Sharpia madibai, Haran, Julien M., 2021

Haran, Julien M., 2021, The Smicronychini of southern Africa (Coleoptera, Curculionidae): Review of the tribe and description of 12 new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 735, pp. 34-73 : 36-38

Sharpia madibai sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:35B8B4E7-A313-462E-8C2C-B892485E39EE

Figs 1A , 3A , 5A ; Table 1

Differential diagnosis

Sharpia madibai sp. nov. is mostly similar to S. soluta Faust, 1885 , a species widely distributed in the Mediterranean region on Convolvulus dorycnium Linnaeus, 1759 ( Friedman 2017) . It can be distinguished from it by the absence of spots of white scales in the middle of interstria 2–3 ( S. soluta shows such spots), and by the shape of the penis very elongate [ratio w/l: 0.15] with a series of small

erect setae on sides in S. madibai sp. nov., moderately elongate in S. soluta (ratio w/l: 0.25) and bare of setae).

Etymology

This species is dedicated to Nelson Mandela ʻMadibaʼ for the role he played in the history of the Republic of South Africa.

Material examined

Holotype REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♂; “ S. Africa. Tvl. [Mpumalanga Province]; Kruger N. Pk. [National Park] nr. Satara; 15-18.XII. 1985; H. & A. Howden ” / “HOLOTYPE; Sharpia madibai ; Haran 2021”; SAMC.

Paratypes REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♂; same collection data as for holotype; CMNC • 2 ♂♂; Kruger National Park, Lower Sabie ; 14 Dec. 1985; M. Sanborne leg.; sweeping; CMNC • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 16 Dec. 1985; M. Sanborne leg.; sweeping; CMNC • 1 ♂; Northern Cape Province, Witsand Nature Reserve ; 28.33 S, 22.29 E; alt. 1165 m; 6 Feb. 2012; R. Müller leg.; at light; TMSA • 1 ♀; Limpopo Province, Atherstone Nature Reserve , 20 km west Dwaalboom; 24.36 S, 26.46 E; 17 Apr. 1999; M. Stiller leg.; SANC • 1 ♀; Northern Cape Province, Tsawu , Nas. K. W.; 17 Mar. 1970; H.A.D. van Schalkwyk leg.; SANC • 1 ♂; Northern Cape Province, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve , road between hills; 27°15.387′ S; 22°27.810′ E; 31 Oct. 2018; R. Borovec leg.; FFWS .

NAMIBIA • 1 ♂; Weldevrede Guest Farm ; 24.10 S, 15.58 E; alt. 1105 m; 11–13 Feb. 2010; R. Müller leg.; TMSA • 1 ♂; Kaokoveld Ohopoho town ; 18.03 S, 13.48 E; 13 Feb. 1975; Endrödy and Schulze leg.; at light; TMSA .

Description

BODY LENGTH. 2.4–3.0 mm.

COLOUR. Body integument reddish brown; vestiture consisting of imbricated scales, polygonal, shiny, completely concealing the integument, scales dark brown, pale brown and white, with white scales generally condensed along the median line of prothorax, forming a white band in the middle of 4 th interstria and near apex of interstria 1–3.

HEAD. Rostrum as long as head + prothorax and regularly downcurved in lateral view, thicker than protibiae in dorsal view, densely punctuate and striate (♂), smooth with small punctures in apical half (♀), basal ¾ (♂) or basal half (♀) of upper side bearing dense cover of pale brown scales, upper side of scrobes forming a carina slightly expanding basally near eyes; transverse furrow at base of rostrum narrow, shiny, bare of scales, with two spots of erect white scales on side near eyes; head capsule short, densely covered with scales; antennae inserted at apical ⅓ (♂) or near middle of length (♀) with segment 1 longer than 2 + 3, 4 isodiametric, segments 5–7 wider than long.

PROTHORAX. Slightly wider than long (ratio w/l: 1.02), widest in basal ⅓ of length, greatly narrowed at apex, integument concealed with rounded, almost hexagonal scales, and few scattered suberect, elongate, white scales oriented toward the centre of prothorax.

ELYTRA. Sides subparallel in basal ¾, slightly expanding toward middle of length, widest near middle (ratio w/l: 0.71), humeri raised; declivital callosities on interval 5 present but weak, followed by a depression; striae narrow, ½–¾ width of interstriae; interstriae flat, shiny, bearing two series of imbricated scales and one series of suberect elongate scales; scutellum very small.

ABDOMEN. Underside densely covered with white and grey, elliptical, overlapping scales.

LEGS. Femora clavate, unarmed; tibiae straight, unarmed, slightly bisinuate on ventral side; claws equal in length.

GENITALIA. Body of penis very elongate (ratio w/l: 0.15), 2× as long as apodemes, sides slightly convex, widest near basal ⅓, straight and converging toward apex in apical ¾, apex rounded, curvature in lateral view weak, mainly in basal half ( Fig. 5A ).

Life history

Host plant unknown, adults collected by sweeping vegetation. Sharpia Tournier, 1873 spp. are commonly collected on perennial non-parasitic Convolvulaceae .

Distribution

Namibia, Republic of South Africa (Kruger National Park, Northern Cape Province).

Figures

Fig. 1. Habitus of species of Smicronychini from southern Africa (Part 1). A. Sharpia madibai sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SAMC). B. Afrosmicronyx cycnii sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SAMC). C. Afrosmicronyx louwi sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SAMC). D. Afrosmicronyx marshalli sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SANC). E. Afrosmicronyx nebulosipennis sp. nov., ♂, holotype (BMNH). F. Smicronyx gracilipes sp. nov., ♀, holotype (SAMC). G. Smicronyx similis sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SANC). H. Smicronyx pseudocoecus sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SAMC). I. Smicronyx paucisquamis sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SAMC). J. Smicronyx fallax (Gyllenhal, 1836), ♂, neotype (NHRS). K. Smicronyx australis sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SAMC). L. Smicronyx pauperculus Wollaston, 1864, ♂, specimen from Tanzania. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Fig. 3. Head and prothorax in lateral view of species of Smicronyx from southern Africa (Part 1). A. Sharpia madibai sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SAMC). B. Afrosmicronyx cycnii sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SAMC). C. Afrosmicronyx louwi sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SAMC). D. Afrosmicronyx marshalli sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SANC). E. Afrosmicronyx nebulosipennis, sp. nov., ♂, holotype (BMNH). F. Smicronyx gracilipes sp. nov., ♀, holotype (SAMC). G. Smicronyx similis sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SANC). H. Smicronyx pseudocoecus sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SAMC). Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Fig. 5 (opposite page). Penis of Smicronyx from southern Africa, in dorsal (left) and lateral (right) view. A. Sharpia madibai sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SAMC). B. Afrosmicronyx cycnii sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SAMC). C. Afrosmicronyx louwi sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SAMC). D. Afrosmicronyx marshalli sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SANC). E. Afrosmicronyx nebulosipennis sp. nov., ♂, holotype (BMNH). F. Smicronyx similis sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SANC). G. Smicronyx pseudocoecus sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SAMC). H. Smicronyx paucisquamis sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SAMC). I. Smicronyx fallax (Gyllenhal, 1836), ♂, neotype (NHRS). J. Smicronyx australis sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SAMC). K. Smicronyx pauperculus Wollaston, 1864, ♂, specimen from Tanzania. L. Smicronyx san sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SAMC), bred from Chironia baccifera L. M. Smicronyx drakensbergensis sp. nov., ♂, holotype (TMSA). N. Smicronyx zonatus Haran, 2018, ♂, paratype (CBGP), specimen from the Western Cape Province of the Republic of South Africa. O. Smicronyx lutulentus Dietz, 1894, ♂ (CBGP). P. Smicronyx namibicus Haran, 2018, ♂, holotype (MNHN), specimen from Tanzania. Scale bars: 100 μm.