Meridiobolbus natalensis, 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 : 1092-1093

Meridiobolbus natalensis spec. nov.

(®gures 9a±e, 15e, f, 16g ±i, 18b, 20)

Description

Body length. Holotype 10.6 mm.

Colour. Dark brown.

Head. Outer margin of mandible rounded (®gure 15e). Labrum (®gure 15e) declivous anteriad and posteriad from obsolete transverse carina; anterior margin distinctly sinuate. Clypeus (®gures 15e, 18b) with strongly elevated anterior transverse carina, straight in dorsal view; with well-de®ned, short diagonal, posteriorly steeply inclined carina, the latter connecting the antero-lateral marginal angle and the respective endpoint of the transverse anterior carina; with distinct lateral carina from endpoint of anterior carina extending to above antennal insertion, there forming a distinct angular elevation, from which extending posteriorly in a slightly curved line past eye-canthus on frons to about middle of the eye. Frons (®gures 15e, 18b) with strongly elevated, feebly trituberculate transverse carina, positioned in line with postero-lateral angle of eye-canthi.

Pronotum (®gure 18b). With four very feebly tuberculate swellings in anterior third; area anterior to protuberances strongly declivous and feebly concave; with feebly indented midline, not reaching anterior declivous part or posterior pronotal margin; with ®ne punctures in posterior half, interspersed by some large punctures, especially along midline; ®ne punctation increasingly replaced by large, partly con- ¯uent punctures anteriorly and towards sides; protuberances with ®ne punctures only.

Scutellum (®gure 15f). Basal width about 1.25Ölength; with some large, shallow punctures in the middle, and scattered small punctures.

Elytron (®gure 15f). Striae moderately impressed, their punctures small and separated by two to four puncture diameters; intervals with double punctation (approximately three ®ne and 10 minute punctures between two striae).

Legs. Protibia six-dentate. Metafemur with punctation and setation of ventral side as in Bolboceratex , ®gure 24e. Metatibia in lateral view only feebly broadening towards apex; with subapical carina distinctly bilobed; with toothlike projections arranged in two rows above subapical carina.

Male genitalia. Aedeagus as in ®gure 16g ±i.

Distribution (®gure 19). The species is known only from the type locality in north-eastern Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa.

Type material examined. HOLOTYPE: l`Mkuzi [27.39S 32.14E], Zululand, Dec., 1945, Light-Trap, DDT No. 492’`near indubium’ [handwriting Andreae, curator ex SAMC]/`m’ [incorrect]/`SAM ’ [black print on white label] ( SAMC).

Comments. Although no other specimens are known besides the type, there is no doubt that Meridiobolbus natalensis is a new species. The aedeagus is distinct but the apical projections of the parameres in dorsal view link it to Meridiobolbus . The four pronotal protrusions also place the species with the latter genus rather than with Namibiobolbus . In the absence of any additional material it can only be assumed that external sexual dimorphism exists with Meridiobolbus natalensis to the same degree as with the congeneric species.