Octavius sarkae xhosa, Janák, 2014

Janák, JiĜí, 2014, New species and subspecies of Octavius from South Africa, with a key and additional distribution records (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Euaesthetinae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 54 (1), pp. 195-231 : 217-219

Octavius sarkae xhosa subsp. nov.

( Figs 49, 52 , 56 , 60 )

Type locality. South Africa, Eastern Cape Province, Mkhambati NR, 31°16ƍS, 29°59.8ƍE.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: 3: ‘ South Africa, Eastern Cape, Mkhambati NR, indig.forest at Mkhambati river , 28.i.2012, 31°16S; 29°59.8E, J. Janák lgt. // forest litter, sifting // Octavius sarkae xhosa ssp. n., J. Janák det. 2013’ ( TMSA) . PARATYPES: 4337 ♀♀: same data as holotype ( JJRC).

Description. In most external characters very similar to O. sarkae sp. nov., but slightly smaller, body length 1.5–1.8 mm (M 1.6 mm, HT 1.7 mm), forebody length 0.7–0.8 mm (M 0.8 mm, HT 0.8 mm); eyes on average slightly larger (length temples – eyes R 1.26–1.48, M 1.39, HT 1.47).

Other measurements: width head – pronotum R 0.88–0.91, M 0.89, HT 0.88; pronotum width – length R 1.10–1.17, M 1.14, HT 1.13; elytra width – length R 1.38–1.54, M 1.48, HT 1.47.

Male. Sternite 8 and 9 as in O. sarkae sp. nov. Aedeagus similar as in O. sarkae sp. nov. (n = 5, length 0.43–0.45 mm, M 0.44 mm, HT 0.44 mm), but apical portion of internal sclerotised plate hook-shaped and median lobe with low sharp ventral ridge apically ( Fig. 49, 52 ).

Differential diagnosis. Octavius sarkae xhosa subsp. nov. differs from the nominotypical subspecies of O. sarkae sp. nov. and O. sarkae ntsubane subsp. nov. only by the aedeagus, which is characterised by the apical portion of internal sclerotised plate hook-shaped, not rounded or ¿shtail-shaped, and by the median lobe with low ventral ridge apically. Octavius sarkae xhosa subsp. nov. can be distingushed externally (sometimes with dif¿culties) from O. sarkae ntsubane subsp. n. by distinct granulation between anterior margin and transverse impression (in the latter subspecies this region is coarsely reticulate and wrinkled).

Bionomics. All specimens have been found in siftings of forest litter in indigenous forest.

Distribution. Octavius sarkae xhosa sp. nov. has been currently recorded only from Mkhambati NR in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa ( Figs 56 , 60 ).

Etymology. This species is named after the tribe Xhosa , who inhabit the area where the type locality is situated.

Figures

Figs. 48–53. 48, 51 – Octavius sarkae sp. nov. 49, 52 – O. sarkae xhosa subsp. nov. 50, 53 – O. sarkae ntsubane ssp. nov. 48-50 – aedeagus ventral, HT; 51-53 – aedeagus ventro-lateral, PT. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

Figs. 54–59. Localities. 54 – Fort Fordyce NR; 55 – Kogelberg NR; 56 – Mkhambati NR, forest at Mkhambati river; 57 – Mkhambati NR, Vulture Forest; 58 – Kologha State Forest (with Petr Bulirsch at background); 59 – Table Mt. NP, Echo valley.

Fig. 60. Distribution of Octavius sarkae sp. nov., O. sarkae ntsubane subsp. nov. and O. sarkae xhosa subsp. nov.