Discozantaena sepiola, Perkins, Philip D., 2005

Perkins, Philip D., 2005, A revision of the South African endemic humicolous beetle genus Discozantaena Perkins and Balfour­Browne (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae), Zootaxa 915, pp. 1-48 : 20-21

Discozantaena sepiola new species

( Figures 11 , 22 , 34 )

Type Material. Holotype (male): S. Cape, Harkerville Forest, sifted at forest marsh, 34° 4' S, 23° 10' E, 14 December 1975, Endrödy­Younga (#1313); deposited in the TMSA. Paratypes (214): Same data as holotype — (15 TMSA). Cape Prov., Garden of Eden, sifted litter, 34° 2' S, 23° 12' E, 13 December 1976, Endrödy­Younga (#1310) — (7 TMSA); George, forest litter in gorge, 33° 58' S, 22° 28' E, 4 September 1979, Endrödy­ Younga (#1633) — (2 TMSA); Harkerville Forest, podocarp. for. litter, 34° 4' S, 23° 10' E, 14 December 1976, Endrödy­Younga (#1312) — (4 TMSA); Helderfontein, sifted, fynbos, elev. 1150 m, 33° 56' S, 20° 52' E, 8 March 1979, Endrödy­Younga (#1561) — (23 TMSA); Humansdorp D., Wit Els Bos, humus, ZA 63, 33° 58' S, 23° 30' E, 1–30 January 1961, N. Leleup — (3 TMSA); Keurboomstrand, sifted litter, 34° 0' S, 23° 27' E, 15 December 1976, Endrödy­Younga (#1317) — (5 TMSA); same locality, 34° 34' S, 23° 27' E, 15 December 1976, Endrödy­Younga (#1316) — (3 TMSA); Knysna, Buffelsnek, berl. litter under shrubs in fynbos, #169, 34° 3' S, 23° 3' E, 16–19 December 1979, S. & J. Peck — (7 FMNH); Knysna, Diepwalle, berl., forest litter at tree bases and stumps, #159, 34° 3' S, 23° 3' E, 13 December 1979, S. & J. Peck — (2 FMNH); Knysna, Gouveld, berl., moist litter, floodplain forest, #192, 34° 3' S, 23° 3' E, 28 December 1979, S. & J. Peck — (37 FMNH); Knysna, Kranshoek, berl., litter, degraded high coastal forest, #173, elev. 200 m, 34° 3' S, 23° 3' E, 18 December 1979, S. & J. Peck — (16 FMNH); Langeberge, Boesmansbos, sifted forest litter, elev. 1050 m, 33° 56' S, 20° 53' E, 9 March 1979, Endrödy­ Younga (#1563) — (1 TMSA); Lily Vlei Nat. Res., moist forest, 33° 56' S, 23° 2' E, 1–30 May 1983, J. Koen — (9 TMSA); same locality, 33° 56' S, 23° 2' E, 1–30 January 1984, J. Koen — (6 TMSA); same locality, 33° 56' S, 23° 2' E, 1–30 April 1984, J. Koen — (17 TMSA); Outeniqua Mt., Ruitersbos, sifted forest litter, 33° 53' S, 22° 1' E, 15 August 1979, Endrödy­Younga (#1646) — (1 TMSA); Outeniqua Mt., Ruitersbos, sifting, elev. 800 m, 33° 53' S, 22° 1' E, 15 August 1979, Endrödy­Younga (#1644) — (15 TMSA); Outeniqua Pass, sifted, fynbos, 33° 53' S, 22° 23' E, 4 November 1978, Endrödy­Younga (#1503) — (2 TMSA); S. Cape, Gouna moist forest, forest litter, 33° 57' S, 23° 2' E, 1–30 December 1983, J. Koen — (20 TMSA); S. Cape Mt., Helderfont. S, sifted, alpine marsh, elev. 1220 m, 33° 56' S, 20° 52' E, 10 March 1979, Endrödy­Younga (#1566) — (1 TMSA); S. Tsitsikama, Lottering, indig. forest litter, 33° 56' S, 23° 40' E, 12 December 1977, Endrödy­Younga (#1419) — 2 adults (incl. 2 paratypes) (2 TMSA); Tsitsikama forest, Humansdorp D., humus, ZA 60, 33° 58' S, 23° 30' E, 1–30 January 1961, N. Leleup — (3 TMSA); Tsitsikama Forest N.P., berl., animal dung in hollow tree base, #175, 33° 58' S, 23° 30' E, 20 December 1979, S. & J. Peck — (2 FMNH); Tsitsikama Forest N.P., berl., litter, gully forest with tree ferns, #176, 33° 58' S, 23° 30' E, 20 December 1979, S. & J. Peck — (3 FMNH); same locality, 33° 58' S, 23° 30' E, 20 December 1981, S. & J. Peck — (4 MCZ); Tsitsikamma forest, litter, 33° 58' S, 23° 30' E, 7 March 1992, J. Klimaszewski — (2 TMSA). Representative specimens to be deposited in AMG, ANIC, BMNH, CMNH, FMNH, MCZ, NMW, QMBA, SAMA, SAMC, and USNM.

Diagnosis. Recognized by the distinctive body shape, with short, posteriorly acuminate elytra ( Fig. 11 ).

Description. Size (length/width, mm) holotype: body (length to elytral apices) 1.74/ 0.93, head 0.29/0.52, pronotum 0.43/0.79, elytra 1.05/0.93. Dorsum brown, head and disc of pronotum darker; venter brown. Frons flattened but feebly gibbous between oblique foveae, disc with moderately dense granules, moderately shining; decumbent pubescence short but rather dense, small granule at base of each seta, on disc setae directed posteriad, near eyes setae directed mediad. Clypeus very transverse, anterior margin emarginate, anterior angles very widely rounded, sculptured and clothed as frons, but less densely. Labrum moderately shining, pubescence very short and sparse; apicomedian weak emargination slightly reflexed.

Pronotum very transverse; anterior margin weakly arcuate, median 1/2 with narrow hyaline border; anterior angles sharply rounded; sides weakly arcuate except emarginate before acute, tooth­like posterior angles; posterior margin arcuate except emarginate near posterior angles. Sides minutely denticulate. Disc quite strongly roundly elevated between anterior and posterior broadly U­shaped transverse impressions, clothed with moderately dense, short decumbent golden setae, socket of each seta very indistinct but anterior rim raised to form distinct oblong granule, some granules 8­shaped; interstices strongly shining. Lateral depressions with setae and granules less dense than those on disc.

Elytra with anterior angles sharply rounded, sides weakly arcuate to middle, then markedly attenuate to very narrowly truncate apices, sutural apex very minutely produced; external to tenth series broadly explanate almost to apex, moderately shining; sides minutely serrate, pubescence dense and short. Ten seriate punctate, but two additional series on explanate margin, series barely striate impressed, punctures transversely oval, those near base contiguous longitudinally, posteriorly becoming little more separated and slightly smaller, each with distinct short sub­decumbent seta; each setal base with minute granule. Intervals impunctate, shining in clean specimens, flat, slightly wider than serial punctures. Sutural margin raised slightly in posterior 1/2. Humeri absent (flightless).

Metasternum with midlongitudinal impression. Thoracic sterna and abdominal ventrites 1–2 with sparse short pubescence.

Aedeagus total length 0.70 mm; mainpiece length 0.43 mm; mainpiece, in lateral view, distinctively narrowed just before distal widened area; flagellum long, forming spiral which is stiff for all but apical 1/4, which is very weakly sclerotized and its shape can therefore vary depending on preparation; collar is in front of flagellum only, not wrapping around as in some species ( Fig. 22 )

Etymology. Latin, "little cuttlefish," in reference to the body shape.

Distribution. Presently known from extreme southern Cape Province ( Fig. 34 ).

Notes. In most specimens the flight wings are reduced to tiny lobes and the elytral humeral umbo is totally lacking. However, the seven specimens from Knysna, Buffelsnek, have fully developed flight wings and an extremely faint indication of an elytral humeral umbo.

Figures

FIGURE 11. Discozantaena sepiola holotype. Dorsal and lateral habitus.

FIGURE 22. Discozantaena sepiola. Aedeagus of holotype.

FIGURES 32 – 34. Discozantaena distribution maps. — 32. D. tibiovela. — 33. D. leleupi. — 34. D. sepiola.