Singilis felixi, Anichtchenko, Alexander, 2011

Anichtchenko, Alexander, 2011, Review of subtribe Singilina Jeannel, 1949, of the Middle East and Central Asia (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Lebiini), ZooKeys 155, pp. 1-50 : 24-26

Singilis felixi sp. n.

Material examined.

OMAN: Oman bor., Prov. Batinah, Al-Jabal al-Ahdar mts., SE Rustaq, W Awabi, 430 m, Wadi Bani Awi, 23°20'0.13"N, 57°29'23.5"E, L. fang + L. fallen, 29-30.XII.2009 leg. Lehmann, Bittner & Stadie (4♂♂ 1♀, AAC, APC). UAE: HOLOTYPE: ♂, UAE, Bithnah, 25.10N 56.14E, 31.XII.2005-29.I.2006, light trap, A. v. Harten (UAEIC); PARATYPES: UAE, Hatta, 24.49N, 56.07E, 8-24.IV.2006, light trap, A. v. Harten (1♂, RFC); UAE, Wadi Safad, 25.13N 56.19E, 20.XII.2005-2.I.2006, light trap, A. v. Harten (2♂♂, RMNH, RFC); UAE, Wadi Safad, 25.13N, 56.19E, 21.02-4.III.2006, light trap, A. v. Harten (1♀, RFC).

Diagnosis.

Extremely similar to Singilis persicus , can be diagnosed based on the length of hairs on abdominal sterna. In Singilis felixi the hairs are long, the same or at least 2/3 of length of the apical setae (shorter in Singilis persicus ); odd intervals of elytra in Singilis felixi with easily visible short setae along striae (tiny and difficult to see in Singilis persicus ).

Description.

Length 7.0-8.6 mm. Pale yellowish red-brown, elytra with large piceous preapical spot (Fig. 26).

Head deeply irregularly punctate, microsculptured, punctures sometimes almost confluent in frontal depressions, separated by over three diameters on the frons. Clypeus with few punctures near lateral margins. Eyes large and bulging, with a few short setae at posterior margin. Second supraocular seta located just anterad the posterior margin of eye. Temples short and smooth. Scape with a very long seta at 2/3 of its length and a few short thin setae towards apex; pedicel with the usual band of apical setae; antennomere III with two bands of setae at mid-length and at apex. Antennae pubescent from mid-length of antennomere IV.

Pronotum shinier than head and elytra, 1.16-1.18 times as wide as head, 1.39-1.42 times as wide as long, widest just behind marginal setae. Anterior margin straight, anterior angles effaced, sides very broadly and evenly rounded, slightly sinuate towards posterior angles, which are acute and protrude as minute denticle. Punctation coarse, irregular, deep, somewhat sparser than on head, especially on disc; rugose and confluent at apical and basal margins. Lateral explanate margin rapidly widened from the apex, broad and flat at base. Posterior pore right in front of angle. Basal grooves shallow, rugose, confluently punctate. Pronotal base extended in a rounded median lobe. Furrow deep and complete. Microsculpture faint.

Elytra pale yellowish red-brown, with red brown apices and piceous preapical spot reaching lateral margins (may be reduced to five inner intervals). Intervals 1, 3, 5 and 7 each with minute setae and a row of pores from base to apex. Interval 7 flat, as wide as adjacent intervals. Microsculpture deep, irregular, polygonal, same as on head. Apices slightly sinuate. Striae slightly punctate, shallower on disc and at apex. Intervals slightly convex near base, flat at apex.

Legs brownish yellow. Tarsomere V with 3 pairs of ventral setae. Mes- and metepisterna slightly punctate. Claws with 5 teeth. Venter entirely light brownish yellow. All abdominal sterna with pubescence more than twice as long as protarsomere IV.

Aedeagus (Fig. 44), internal sac without apparent spines.

Variation.

Varies in body size; elytral spot sometimes reduced. Pronotal basal angles usually acute and prominent but sometimes rectangular and less prominent.

Name derivation.

Named after Ron Felix, my friend and collaborator who discovered this species.

Distribution.

Oman (country record), UAE.