Andre Joubert, an enthusiastic biology teacher in Somerset West who enjoys collecting and studying beetles and often collects valuable research material.

Comments. A separate description of a female specimen is not necessary as no external sexual dimorphism was found in this new species. The only variations observed among the limited number of specimens are: body size; clypeus: the anterior and lateral carinae vary from completely obsolete to feebly developed; pronotal concavity: at posterior end either more V- or U-shaped; and the colour: elytra sometimes not darker than rest of the body.

The new species is without any doubt placed in the genus Bolboceratex . It agrees with the general external generic characters as well as with the distinct aedeagal type. Sexual dimorphism is absent and intraspeci®c variability appears to be minimal.

The aedeagus of Bolboceratex jouberti is most similar to that of Bolboceratex posticatus and Bolboceratex rhodesianus . It is, however, more elongate and the pair of sclerotized projections on the median apparatus is not angularly extended (compare ®gures 29a±c and 28j±l). In external morphology Bolboceratex jouberti can only be confused with Bolboceratex posticatus (see under the latter) and Bolboceratex holmi spec. nov. (see below).