Protopectinus pseudoparatinus Tshrernyshev, 2020

Tshernyshev, S. E., 2020, Protopectinus pseudoparatinus - a new genus and species of soft winged flower beetle of the tribe Apalochrini (Coleoptera: Malachiidae) from East Africa, Russian Entomological Journal 29 (1), pp. 69-72 : 70-72

Protopectinus pseudoparatinus Tshrernyshev , sp.n.

Figs 1–11 .

MATERIAL. Tanzania East: Holotype, ♂, Coast Region, Utete, Rufiji River , Kindwitwi Guest House , 8°00´S; 38°46´E; 10– 14.XII.1993, M. Snizek leg.; paratypes, 3♂♂, 9♀♀, idem.

DESCRIPTION. Holotype, male ( Figs 1–2 ). Body elongate, parallel, not wide, very slightly expanded posteriorly.

Antennae, palpi, tibiae and tarsi in anterior and intermediate legs, basal part of posterior tibiae, distal parts of coxae, edges of ventrites yellow-brown, other body parts black-brown; upper surface of head, pronotum and elytra with green-bronze metallic lustre. Surface evenly covered with semi-erect light or white pubescence, locally with single long thin erect hairs. Vesicles pale yellow, and thoracic mesepimera black.

Head slightly narrower than pronotum, flat, not impressed; eyes slightly protruding, small, round, frons flat; genae short and straight; clypeus narrow, transverse, straight; labrum narrow, transverse; palpi simple with apical segment wide and securiform; surface of head shining, densely and coarsely punctured and wrinkled behind forehead, with indistinct microsculpture, sparsely covered with fine semi-erect pubescence.

Antennae dentate, 1.3 mm long, extending beyond the base of elytra ( Fig. 3 ); 1st antennomere oval, wide, 2 nd small, round almost completely hidden by the 1 st, 3 rd antennomere triangular, elongate, 4 th antennomere oval and the same length and width as the 3 rd, 5 th antennomere 1.5 times as long as 4 th, 5 th –10 th antennomeres triangular with slightly extended outer edges, apical antennomere oval, as long as 3 rd antennomere; surface sparsely covered with short, light pubescence.

Pronotum transverse with evenly rounded angles, not narrowed apically, strongly impressed near base with posterior margin elevate and swollen; slightly produced anteriorly and straight posteriorly; margination of sides distinct; surface densely and coarsely punctured, with indistinct microsculpture, shining, evenly covered with fine curved semierect light pubescence and sparse long dark erect hairs.

Scutellum trapezoid, distinct and narrow, transverse and adpressed, evenly punctured and covered with fine pubescence, sides with thin margin.

Elytra parallel, very slightly widened at the apical fourth, at base slightly wider than pronotum; humeri small, slightly protruding; apices evenly rounded, simple; disc distinctly marginate on external sides, suture wide, slightly elevate, the edging continues to elytral apices and forming impressed angle covered with short white adpressed pubescence; surface shining, densely and coarsely punctured, with distinct microsculpture, sparsely covered with thin white semi-erect pubescence.

Hind wings normally developed.

Legs short and strong; posterior femora extend beyond elytral apex; anterior tibiae widened distally, simple ( Fig. 1 ), intermediate tibiae evenly stout to distal part and flattened in apical 2/ 3 in internal side ( Figs 5–6 ); posterior tibiae simple, thin, straight, femora slightly flattened; all tarsi 5-segmented, slightly compressed, not long, 2nd segment in anterior tarsi with a short comb above; 1st and 2nd tarsomeres are equal in size and each twice as large as 3rd or 4th tarsomeres, claw-segment as long as 1st and 2nd tarsomeres together and half as wide in all legs; claws short, thin, narrow, with small denticles at base.

Ventral body surface sparsely punctured, dull, evenly covered with fine, adpressed white pubescence; metathorax swollen, bituberculate, lacking appendage of hair tuft. Pygidium undivided, evenly rounded and narrowed distally, with straight distal side ( Fig. 7 ); lateral lobes of the 8th ultimate abdominal ventrite distinctly adjoined, narrowed distally, with round emargination in middle ( Fig. 8 ); aedeagus slightly curved dorsally, strongly widened at about the middle, with stretched, evenly narrowed and slightly downcurved lamella; bristles or denticles are not visible in the inner sac ( Fig. 9 ). Tegmen narrow, elongate, with long thin parameres ( Fig. 10 ).

Length 2.7 mm, width (at elytral base) 0.8 mm.

Female somewhat longer, anterior palpomere narrower, antennae much shorter, 1st and 2nd tarsomeres as wide as the other tarsomeres, not enlarged, 2 nd tarsomere lacking comb; elevated edging of suture is restricted before elytral apices. Length 2.9–3.0 mm, width (at elytral base) 0.9 mm.

ETYMOLOGY. The name of the new species is taken from the name of genus Paratinus (currently a synonym of Apalochrus ), which species are common in European steppes and look similar to a new species.

DISTRIBUTION. Known from type locality only, Tanzania: Coast Region ( Fig. 11 ) .

Acknowledgements. The author is grateful to Jon Cooter (Oxford University Museum of Natural History, UK) for his kind help with the linguistic revision of the text.

This study was supported by the Federal Fundamental Scientific Research Programme for 2013–2020, grant No. VI.51.1.5 ( AAAA-A 16-116121410121-7).

Figures

Figs 1–10. Protopectinus pseudoparatinus Tshrernyshev gen. et sp.n., holotype, male: 1 — external appearance, dorsal view; 2 — external appearance, lateral view; 3 — left antenna; 4 — left anterior tarsus; 5 — tibia and tarsus of left intermediate leg; 6 — femur of right intermediate leg; 7 — pygidium; 8 — ultimate abdominal ventrite; 9 — aedeagus, dorsal view; 10 — tegmen. Scale bars: 0.5 mm. Рис. 1–10. Protopectinus pseudoparatinus Tshrernyshev gen. et sp.n., голотип, самец: 1 — внеШний вид, дорЗально; 2 — внеШний вид латерально; 3 — левый усик; 4 — леваЯ переднЯЯ лапка; 5 — голень и лапка левой средней ноги; 6 — бедро правой средней ноги; 7 — пигидий (апикальный тергит); 8 — восьмой терминальный абдоминальный вентрит (апикальный стернит); 9 — Эдеагус, дорЗально; 10 — тегмен. МасШтаб: 0,5 мм.

Fig. 11. Protopectinus pseudoparatinus Tshrernyshev gen. et sp.n., distribution map. Рис. 11. Protopectinus pseudoparatinus Tshrernyshev gen. et sp.n., карта распространениЯ.