Coelometopon drakensbergense, Perkins, 2005

Perkins, Philip D., 2005, A revision of the African hygropetric genus Coelometopon Janssens, and description of Oomtelecopon new genus (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae), Zootaxa 949 (1), pp. 1-103 : 1-103

Coelometopon drakensbergense new species

(Figures 21, 22, 76)

Type Material. Holotype (male): South Africa: Natal Prov. , Drakensburg , Cathedral Peak, Mikes Pass, wet rockface, 28° 58' S, 29° 14' E, 22 January 1997, Endrödy­Younga; deposited in the TMSA . Paratypes (120): South Africa: Natal Prov. , Cathedral Peak , air plankton, forest, 28° 57' S, 29° 12' E, 18 March 1976, Endrödy­Younga (#1099) — (1 TMSA); Drakensberg, Cathedral Peak, Rainbow G, wet rockface, 28° 57' S, 29° 14' E, 22 January 1997, Endrödy­Younga (#3268) — (20 TMSA); Drakensburg, Cathedral Peak, Mikes Pass, wet rockface, 28° 58' S, 29° 14' E, 22 January 1997, Endrödy­Younga (#3266) — (45 TMSA); same locality, 28° 58' S, 29° 14' E, 22 January 1997, Endrödy­Younga (#3265) — (53 TMSA); KwaZulu/Natal, Drakensberge: 40 km W Mooi River, Bushmanís River unterhalb Nationalpark Camp, elev. 1700 m, 29° 13' S, 30° 0' E, 22 February 1997, Hess — (1 NMW). Representative specimens deposited in AMG, BMNH, CMNH, FMNH, MCZ, NMW, TMSA , and USNM.

Diagnosis. Similar in dorsal sculpture and body form to C. angulatum ; the aedeagi of the two species also show a resemblance, but are species­specific (Figs. 20, 21). Females of C. drakensbergense have the last tergite strongly bilobate, with a fringe of few strong short spines on each lobe; whereas females of C. angulatum have the last tergite arcuate, with closely spaced short spines.

Description. Size (length/width, mm x 100) holotype: body (length to elytral apices) 241/104, head 56/63, pronotum 52/86, elytra 152/104. Dorsum black. Maxillary palpus slightly shorter than width of anterior margin of clypeus, last three palpomeres subequal in length, ultomere slightly wider than penultomere. Mentum weakly produced apicomedially; depressed on each side of midline near base. Granules of head and pronotum of nearly uniform size and density, those of clypeal disc only slightly finer and sparser. Pronotum with sides emarginate in front of and behind angulation at midlength.

Elytral intervals: 2nd with three or four small, low callosities, middle callosity smaller than areas separating callosities; 4th with four small callosities or raised portions; 6th with slightly raisedunilinear row of granules, interrupted in short sections in front of midlength; odd numbered intervals each with unilinear row of granules.

Metasternum with elongate oval depression. Female last sternite apicomedially weakly emarginate, subapical depression rimmed posteriorly; last tergite strongly bilobate, with fringe of few strong short spines on each lobe.

Aedeagus length 0.70 mm; mainpiece markedly sinuate, gradually increasing in width from major bend to distal end, ridged process small, much shorter than gonopore process, angled slightly toward proximal; gonopore process arcuate, nearly twice as long as membranous process, area between them large and curved (Fig. 21).

Etymology. Named in reference to the geographical distribution.

Distribution. Currently known from two localities in the Drakensburg Mountains of Natal Province (Fig. 76).