Philharmostes metallicus, Ballerio, 2021

Ballerio, Alberto, 2021, The Ceratocanthinae of Madagascar and Comoro Islands: a revision of the genera Synarmostes and Goudotostes, and of the flightless Philharmostes, with description of 64 new species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea, Hybosoridae), Fragmenta entomologica 53 (2), pp. 105-282 : 253-254

Philharmostes metallicus sp. nov.

( Figs 80 e-h, 85 q, 88 d-f, 89) http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F48617CF-372E-4BB5-8441-99D0FDB00C64

Type series. Holotype, ♂, deposited in the collection of the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL, USA, labelled as follows: / Madagascar: Province de Mahajanga, Rés. Anjanaharibe-Sud, Befingotra (9.2 km WSW), 14° 45’ S 49° 25’ E, 1200 m, 9.XI.1994, FMHD94-56, montane rainforest, Winkler extraction of sifted litter, B.L. Fish- er, 1192 / Philharmostes metallicus n. sp. det. A. Ballerio 2020 Holotypus /. Paratypes: 2 ♀♀ (1 in FMNH and 1 in ABCB), same collecting data as holotype .

Diagnosis. Philharmostes metallicus sp. nov. can be differentiated from all other species of Philharmostes by the following combination of characters: a) flightlessness, b) dorsal ocular area small, c) dorsum with metallic sheen, d) pronotal fore angles broadly truncate, e) pronotum with disc not raised with respect to sides, f) pronotal disc covered by dense small ocellate impressed punctation, g) elytral lateral carina complete.

Description. HL: 0.9 mm; HW: 1.3 mm; PL: 1.1 mm; PW: 2.1 mm; EL: 2.5 mm; EW 2.4; overall morphology as in generic diagnosis. Small flightless Ceratocanthinae . Body moderately convex. Metallic bronze-green, shiny, dorsum glabrous (40×), underside, tarsi and antennae reddish-brown. Head: W/L ratio = 1.25, clypeus triangular with angle blunt and obtuse and sides weakly curved; genae distinctly produced outwards, acute; genal canthus complete, fused with the occipital portion of head; dorsal ocular area small, interocular distance about 16 times the maximum width of dorsal ocular area, disc uniformly covered by sparse small shallow simple punctation, fore margin with some transverse large comma-shaped punctures and a few irregular impressed transverse short lines. Interpunctural distance of simple punctures three to five times as long as punctural diameter. Pronotum: short and transverse (W/L ratio = 1.68), weakly convex, surface regular; base and sides broadly rounded (dorsal view); fore margin thick and limited to the median portion, not reaching the fore angles, fore angles truncate, disc covered by small dense impressed ocellate punctures mixed to a few hoseshoe-shaped punctures, sides covered by slightly larger dense impressed horseshoe-shaped punctures with opening directed outwards. Each puncture bearing in the middle a very short simple seta. Interpunctural distance shorter than punctural diameter. Scutellum : covered by several small impressed horseshoe-shaped punctures mixed to a few ocellate punctures. Elytra: as long as wide (W/L ratio = 1.00); distinctly rounded (dorsal view) with maximum width at middle of elytral length; humeral callus indistinct but marked by the thick starting point of lateral carina; elytral surface convex, covered by relatively shallow punctation. Punctures near base short comma-shaped becoming simple on proximal discal area, remaining punctation made of medium-sized dense (interpunctural distance inferior than punctural diameter) horseshoe-shaped punctures with opening directed backwards. Lateral carina distinct, thick, sharp and complete. Pseudoepileura covered by dense large impressed horseshoe-shaped punctures with a broad opening directed towards lateral carina. Wings: flightless (brachypterus) ( Fig. 10 d ). Male genitalia: aedeagus (L = 0.9 mm) with parameres as in Figs 88 d-e, spiculum gastrale (L = 0.8 mm) as in Fig. 88 f .

Etymology. Latin adjective in the nominative singular, meaning “metallic”, since this is the only flightless Madagascan Philharmostes having a metallic colour (otherwise a quite common colouration among Madagascan volant species of Philharmostes ).

Distribution and habitat. Known only from the type locality in north-eastern Madagascar. The type series was collected by sifting litter in montane rainforest. For detauils on the type locality see under Goudotostes simplicipennis sp. nov..

Figures

Fig. 80 – Philharmostes centralis sp. nov., paratype, a, pronotum; b, ventral view of rolled up specimen; c, dorsal view of rolled up specimen; d, lateral view of rolled up specimen; Philharmostes metallicus sp. nov., holotype, e, pronotum; f, ventral view of rolled up specimen; g, dorsal view of rolled up specimen; h, lateral view of rolled up specimen.

Fig. 10 – Wings. a, Synarmostes tibialis; b, Synarmostes occidentalis sp. nov.; c, Synarmostes sp. C; d, Philharmostes metallicus sp. nov.; e, Synarmostes makirovanae sp. nov.; f, Goudotostes laevis sp. nov..

Fig. 88– Aedeagi and spicula gastrales, a–c, Philharmostes schweikerti sp. nov.; d–f, Philharmostes metallicus sp. nov.; g–i, Philharmostes scapulatus sp. nov.