Leucocelis franki Janson, 1888: 109

Perissinotto, Renzo, 2023, New taxa of Leucocelis Burmeister, 1842 from Namibia, and revision of L. (L.) adspersa s. l. (Fabricius, 1801) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Cetoniinae), Fragmenta entomologica 55 (2), pp. 195-214 : 200-202

Leucocelis franki Janson, 1888: 109 .

Homalothyrea franki (Janson) ; Péringuey 1907: 485; Schenkling 1921: 323; Schein 1960: 104.

Homalothyrea kybele Kolbe, 1908: 123 ; Péringuey 1908: 703 ( cf. franki ); Schenkling 1921: 323; Holm & Marais 1992: 275 ( = franki ).

Leucocelis (Leucocelis) franki Janson ; Holm & Marais 1992: 275; Beinhundner 2017: 419.

of the elytron. On the ventral side, the setation is drastically reduced both in size and density in L. (L.) otavi ( Fig. 3 B ), by comparison to the prominent one observed in L. (L.) adspersa s. s., and the mesosternal process is also narrower and more constrained in the new species. Finally, as specified above the ventral lobes of the aedeagal parameres are laterally subparallel in L. (L.) c. otavi, rather than smoothly convex like in L. (L.) adspersa s. s., and they also extend much further apically into a prominent tubercle ( Fig. 3 F ), rather than terminating shortly beyond the dorsal arms like in L. (L.) adspersa s. s.

Derivatio nominis. This subspecies is named after the type locality of the only specimen currently known.

Distribution. The only specimen currently known originates from the summit of the Otaviberge, at about 1900 m of altitude ( Figs 4 , 7 ).

Data records. Type series. Holotype ♂, NAM: Bushman- land, Otavi Mtns., 27 Dec 2007, R. Perissinotto, L. Clennell ( RPGS to be reposited in NMWN).

Specimens of both sexes are rather stockier than the general Leucocelis spp. , their elytral sides are subparallel, rather than tapering markedly towards the apex and the first tar- somere of their metalegs is remarkably compressed and flat. For these reasons, Kolbe (1895) erected a new genus ( Homalothyrea ) for the species, adding later a second species, H. kybele Kolbe, 1908 , which eventually was syn- onymised with L. franki by Holm & Marais (1992). Both genus Homalothyrea and species H. kybele had earlier been questioned by Péringuey (1908), who believed that they were not sufficiently justified.

Distribution. The species is clearly an arid region specialist, being restricted to the drier parts of western Namibia, reaching to the south the Gariep Desert in the South African Northern Cape ( Fig. 7 ).

Data Records. Type series. Leucocelis franki Janson : Lectotype ♂, NAM, Ovampo, Frank., Museum Leiden verz. F.T. Valck Lucassen (O.E. Janson) (RMNH. INS.1487340); Paralectotypes: 1♀, NAM: Ovumbo, Frank, Type, Franki n. sp. O. Jans., Homalothyrea Kolbe (RMNH.INS.1487341); 1♂, ibidem, Frank, Type, Leucocelis franki Jans. var. (RMNH.INS.1487342). Homalothyrea kybele Kolbe : Holotype ♂, NAM: Aar b Kubub, ix.04, L. Schultze S., Nr 5.42, Zool. Mus. Berlin, Leucocelis franki Janson Ph. Antoine det 1999 (ZMHB).

Other records: NAM: 1♂, Karibib, Museum Leiden verz. Valck Lucassen, Homalothyrea franki Jns. (RMNH.INS.1487344); 1♂, Windhuck, Museum Leiden verz. Valck Lucassen, Homalothyrea franki Jns. (RMNH. INS.1487345); 3 inds, Herero Mission, Hist.-Coll. ( Coleoptera ), Nr. 56464, Leucocelis haemorrhoidalis Fab. var., Zool. Mus. Berlin (ZMHB); 1 ind., Lindt. S. (ZMHB); 3 inds, Windhuk-Swakopmund, Lindt S.G. (ZMHB); 1 ind., Windhuk-Swakopmund (ZMHB); 1 ind., Herero, Lübbert S.V. (ZMHB); 1 ind., D.S.W.Afrika,A. Minner S. (ZMHB); 8 inds, DSW Afrika, Okahandya, Casper S.G. (ZMHB); 2 inds, D.S.W. Afrika, Okahandja (ZMHB); 1 ind., Damara, bis Ngami-See, Fleck S. (ZMHB); 1 ind., Keetmanshoop, Sigurarto S., Wethlo G. (ZMHB); 1 ind., D.S.W.-Afrika, Karibib (ZMHB); 1 ind., D.S.W.-Afrika, Rehoboth (ZMHB); 1 ind., Windhuk, S. W. Afrika (ZMHB); 3 inds, D.S.W.A., G. Schauer (ZMHB); 3 inds., D.S.W.-Afrika, Gr. Barmen (ZMHB); 1 ind., no data (ZMHB); 1♂ + 3♀, Epako Lodge (20 km N Omaruru), 01.1996, T. Garnier leg. (TGPC); 19 inds, ibidem, 01.1998, T. Garnier leg. (TGPC); 4♂ + 1♀, NW, Reg. Omaruru, 1.1996, on flowers, T. Garnier leg. (GBPC); 1♂, Okahandja, 26.11.1957, F. Gaerdes, Homalothyrea ? G. Ruter det. 1965 (GBPC); 2♂ + 1♀, 20 km S Karibib, 14.II.2006, Werner & Smrz leg. (GBPC); 2♂, Uis to Khorixas, 16.II.2006, Werner & Smrz leg. (GBPC); 1♀, Umg. Gross Barmen, 20.II.1999, Richter leg. (GBPC); 1♂, Ovumbo, Collection E. Candéze, Homalothyrea Franki Jans. Det. Moser 1908 , Ex Collection Dr Vincent Allard received from Christophe Allard 21.II.2015 (GBPC); 2 inds, Orupembe, Kaokoland, 18°10’S 12°34’E, 22.IV.1991, E. Marais (SMWN); 12 inds, Khabus 146, 26°9ʹS 18°15ʹE, Keetmanshoop Distr., 21 Feb 1987, E. Marais (SMWN); 1 ind., ibidem, SE2618Ac, Apr 1988, N. & G. Olivier (SMWN); 3 inds, Vellorsdrift 93, Warm- bad Dist., 28°43ʹS 18°18ʹE, 16-25.III.1988, Preserv. pitf. traps, J. Irish & E. Marais (SMWN); 1 ind., Omaruru Riv. at 21°58’S 14°23’E, Swakopmund Distr., 6-8 Apr 1987, J. Irish & E. Marais (SMWN); 1 ind., Plateau 38/Aar 16, Lu- deritz, SE2616Cb, 14-17 Jan 1972 (SMWN); 1♂, Nauk- luft Felseneck Reserve, 24.21S- 16.04E, 11.3.1975, E-Y: 733 singled, leg. Endrödy-Younga (TMSA); 1♀, Upper Boomrivier, 27.52S- 17.00E, 4.IV.2002, leg. E. Holm & M. Gebhardt (TMSA); 1 ind., Hardap Region, Maltahöhe, 24°50′S, 16°58′E, 1250 m, 1988-02-17, E. Grobbelaar (SANC-COLS-14395); 1 ind., Erongo Region, Gobabeb, downstream Narra Valley, 23°28′S, 14°55′E, 350 m, 1988- 02-19, E. Grobbelaar (SANC-COLS-14775); 1 ind., Karas Region, 29 Jun 2021 15:10, Isabelle Joy (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/88254965); 1 ind., Khomas, 8 Mar 2023, Tobias Seifert (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/150596621). ZAF: 1♀, Namaqualand, Museum Leiden verz. Valck Lucassen, ex Bédoc Paris, ex Gérard Genève acq. 1927, Homalothyrea franki Jns det. Bourgoin (RMNH. INS.1487343); 1 ind., Augrabies NP, 07.01.1997, R. Perissinotto & L. Clennell (BMPC); 12 inds, Klein Pella, 23 Jan 2005, R. Perissinotto & L. Clennell (BMPC); 3♂ + 3♀, ibidem (RPRM); 4 inds, ibidem, 22 Jan 2005 (RPRM); 3♂, ibidem, 290269.4S-189739.1E, 22/ 23 January 2005, A.K.

unidentified plants ( Holm & Marais 1992, pers. obs.). The larval stages are yet unknown.

Figures

Fig. 3 – Leucocelis (Leucocelis) claveaui otavi sp. et subsp. nov.: A, HT♂ dorsal habitus; B, HT♂ ventral habitus; C, HT♂ lateral habitus; D, HT♂ clypeus; E, HT♂ pygidium; F, HT♂ parameres, dorsal view; G, HT♂ parameres, lateral view. Photos: Lynette Clennell.

Fig. 4 – The Otavi mountain range, with the typical habitat of L. (L.) claveaui otavi sp. et subsp. nov. on the foreground (Photo: Lynette Clennell).

Fig. 7 – Known distribution range of Leucocelis (Leucocelis) claveaui claveaui sp. et subsp. nov., L. (L.) claveaui otavi sp. et subsp. nov. and L. (L.) franki Janson, 1888 in South Africa and Namibia (Map: Google Earth Pro with image from Landsat/Copernicus 12/14/2015).