Andrahomanus scholaris, Kejval & Cz, 2010

Kejval, Zbyněk & Cz, Domažlice, 2010, Taxonomic revision of the genus Andrahomanus (Coleoptera: Anthicidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 50 (1), pp. 167-188 : 183-188

Andrahomanus scholaris sp. nov.

( Figs. 31–36 , 38 )

Type locality. NW Namibia, 50 km NW of Oshakati, Ogongo Agriculture College Campus.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: J, ‘ NAMIBIA NW, 16-30 April 2005 Ogongo Agric.Coll. campus 50 km NW of Oshakati Zd. Jindra lgt.’ ( NMPC) . Paratypes: 1 J 1 ♀, same data as holotype ( ZKDC).

Additional material. NAMIBIA: 1 ♀, SE of Tsumeb, Onguma, 17.–18.ii.1972 [no collector] ( ZKDC). BOTSWA- NA: 1 ♀, Okavango, Makwee lagoon, groundtraps, 12.xii.1975, Russell-Smith leg. ( TMSA).

Description (male, holotype). Body length 2.9 mm. Head and pronotum black, elytra slightly paler, femora largely brown black, paler near base, tibiae brownish, tarsi reddish brown, antennae reddish brown in basal and darkened, brown black in terminal half.

Head 1.1 times as long as wide, widely rounded posteriorly; posterior temporal angles rounded, at most slightly indicated. Eyes small to medium-sized, moderately convex. Dorsal surface rather glossy, distinctly punctate; punctation simple, evenly developed, punctures distinctly separated. Setation short, appressed, with a few short and inconspicuous erect setae. Antennae distinctly enlarged and somewhat flattened in terminal third ( Fig. 31 ); antennomere X about as long as wide, antennomere XI 1.5 times as long as wide.

Pronotum 1.1 times as long as wide, slightly narrower than head including eyes, widely rounded to angulate anteriorly; pronotal disc convex; dorso-lateral sides rather rounded (not carinate), their outlines straight to slightly concave and narrowing towards base in dorsal view. Dorsal surface rather glossy, distinctly punctate; punctation similar, only slightly denser than that on head. Setation as that on head.

Elytra 1.7 times as long as wide, nearly conjointly rounded apically. Surface moderately glossy, distinctly punctate; basal third punctation similar to that on head, becoming finer and sparser towards elytral apices. Setation longer than that on head, mostly subdecumbent, pale to silvery; erect setae more numerous and distinct than those on head.

Legs simple; setation short and fine, apical margin of meso- and metatibiae with fringe of stiff setae.

Abdominal sternum VII slightly angulately produced postero-medially, with a distinct pitlike median impression shortly before posterior margin ( Fig. 32 ). Tergum VII simple, nearly evenly rounded posteriorly. Sternite VIII as in Fig. 33 ; paired prongs wide and short, flattened, subtruncate apically, with two small projections/lobes on each side dorso-laterally; surface of prongs with some longer stiff and clustered setae apically and on apex of lateral projections. Tergite VIII widely rounded and slightly emarginate postero-medially ( Fig. 34 ). Segment IX as in Fig. 35 ; paired apical sclerites of rather complex morphology, well sclerotized, densely spinulous on inner side.

Aedeagus as in Fig. 36 ; apical portion of tegmen 0.45 times as long as basal piece, abruptly narrowed at mid-length, with rather wide, pointed apex; inner structure of median lobe armed with numerous spinules.

Female. In most external characters identical with male; both sternum and tergum VII simple, evenly rounded apically.

Variation. Body length (J ♀) 2.9–3.1 mm. Paratypes more or less paler than the holotype (in an extreme case nearly uniformly brown); some of them showing coarser and denser punctation of the head and pronotum (especially in the specimen from Botswana).

Differential diagnosis. Andrahomanus scholaris sp. nov. is closely related to A. crassicornis sp. nov., as suggested by the nearly same body form and similarity of all male characters. It differs from the latter species by the somewhat glossy, less densely punctate dorsal surface of the head and especially the pronotum (punctures smaller, distinctly separated), comparatively longer and more slender antennae (cf. Figs. 31 and 1 ), and by numerous details in morphology of abdominal sternum VII, sternite VIII, segment IX and the aedeagus (cf. Figs. 32–36 and 2–6 ).

Etymology. From the Latin adjective scholaris (scholastic); named in reference to the collecting circumstances (all type specimens were captured at a college campus).

Distribution. Namibia, Botswana.

Remarks. The two specimens listed under ‘Additional material’ are somewhat aberrant females. Both are unicolourous brown, with the one from Okavango differing by the denser/coarser punctation of the head and pronotum. Their identification should be taken as tentative.

Figures

Figs. 31–36. Andrahomanus scholaris sp. nov., holotype (male): 31 – antenna; 32 – sternum VII; 33 – sternite VIII in dorsal view; 34 – tergite VIII; 35 – segment IX; 36 – aedeagus in ventral (right) and lateral (left) view. Scale = 0.2 mm: A – Figs. 31, 34; B – Fig. 32; C – Fig. 35; D – Fig. 36; E – Fig. 33.

Figs.37–43.Andrahomanus spp., habitus:37 – A. crassicornis sp. nov. (paratype); 38 – A.scholaris sp. nov. (holotype); 39 – A. particularis (Pic, 1932) (lectotype); 40 – A. ovaliceps sp. nov. (holotype); 41 – A. opacus sp. nov. (paratype, Swartbooisdrift); 42 – A. luteipes Pic, 1903 (holotype); 43 – A. sabulicola sp. nov. (paratype, Nyandu sands).

Figs. 1–6. Andrahomanus crassicornis sp. nov., holotype (male): 1 – antenna; 2 – sternum VII; 3 – sternite VIII in dorsal view; 4 – tergite VIII; 5 – segment IX; 6 – aedeagus in ventral (right) and lateral (left) view. Scale = 0.2 mm: A – Fig. 6; B – Fig. 3; C – Fig. 5; D – Figs. 2, 4; E – Fig. 1.