Protozantaena grebennikovi, Perkins, 2009

Perkins, Philip D., 2009, Revisions of the genera Parhydraena Orchymont, Protozantaena Perkins, Decarthrocerus Orchymont, and Parhydraenopsis nomen novum, aquatic and humicolous beetles from Africa and Madagascar, and comparative morphology of the tribe Parhydraenini (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae), Zootaxa 2038, pp. 1-119 : 47-48

Protozantaena grebennikovi new species

( Figs. 28, 75, 77, 99)

Type material. Holotype (male): Tanzania: W. Usambara Mts. , Lushoto distr. , Grant’s Lodge , Mkuzu river, 3–4 km upstream of Kifungilo, elev. 1660 m, 4° 45' S, 38° 20' E, 3–8.x.2002, V. Grebennikov. Deposited in the MRAC . Paratypes (129): Tanzania: E. Usambara Mts. , Amani N. Res., Zigi Lodge, elev. 450 m, 5° 12' S, 38° 40' E, 9–11.x.2002, V. Grebennikov (1 MCZ) ; Uluguru Mts. , W slope between Tchenzema village and Lukvangule Plateau, elev. 2200 m, 7° 10' S, 37° 40' E, 19–21.x.2002, V. Grebennikov (35 MRAC, 35 VVGC, 36 MCZ) ; W. Usambara Mts. , Lushoto distr. , Grant’s Lodge , Mkuzu riv., 3–4 km upstream of Kifungilo, elev. 1660 m, 4° 45' S, 38° 20' E, 3–8.x.2002, V. Grebennikov (7 MRAC, 7 VVGC, 8 MCZ) .

Differential diagnosis. Recognized by the very short maxillary palpi and tarsi, the weakly striateimpressed discal elytral series, and the very transverse pronotum which is wider basally than apically ( Fig. 75). The maxillary palpi are the shortest in the genus (palpus length/head width ca. 0.41), whereas the body size is among the largest (length ca. 1.70 mm). The aedeagus is markedly reduced and consequently very distinct from that of other members of the genus ( Fig. 77).

Description. Size (length/width, mm) holotype: body (length to elytral apices) 1.70/0.77; head 0.29/0.47; pronotum 0.39/0.68, PA 0.53, PB 0.74; elytra 1.04/0.77. Color brown to dark brown, sometimes with reddish tint, frons darker than clypeus and labrum, marginal areas of pronotum slightly lighter than disc; maxillary palpi light brown to testaceous, distal mere acuminate, apex not darker.

Head with eyes moderately large, in dorsal aspect ca. 7 convex facets in longest series. Ocelli distinct round small shining, each located at base of shallow oblique interocular fovea. Frons microreticulate, dull, finely punctate, ca. 1xef on disc, finer anteriorly, interstices ca. 2–4xpd. Clypeus microreticulate, dull, punctures similar to finest punctures of frons. Labrum dull, length subequal that of clypeus, apicomedially weakly emarginate; laterally fringed with short arcuate setae. Maxillary palpi very short, combined lengths of meres much less than width of head (ratio ca. 13/32); ratios of meres 2–4 ca. 4/2/7. Mentum and submentum sparsely finely punctulate, interstices shining, submentum weakly concave.

Pronotum broad, anterior margin very weakly arcuate, ca. median 1/2 with narrow hyaline border. Anterior angles obtuse, rounded. Sides weakly rounded, widest at about midlength, almost equally arcuate in front of and behind middle, in lateral view appearing thickened, with upper and lower rim. Posterior angle obtusangulate. Discal relief finely sparsely punctate, punctures U-shaped, very shallow, ca. 0.5xef, interstices microreticulate, dull, 0.5–3xpd; anterior and posterior impressions very shallow, broadly U-shaped, punctures deeper and larger than those on relief, each puncture with anterior margin extended posteriorly as narrow ridge, dividing puncture into a pair of two smaller punctures each of which about 1xef, short recumbent seta arising from posterior extreme of dividing ridge. Very shallow wide impression at each posterior angle. Sculpture laterally subrugose, ridges quite prominent, dull.

Elytra very weakly shining, broad, attenuate posteriorly, sides arcuate, explanate margins moderately wide, distinct from shoulder for 5/6 of length, apices separately rather sharply rounded. Ten-seriate punctate, series on disc weakly striate-impressed, punctures small, round, very discrete, ca. 2xef, interstices ca. 1xpd, each puncture non-granulate and with very minute, indistinct recumbent seta; intervals ca. 3xpd, each with unilinear row of slightly overlapping recumbent setae, longer and more distinct than setae of punctures.

Metaventrite with moderately deep median oval impression in basal 1/2, midlongitudinal shining carina strong, between anterior extreme of oval impression and mesoventral intercoxal process. Metaventrite and abdominal ventrites 1–4 hydrofuge pubescent. Ventrites 5 and 6 similar in sexes, effacedly microreticulate weakly shining. Ventrite 5 hydrofuge pubescent only at extreme anterior margin, if at all, posterior 1/2 very sparsely pubescent. Ventrite 6 very sparsely pubescent. Male: last ventrite very sparsely pubescent, free margin markedly arcuate; last tergite with tuft of setae on each side of narrow, shallow apicomedial notch. Female: last ventrite pubescent in two patches, one on each side of midline, in posterior 1/2, free margin apically truncate; last tergite apically with small tubercle on each side of midline, small tuft of setae above each tubercle.

Legs short, femora broad, metafemora width subequal metatarsus length; combined lengths of metatibia and metatarsus about equal to width of head (ratio ca. 32/32), ratio of lengths of metatibia/metatarsus ca. 21/ 11. Basal 3 pro- and mesotarsomeres, in male, with pad of suction setae, those of protarsi large.

Wings fully developed in holotype and all dissected males.

Aedeagus length ca. 0.47 mm (measured from base to tip of flagellum), very simplified; gonopore bearing flagellum very long, thick basally, remainder very thin, longer than main-piece; supporting flagellum absent (or fused); main-piece straight or nearly so in ventral view, rounded apically, in lateral view arcuate and gradually decreasing in width from base to setose area; parameres absent, but two setae present on each side at usual location of parameres ( Fig. 77). Spermatheca as illustrated ( Fig. 28).

Etymology. Named in honor of the collector, Vasily V. Grebennikov.

Distribution. Currently known from the Usambara Mountains and the Uluguru Mountains in eastern Tanzania ( Fig. 99).