Sphrigodellus usambaricus Yunakov, 2012

Yunakov, Nikolai, 2012, 3535, Zootaxa 3535, pp. 1-104 : 22-24

Sphrigodellus usambaricus Yunakov , sp. n.

(figs 29, 30, 148–166, 172, 173, 365)

Diagnosis. Similar to S. lepidus Marshall, 1940 and S. minutus sp. n. in general appearance. From S. minutus sp. n. it differs by narrower and longer erect setae on elytra, tibiae, and antennae; feebly curved pro- and mesotibiae; frontal fovea not by scales; intervals 3 and 5 sparsely setose or without setae; occiput constricted; rostrum as long as wide or weakly elongate [RL/RW average 1.30]; subocular row dense, consists of 6–8 setae; temples squamose without longitudinal callosity; funicular segment 1 squamose; male elytral disc flat; median lobe constricted on the middle part; tegminal ring with process. From S. lepidus it differs by green scales on head, sides of pronotum, and 1st interval of elytra; epifrons sides with row of rather erect scales; elytral intervals 1–6 (in S. lepidus —2, 4, 6) with distinct row of setae; intervals 1, 3, 5 with sparse setal row(in S. lepidus intervals 1, 3, 5, 7–10 without setae); antennal funicle (1st or 1st and 2nd segments) with scales; rostrum with 8–10 (in S. lepidus —6) epistomal setae; anterior setal fringe consists of 12 (4+2+2+4) (in S. lepidus —8 (4+4)) suberect setae; epifrons at the level of antennal articulation 1.5 x as wide as vertex (in S. lepidus 1.66 x); antennal scape evenly widened apically; funicular segments 6–7 1.5x as long as wide (in S. lepidus as long as wide); FW/ELD average: 1.14 (in S. lepidus —1.50); median lobe 0.7 x as long as apodeme (in S. lepidus long as apodeme); shape of aggonoporium (figs 161, 162).

Description.

Measurements. BL: 2.98–4.07 (3.41) mm, BW: 1.36–2.00 (1.55) mm, BH: 1.20–1.90 (1.42) mm.

Vestiture. Body densely covered with overlapping, round convex scales, setose. Setae of head form rows along lateral edges of epifrons (recumbent or subrecumbent) and above the eyes (erect). Subocular row consists of 6–8 setae. Anterior setal fringe consists of 12 (4+2+2+4) erect setae; they large, strongly differ from ones on pronotal disc. Posterior setal fringe consists of long spatulate setae, partly hidden by posterior edge of pronotum. Elytral intervals 1–6 with distinct row of setae. Anterior half of elytra with shorter and broader suberect setae (half as long as interval width), posterior declivity with long, strongly erect, narrow, truncate setae (as long as interval width). Intervals 2, 4, 6 with rather dense setal row; intervals 1, 3, 5 with sparse setal row. Ventral side of thorax (including basisternum and mesobasisternum) and abdomen densely squamose. Antennal scape setose and densely squamose; setae erect, long, thick, acute or truncate. Funicle setose, 1st funicular segment with scales; setae suberect 1.5 x as long as segment 7. Femora and tibiae externally and internally covered with overlapping scales as on antennal scape; densely setose; distal portion of tibiae surface without scales; setae on legs slender, acute. Male metatibiae with dense grooming brush; hairs short. Tarsi setose and squamose.

Coloration. Background scaling consists of light brown, brown and cupreous scales; striped pattern formed by cupreous and green scales. Dark and pale scales both with slightly pronounced pearl shine. Head brownishcupreous; subgenae, temples, genae, and articulation surface covered with green scales. Pronotum with deepbrown background scaling and 5 broad longitudinal cupreous stripes: 1 discal (narrow) and 4 lateral (broad). Elytra with brownish-cupreous background scaling, alternate striped pattern obscure (intervals 2, 4, 6 light brown). Elytral interval 1 and 11 entirely or partly green, interval 2 with small green spot on posterior declivity, 7–10 with green spots in apical half. Ventral side of pronotum green, meso-/metasternum and abdomen green or green+cupreous. Femora brown-cupreous, proximal portion and ventral surface with green scales. Tibiae cupreous.

Head. Rostrum elongate [RL/RW: 1.19–1.40 (1.3)], parallel-sided. Pterygia not extended beyond contour of rostrum. Antennal sockets dorsal. Antennifers half-visible. Epifrons distinctly sinuate in middle, at the level of antennal articulation 1.5 x as wide as vertex width, with transverse depression posteriorly of antennal sockets, distinctly sloping at sides and very steep sloping anteriorly, without median sulcus or carina. Transverse sulcus deep, concealed by dense scaling at dorsal surface and partly open at sides. Anterior portion of epifrons almost vertical with shallow longitudinal depression. Epistome vestigial, very narrow, transverse, delimited by narrow carina, bears 8–10 epistomal setae. Eyes broadly oval, sublateral, strongly convex, highest posteriorly [FW/ELD: 0.92–1.36 (1.14)]. Vertex in male narrow, in female broad, flat. Vertex with deep oblong frontal fovea. Occiput distinctly constricted (see in lateral view).

Antennae. Scape extended behind anterior edge of pronotum, weakly evenly curved, thick. 1 st funicular segment longer and wider than 2 nd; segments 3–7 oblong. Club egg-shaped.

Thorax. Pronotum transverse or as long as wide [PL/PW: 0.95–1.00 (0.97)], evenly slightly convex at sides, distinctly constricted at anterior portion, widest anteriorly of the middle. Disc weakly convex longitudinally and transversally, with distinct lateral carinae and depressions. Posterior edge straight. Tergosternal suture complete but concealed by scales. Metanepisternal suture obsolete posteriorly.

Elytra. In male oblong-oval, in female oval EL/EW: 1.29–1.50 (1.36); sides in basal 1/3 straight; anterior declivity arcuate, abrupt, sharpen; disc in male weakly, in female strongly convex, [EL/BH: 1.37–1.61 (1.49)]. Subscutellar callosity reaches 3rd elytral interval, with two tiny tubercles.

Legs. Protibiae and mesotibiae almost straight, not widened at the apex, interior edge C-shaped in distal portion sparsely serrate. Meso- and metatibiae with 2 small teeth on interior edge (straight). Mucro well developed, thorn-shaped, acute. Setal comb of protibiae consists of sparse 7–9 black setae not extending beyond external edge of tibiae, hidden by fringe of pale spatulate setae. Bevel of metatibiae narrowly enclosed; its surface entirely densely setose. Tarsi robust; tarsomere 2 transverse, 1.5 x as wide as length; tarsomere 3 with two wide lobes; tarsomere 5 of metatarsus extending beyond apical lobes of 3rd by length of the last one.

Abdomen. Posterior margin of 1st ventrite straight. 2nd ventrite 1.5 x as long as 3rd one, posterior margin of 2nd ventrite straight. 5th ventrite flat, without depression near the apex, apical edge in male broadly rounded, in female acute.

Male genitalia. Median lobe parallel-sided in middle (in one male from Bamba Forest median lobe strongly sinuate in middle 1/3; lateral edges of median lobe form longitudinal carina), in apical 1/4 sharply evenly narrowed anteriorly; narrowly rounded, dorso-ventrally slightly swollen; 0.7 x as long as apodeme. Internal sac without spiculate fields, with large, long aggonoporium consisting of two stick-shaped lobes connected proximally by transverse bridge. Ostium stick-shaped, moderately sclerotized. Ligulae membranous. Parameres absent, basal piece of tegmen broad, tegminal apodeme 0.75 x as long as apodemes of median lobe.

Female genitalia. Styli well developed, stick-shaped, bearing 2 setae. Spermatheca moderately sclerotized; ramus thick, 2 x as wide as ramus; collum slender, as long as ramus; corpus small, not swollen; cornus slender, acute, not extended beyond corpus. Tergite 8 triangular with straight short fringe of tenuous long setae at the apex. Sternite 8 thick. Lamella sharply narrowed and acute, without setae, knife-shaped, heavily sclerotized. Apodeme thick, caput distinctly developed.

Distribution. Tanzania: East Usambara Mountains (figs 365, 368).

Bionomics. Submontane and lowland rain forests; 170–1000 m a.s.l. Trees and shrubs, canopy.

Material examined. Tanzania: 1♂, 1♀ including holotype male, dissected ( ZMUC) “ TANZANIA: Tanga Region / Bamba For. Res./ S4 58 E 38 47 / July–Sept.1995 / “ Frontier-Tanzania ” ZMUC” ; 1♂ ( ZMUC) Tanga reg., Kwangumi Forest Reserve , 170–220 m, S4 57 E 38 44, 22.vii.1995 canopy fog 9-1A, ZMUC ; 1♂ ( ZMUC) Tanga reg., Pangani Falls Forest , S5 20 E 38 40, July–March.1993 “Frontier Tanzania” ZMUC .

Etymology. The name refers to Usambara Mountains where this species occurs.