Macroderes gifboomi Abdalla & Scholtz, new species

(Figs. 18, 32, 77, 84, 93)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 41E8DF7E-27F6-4C30-8914-19B648371BB4

Type locality. South Africa, Western Cape Province, Gifberg, 26 km SE of, Vanrhynsdorp 31°48'5.22S 18°55' 7E.

Type material. Holotype, ♂ (TMSA): “ South Africa / Western Cape Province / Gifberg / 26 km SE of / Vanrhynsdorp / 31° 48' 5.22 S 18° 55' 7 E / 16 Km E / Alt 377 m / 16.vi.2016 / C. Scholtz [printed] // HOLOTYPE / Macroderes gifboomi / Abdalla & Scholtz / 2018 / [red label, printed]” . Paratypes: 1♂ and 2♀♀ (TMSA) same data as holotype; 4 ♂ (UPSA): “ South Africa / Western Cape Province / Gifberg / 26 km SE of / Vanrhynsdorp / 31°48'5.22 S 18°55'7.16 E / Alt 377m / 21.vii.2016 / C. Deschodt & W.P. Strümpher [printed] // PARATYPE / Macroderes gifboomi / Abdalla & Scholtz / 2018 / [red label, printed]” .

Holotype description. Holotype, ♂ (Fig. 18). Body length 9.9 mm, body width 7.2 mm.

Head. Clypeus broad, semi–circular, bordered by two teeth on anterior edge which are wider than longer. Genae right angled. Frontoclypeal suture clearly evident slightly curved without tubercle in the middle. Frons densely punctate with small round punctures. Clypeogenal suture present but poorly defined towards the clypeal edge. Clypeus densely punctate with fine punctures becoming rugose towards the clypeal frontal margin.

Pronotum. Form trapezoidal, smooth, shiny, width greater than length, with two distinct depressions anterolaterally. Lateral edges rounded delimited with fine borders. Borders impunctate, non–crenulated, base not bordered. Anterior angles obtuse, posterior angles right to obtuse. Pronotal surface lacking a longitudinal depression and uniformly covered with regular round punctures with yellow setae located peripherally (Figs. 77, 84). Punctures spaced by 2–4 times their own diameter.

Elytra. Elytral intervals convex, shiny, densely punctate with small round punctures. Punctures separated by shiny elevated areas by approximately 1–4 their own puncture diameter (Fig. 93). Striae punctate with small punctures with short yellow setae/spaced by 2–4 punctures diameter, stria 9 closest to stria 10 about 2/3 the length of elytra.

Aedeagus. Sclerite of internal sac with long lateral process and rather short and strait basal part (Fig. 32).

Size range. Males length: 9.4–10.1 mm, width: 6.7–7.1 mm; females length: 9.2–10.6 mm, width: 6.6–7.3 mm.

Female. Female differs from male by having well developed tubercle in the middle of the frontoclypeal suture as well as less excavated pronotum anteriolaterally.

Etymology. This species name reflects the Afrikaans name, gifboom, of the evergreen Fynbos shrub Hyaenanche globosa (Gaertn.) Lamb. & Vahl which is endemic to the Gifberg area.

Differential diagnosis. This species is most similar to M. nitidus in having a pronotum with regular round punctures (Figs. 77, 84), however the pronotum is more convex and the whole body shinier than M. nitidus (Fig. 18).

Habitat and distribution. This species was collected from the base of the Gifberg (Fig. 2) at the northern end of the Bokkeveld Escarpment Mountain Plateau just south of Vanrhynsdorp. These mountains consist of Bokkeveld Sandstone Fynbos (Mucina & Rutherford 2006). The habitat is very rocky with shallow soil, poor in mineral content.