Meziomorphum montagu Trimboli and Philips

Trimboli, S. R. & Philips, T. K., 2011, Description of a New Species of Meziomorphum Pic (Coleoptera: Ptinidae) from the Western Cape Region of South Africa, The Coleopterists Bulletin 65 (2), pp. 109-114 : 109-112

Meziomorphum montagu Trimboli and Philips , new species

( Figs. 1–5 )

Type Material. Holotype: SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape, 7 km SE Montagu, Montagu Cave , 600 m, 7.II.2008, T. K. Philips and J.M. Andersland, S33°49′58.0″ E20°10′21.8″ Paratypes: Forty-nine specimens with the same data. From the South African Museum (individual labels separated by a semicolon): Pin with five specimens on a card: Montagu , C.C., R. Tucker , Oct. 1919; K.H.B. and R.W.E. T., Bats Cave , in droppings; Meziomorphum longicorne Andr. ; Type (red paper); Type , SAM / Ent , 4848 (red paper); Meziomorphum sp. 7 , det J, Irish 1995. Pin with four specimens on a card: Montagu , Oct 1919; Bats Cave , in droppings; Meziomorphum longicorne Andr .; Paratype (red paper); Type, SAM / Ent, 4849 (green paper); Meziomorphum sp. 7 , det J. Irish 1995 .

Type specimens, including the holotype, have been placed in the Transvaal Museum ( TMSA), the National Collection in Pretoria ( SANC), the South African Museum ( SAMC), and the collection of the second author ( TKPC [ Western Kentucky University , Bowling Green, KY]) .

Diagnosis. This species is easily distinguished from most other species of Meziomorphum by a brown integument and yellow-brown or golden setae, three major rows of elytral spines, and only a single row of spines originating on the humeral angle of the elytra. To separate this species from Meziomorphum echinatum (Péringuey) , there is no median pronotal setal process or bulge at the base and the overall shape and appearance of the pronotum is unique ( Figs. 3–5 and see Fig. 3 in Irish 1996a).

Description. Length 2.19 ± 0.14 mm (n = 25); integument reddish brown; elytral surface generally smooth and shiny, pronotum covered with a setal honeycomb-like structure formed by long, fused, brownish yellow setae, in some areas forming a smooth, wax-like layer; ventral surface, legs, and antennae covered with dense setae that obscure the surface. Head: Antennae slightly shorter than body, covered with short, recumbent, golden brown setae; front of head and genae covered with scattered recum- bent setae not obscuring surface, frons also with a single transverse row of erect, blade-like setae above antennal fossae and above and below interantennal space; maxillary and labial palps golden brown; labrum covered with short, dense, recumbent setae. Pronotum: Setal covering divided into symmetrical right and left portions by a medial, longitudinally oriented, ovoid cavity, extending to cuticular surface approximately at middle 1/3; each lateral portion with a large, deep cavity in the posterior 2/5, a shallow, smaller cavity in anterior declivous portion; anterior and lateral facing projections and posterior cavities with numerous longer setae extending beyond honey-combed surface. Elytra: On each elytron, 10 aligned puncture rows, punctures elongate, at middle separated longitudinally by slightly more than 2× their length, separated transversely by 5–6× their width; 3 inter-puncture rows of erect, spine-like setae present, longest setal length exceed- ing the length equal to 3× width of a puncture row at middle of elytron; first inter-puncture setal row between second and third puncture rows and running from near elytral base to about apical 1/3, second row between fourth and fifth puncture rows from basal 1/3 to near apex, third row between sixth and seventh puncture rows from base to about apical 1/3; several scattered setae near apex and short transverse row of 6 erect setae near apex of elytra; apex slightly projecting posteriorly, surface granular, with row of small recumbent spines that continue along lateral edge up to opposite second or third ventrite; elytral epipleura with small elongate patch of recumbent setae opposite metacoxae and first abdominal ventrite. Ventral surface: Covered in short, dense, recumbent, golden brown setae except for fifth abdominal ventrite sparsely covered with longer finer setae. Legs: Covered in dense, medium length, recumbent, golden brown setae; stout spines present on femora, but absent on tibia and tarsi.

Sexual Dimorphism. None visible externally.

Remarks. This taxon represents species “D” documented in the Irish (1996a) publication. He also provided a key to the genus, that included the single previously known species, his three new species, and four others that he did not describe, with the last group including M. montagu as species “D”. In addition to the newly collected material, the only other specimens known are nine specimens mounted on two pins from the SAMC. These were labeled by H. K. C. Andreae (an honorary curator of Coleoptera at the South African Museum in the mid-20 th century) as types, but unfortunately the species was never described. A generic description is given in Bellés (1985). All species known are very easy to differentiate via external morphology and are illustrated in Irish (1996a) with line drawings. The three other undescribed taxa will hopefully be described in the future when more material is available. At that time, genitalic differences of all species will be documented and used in a phylogenetic analysis.

Figures

Figs. 1–5. Meziomorphum montagu. 1) Dorsal habitus; 2) Ventral view; 3) Lateral view; 4) Frontal view of head and pronotum; 5) Dorsal view and close-up of pronotum.