Afrotarus soudaensis Rasool, Felix & Abdel-Dayem

Rasool, Iftekhar, Felix, Ron F. F. L., Abdel-Dayem, Mahmoud S. & Aldhafer, Hathal M., 2017, A review of subtribe Cymindidina Laporte, 1834 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Lebiini) in Southwestern Saudi Arabia, with descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 4236 (1), pp. 157-171 : 161-162

Afrotarus soudaensis Rasool, Felix & Abdel-Dayem sp. n.

Type material. Total 25 specimens: HOLOTYPE, 1 ♂ in KSMA, point-mounted, labeled: “ KSA, Al Souda, W. Gouz, N18°14.048' E42°25.036' Alt. 2591 m, 14.XI.2012, (HP), M.S. Abdel-Dayem ” / “ Holotype Afrotarus soudaensis sp. n.; det. I. Rasool, R.F.F.L. Felix, & M.S. Abdel-Dayem, 2015” [red label] . Paratypes: Total 23 specimens, sex and label data as follows. 3 ♂ 4 ♀, same as holotype”. 1 ♂ “ KSA, Abha , Rayda, N18°11.838' E42°24.469' Alt. 2409 m, 4.XI.2013, (HP), M.S. Abdel-Dayem & I. Rasool ” . 2 ♂ 1 ♀ “ KSA, Abha , Rayda, N18°11.838' E42°24.469' Alt. 2409 m, 22.II.2014, (HP), I. Rasool ” . 2 ♀ “ KSA, Abha , Rayda, N18°11.838' E42°24.469' Alt. 2409 m, 26.IV.2014, (HP), I. Rasool ” . 1 ♂ “ KSA, Abha , N18°11.838' E42°24.469' Alt. 2409 m, 16.IV.2014, (HP), M.S. Abdel-Dayem ” . 2 ♀ “ KSA, Abha , Rayda, N18°12.315' E42°24.607' Alt. 2761 m, 11.XII.2014, (PT), M.S. Abdel-Dayem ”. All paratypes with second label reading “ Paratype Afrotarus soudaensis sp. n.; det. I. Rasool, R.F.F.L. Felix, & M.S. Abdel-Dayem, 2015” [yellow label] [ KSMA] . 1 ♀ “ Arabia ”/ “ 18.VII.1981, An-Nimas ” / “ Afrotarus scotti Basilewsky, J. Mateu , det. 1983” [ BNHM] . 1 ♂ 2 ♀, same as holotype”. 1 ♀ “ KSA, Abha , Rayda, N18°11.838' E42°24.469' Alt. 2409 m, 21.II.2014, (HP) , 1 ♂ 2 ♀, N18°11.838' E42°24.469' Alt. 2409 m, 22.II.2014, (HP), I. Rasool” / “Paratype Afrotarus soudaensis sp. n.; det. I. Rasool, R.F.F.L. Felix, & M.S. Abdel-Dayem, 2015” [yellow label] [RMNH].

Specific epithet. The specific epithet is a Latinized adjective form based on Al Souda area from which the holotype of this new species was collected.

Recognition. This species can be distinguished from other members of the genus by the combination of fusco– brunneous body, finely and sparsely punctate; pronotum slightly wider than long, lateral margins with one pair of setae before anterior angles, hind angles not protruded; intervals of elytra finely pubescent laterally; aedeagus hooked apically, smoothly curved to apex.

Description. Habitus. body elongate subovoid ( Fig. 22 ), TBL male 6.8–8.0 mm, female 8.0–9.0 mm.

Colour. great variation in colour, from testaceous to fusco-brunneous; border of frons and clypeus dark, elytra with testaceous humeral macula and sometimes testaceous macula at apex near suture, in some specimens humeral macula starts from intervals IV up to lateral margin and extend posteriorly to one fourth of elytra, in others humeral macula extends from suture to lateral margin, in some individuals one testaceous macula on apex of elytra not reaching suture or apical margin.

Microsculpture. head, elytra and ventrum smooth; labrum with mesh pattern isodiametric; short transverse microlines effaced on disc of pronotum along median longitudinal impression.

Luster. Body shiny.

Head. slightly elongate ( Fig. 10 ), HL 1.55–2 mm and HW 1.25–1.62 mm, as long as width of pronotum; finely and sparsely punctuated; eyes small and slightly prominent; temples long with irregular pubescence; neck constricted; two pairs of supraorbital setae present, two ridges near eyes covering the clypo-ocular surface; clypeus and labrum transverse, clypeus with few fine hardly visible punctures on the surface and one pair of lateral setae; anterior margin of labrum slightly concave, with series of five setae; median tooth of mentum broad and pointed at apex; antennae surpassing pronotal base by 3 antennomeres, antennomere II shorter than others, III longer than the rest, I, IV and XI equal, V–X subequal and shorter than I, IV and XI, pubescence starts from antennomere III.

Pronotum. slightly wider than long ( Fig. 10 ), PW 1.42–1.95 mm, PL 1.25–1.75 mm; surface finely punctate, along with micropuncture; lateral margins of pronotum constricted posteriorly but not sinuate; median longitudinal impression clear and not deep; anterior margin concave with rounded angles; one pair of setae at anterior half of lateral margins before anterior angles; base of pronotum almost straight, medially raised; hind angles slightly obtuse, not protruded.

Elytra. elongate subovoid. EL 3.7–5.3 mm and EW 2.5–3.7 mm; widest behind mid-length, rounded at humeri and apical edges, obliquely truncate at apex; striae deep and clear, intervals with dense but fine punctuation.

Legs. mesotibia with row of sharp spines on its outer surface starting just before middle; tarsomere I in fore leg shorter than tarsomere V, equal in mid leg, longer in hind leg; tarsomeres I–III in fore leg of male dilated; claws with 3 teeth in the middle.

Abdomen. five visible abdominal ventrites, very finely punctate, laterally pubescent; apical margin of last ventrite almost rounded in both sexes; surface of last abdominal segment densely punctate and pubescent; 4 setiferous punctures at apical margin of ventrites, two medially and two laterally.

Aedeagus. shape of aedeagus ( Fig. 16 ), in lateral view male genitalia gently curved; apically hooked; apical portion more narrow than base and smoothly narrowed. Genitalia widened at the middle.

Affinity. This species is closely related to the previous species Afrotarus fadli sp. n. and A. scotti ( Basilewsky, 1948) . From the former species it can be distinguished by darker colour; pronotum slightly wider than long; mentum with median tooth pointed; elytra laterally with short pubescence; aedeagus not abruptly narrowed apically. However, it differentiates from A. scotti ( Basilewsky, 1948) by hind angles of pronotum not protruded and without setae; aedeagus hooked.

Geographical distribution. This species is known only from W. Gouz and Rayda Nature Reserve in Asir mountains, southwest of Saudi Arabia ( Fig. 29 ).

Ecological note. Apterous species that was collected from 2363–2820 m. These beetles inhabit the Juniper forest in Rayda Nature Reserve. All the specimens were collected by hand under stones on substrate covered with fallen leaves and vegetation debris. In Rayda Nature Reserve, most of the specimens were collected near waterfall from moist and humid places ( Fig. 26 , 27 ).

Figures

FIGURE 26. Photograph of the type locality for Afrotarus soudaensis sp. n. at Wadi Gouze, Aziza, Al Souda, Asir Province, southwest of Saudi Arabia at 2363 m elevation.

FIGURE 27. Photograph of the locality for Afrotarus soudaensis sp. n. at Rayda Nature Reserve, Baha, Asir Province, southwest of Saudi Arabia at 2761 elevation.

FIGURE 29. Distribution of species of Afrotarus and Cymindis in the southwestern Saudi Arabia.

FIGURES 20 – 25. Habitus of Afrotarus and Cymindis: 20 – 21 Males of A. fadli sp. n. 22 male of A. soudaensis sp. n. 23 Paratype of A. scotti (Basilewsky, 1948) 24 C. andreae Menetries, 1832 25 C. suturalis Dejean, 1825.

FIGURES 9 – 14. Head and pronotum of Afrotarus and Cymindis: 9 A. fadli sp. n. 10 A. soudaensis sp. n. 11 A. scotti (Basilewsky, 1948) 12 C. andreae Menetries, 1832 13 C. laevistriata Lucas, 1846 14 C. suturalis Dejean, 1825 (Figures 13 and 14 taken by Jan Muilwijk in RMNH).

FIGURES 15 – 19. Aedeagus of Afrotarus and Cymindis: 15 A. fadli sp. n. 16 A. soudaensis sp. n. 17 A. scotti (Basilewsky, 1948) 18 C. laevistriata Lucas, 1846 19 C. suturalis (Dejean, 1825). (Figure 18 taken by Jan Muilwijk in RMNH).