Parhydraena lancicula Perkins & Balfour-Browne, 1994

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 : 26-28

Parhydraena lancicula Perkins & Balfour-Browne, 1994

( Figs. 50, 52, 96)

Parhydraena lancicula Perkins & Balfour-Browne, 1994: 128 .

Type material. Holotype (male): South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal Province, Oribi Gorge, near Port Shepstone , in water trickling over rocks, elev. 366 m, 30° 40' S, 30° 25' E, 30.iii.1954, J. Balfour-Browne [labels: " Stn. No. 121//S. AFRICA: Natal Port Shepstone Dt. Oribi Gorge 1200 ft. 30.iii.1954 //in watertrickling over rocks// Aedeagus drawn by P. D. Perkins 1992//DIGITAL IMAGE captured by P. D. Perkins 2008 // HOLOTYPE Parhydraena lancicula P. D. Perkins & J. Balfour-Browne "]. Deposited in the BMNH.

Material examined (80): South Africa: Eastern Cape Province, 20 km W Port Shepstone, Oribi Gorge nr. Paddock , 30° 45' S, 30° 15' E, 12.iii.1997, Hess & Heckes (30) (39 NMW) ; KwaZulu-Natal Province, Bergville Dist., Oliviershoek Pass , in damp trickle on rocks and rivulet, elev. 1371 m, 28° 41' S, 29° 10' E, 7.iv.1954, J. Balfour-Browne (Stn. No. 157) (3 BMNH) . Drakensberg, Cathedral Peak, Mikes Pass , wet rockface, 28° 58' S, 29° 14' E, 22.i.1997, Endrödy-Younga (#3265) (1 TMSA) ; Drakensberg, Cathedral Peak, Rainbow G, wet rockface, 28° 57' S, 29° 14' E, 22.i.1997, Endrödy-Younga (#3268) (5 TMSA) ; Drakensberg, Loteni Reserve , 24 kmWSW, wet rockface, 29° 27' S, 29° 14' E, 23.i.1997, Endrödy-Younga (#3269) (16 TMSA) ; Drakensberg, Loteni Reserve , wet rockface, 29° 28' S, 29° 32' E, 23.i.1997, Endrödy-Younga (#3270) (8 TMSA) ; Oribi Gorge, near Port Shepstone , in water trickling over rocks, elev. 366 m, 30° 40' S, 30° 25' E, 30.iii.1954, J. Balfour-Browne (8 BMNH) .

Differential diagnosis. Recognized among members of the genus by the combination of the striateimpressed elytra, the densely punctate pronotum, the dorsal piceous color, and the comparatively short maxillary palpi (palpus length/head width ca. 0.54). Distinguished from P. semicostata by the less deeply striate-impressed elytra, the smaller size (length ca. 1.76mm vs. 1.84 mm), and the broader body form ( Figs. 50, 55). Differentiated from P. brevipalpis by the more deeply striate-impressed elytra, the smaller size (length ca. 1.76mm vs. 1.83 mm), the broader body form, the shorter maxillary palpi, and the very different aedeagus ( Fig. 34, 36, 52). The distinctive 5th abdominal ventrite of males, having a large saucer-like modification, is similar to that of P. semicostata . The aedeagi of the two species also suggest a relationship ( Figs. 52, 57).

Description. Size (length/width, mm) holotype: body (length to elytral apices) 1.76/0.80; head 0.30/0.51; pronotum 0.44/0.69; elytra 1.12 /0.80. Dorsum piceous, sides of pronotum and elytra quite narrowly rufescent; maxillary palpi rufo-brunneous; venter piceous; hypomera, elytral epipleura and legs brunneous.

Head with eyes moderately large, in dorsal aspect 10 convex facets in longest series. Ocelli distinct round small shining, each located at base of shallow oblique interocular fovea. Frons on disc distinctly finely densely irregularly punctate, some punctures confluent, size ca. 1xef, interstices effacedly microreticulate, moderately shining, some less than puncture diameter; area between interocular foveae and eye microreticulate, punctate, dull. Clypeus completely dull, microreticulate and indistinctly punctate, punctures smaller and less dense than those of frons disc. Labrum dull, apicomedially emarginate to form rounded lobe on each side; laterally fringed with short arcuate setae. Maxillary palpi moderately short, combined lengths of meres less than width of head (ratio ca. 19/35); ratios of meres 2–4 ca. 5/4/10. Mentum sparsely finely punctulate, microreticulate.

Pronotum with anterior margin weakly arcuate, median 1/3 with extremely narrow hyaline border. Anterior angles obtuse, widely rounded. Sides rounded, widest just before middle, behind middle gradually attenuate, very weakly if at all sinuate. Posterior angle obtusangulate. Disc with anterior impression extremely shallow and broad, posterior impression deeper, broadly U-shaped, with median anterior margin more abrupt where disc feebly elevated; shallow wide impression at each posterior angle. Sculpture distinctly subrugosely punctate, many punctures confluent, interstices weakly shining on disc, less strongly or not shining laterally where punctation more rugose. Each puncture slightly heart-shaped, or with anterior margin completely extended posteriorly as narrow ridge, dividing puncture into two smaller punctures, ridge terminating in minute granule at base of which issues a short recumbent or decumbent seta.

Elytra elongate-ovate, sides weakly rounded, margins distinct from shoulder for 4/5 of length, apices separately rounded in male, conjointly rounded and sutural angle sharper in female. Ten-seriate punctate, series weakly but evidently striate-impressed even in scutellar region, punctures ca. 2xef, longitudinally narrowly spaces, separated by ca.. 0.5xpd. Interval width 1–2xpd, feebly raised, shining, each with unilinear or sometimes on disc irregular row of minute granules, each granule at its posterior side with short decumbent seta, setae very similar in length and density to setae of serial punctures.

Metaventrite with median elongate oval impression in basal 1/2, midlongitudinal carina between anterior extreme of oval impression and mesoventral intercoxal process. Metaventrite, abdominal ventrites 1–4, and base of 5th hydrofuge pubescent. Male: 5th ventrite in middle 1/2 with well-developed transverse impression that continues posteriorly in distinct semicircular projection with posterior margin glabrous and distinctively thickened, extended over and covering middle of 6th in repose, transverse impression bearing dense setae longer than hydrofuge pubescence; last ventrite with pores and setae on left side only, apicomedially produced in small lobe last tergite with patch of setae on each side of well-developed apicomedian notch. Female: 5th ventrite simple, nonhydrofuge part of 5th and 6th microreticulate, dull, distal 1/2 of each with transverse band of moderately long and dense setae; last ventrite sparsely setose, distal margin rounded; last tergite with tuft of setae on each side of apicomedial emargination.

Legs moderately long and slender, combined lengths of metatibia and metatarsus greater than width of head (ratio ca. 42/35), ratio of lengths of metatibia/metatarsus ca. 25/17. Basal 3 pro- and mesotarsomeres, in male, with pad of suction setae.

Wings fully developed in holotype and all dissected males.

Aedeagus length ca. 0.35 mm; main-piece, in ventral view, with moderately large process on left side, and two smaller processes on right side; distal piece with several processes, process on right side largest, prominently produced in left lateral view ( Fig. 52).

Distribution. Currently known from near Port Shepstone, and areas not too distant in the Drakensbergs of KwaZulu-Natal Province ( Fig. 96).