Atrocrates matthewsi, Iwan, Dariusz, 2016

Iwan, Dariusz, 2016, Species groups in the genus Atrocrates Koch, 1956 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Pedinini), Zootaxa 4175 (6), pp. 571-587 : 580-584

Atrocrates matthewsi sp. nov.

( Figs 47–70, 72, 73, 80)

Locus typicus. Graaff Reinet (South East Cape, Republic of South Africa) ( Fig. 73).

Etymology. I’m pleased to dedicate this species to the distinguished coleopterist Dr. Eric G. Matthews (The South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, Australia).

Diagnosis. A. matthewsi is close to A. galbasi (see dignosis).

Description. Measurements. Body length 9.9–10.6 mm (holotype, male— 10.1 mm), pl/pb—0.7, el/eb—1.3, el/pl—1.9, eb/pb—0.95 (male), 1.00 (female).

Upper side of body mat, with a greasy sheen; head, pronotum and elytral intervals sparsely and delicately punctate ( Fig. 72). Underside of body slightly shiny; prosternum smooth, episternum with shallow longitudinal wrinkles.

Head as in Fig. 47. Clypeus with shallow emargination (ew/ed—1.0). Genal canthus equal to eyes. Eye between tempus and genal canthus narrow (2–3 ommatidia visible), circumocular depression distinct, narrow ( Fig. 48). Antenna moderately long (al/apl—0.8) and wide (al/was3—12), 3rd antennomere short (as3/as2—2.3), distal segments (antennomere 7–11) evenly widened ( Fig. 51). Mentum and submentum as in Fig. 50. Last segment of maxillary palp moderately wide (mp/as3—1.4). Hipostoma near maxillary articulation simple ( Fig. 49).

Pronotum as in Fig. 52, sides rounded, widest at 1/3 from base; pronotal disc evenly convex, depressed near lateral border, with extremely fine puncturation, punctures 3–5 diameters apart; anterior angles obtuse and moderately protruding anteriorly (pl/lapa—0.8); posterior angles right, not protruding beyond the level of the middle of base; pronotal base almost straight.

Scutellum wide at base (pkp/st—3.0).

Elytron composed of 9 rows, striae punctato-sulcate, shallow with fine punctures; intervals flat with fine punctures, 5–6 diameters apart; basal margin almost straight; elytral humeri rectangular, not protruding outwards ( Figs 53, 54).

Prosternal process protruting posteriad, rounded at apex ( Fig. 55).

Metaventrite ( Fig. 56, 57) between the insertions of mid and hind coxae short (metl/cavl—4.5); metepisternum rectangle and short (ml/mw—3.2).

Legs, all tarsi in both sexes narrow; female legs as in Figs 59–62; male fore tibia with longitudinal depression on inner side ( Figs 63, 64, 70); male mid tibia widened, with small apical denticle ( Figs 65, 66, 68); hind tibia simple ( Fig. 69).

Abdominal ventrites with delicate puncturation ( Fig. 57); bordering of the last abdominal ventrite distinct ( Fig. 58); process of 1st abdominal ventrite narrow (pav/pm—1.9) ( Fig. 56).

Female and male genitalia as in other species of Atrocrates .

Types. Holotype: male, deposited in DNMNH; “S. A. East Cape ; Graaff Reinet , 32”13’S/24”30’E; 29.11- 1.12.1996; leg ARNDT ” . Paratypes: 2 males and 3 females (DNMNH), 1 male and 1 female (MIZPAN) “S. A. East Cape; Graaff Reinet , 32”13’S/24”30’E; 29.11- 1.12.1996; leg ARNDT ”.