Drogo stalsi, Deschodt, Christian M., Davis, Adrian L. V. & Scholtz, Clarke H., 2016

Deschodt, Christian M., Davis, Adrian L. V. & Scholtz, Clarke H., 2016, A new monotypic genus, a species synonymy and nomenclatural corrections in the arid-adapted Canthonini (Scarabaeidae, Scarabaeinae) from the Succulent Karoo Biome of south-western Africa, Zootaxa 4147 (4), pp. 490-500 : 493-495

Drogo stalsi sp. n.

Figs. 1 , 2 and 4

Description. Holotype ♂: Medium sized beetle. Measurements with head inflexed, 7.34 mm (long) × 5.60 mm (wide) × 4.21 mm (high).

Head. Clypeus quadridentate, with two well-developed teeth, area between inside teeth more or less straight. Outside teeth are right-angled. One very small tooth on lower clypeal margin between dorsal teeth. Clypeogenal suture distinct and curving markedly inward. Clypeal surface clearly punctate.

Pronotum. Convex, small punctures completely covering pronotum, punctures separated by about one and a half lengths of their own diameter.

Elytra. Convex. Striae very shallow but visible, faintly punctate. Irregular and very faint punctures on interstriae.

Sterna. Prosternum with large shallow punctures. Meso- and metasternum fused, mesometasternal suture slightly curved anteriorly. Surface of mesosternum shagreened with clear, medium-sized shallow punctures. Surface of metasternum shagreened with a few very faint punctures.

Protibia. Inner margin more or less straight with no denticles. Line of punctures with associated tan setae along dorsal inside margin, deviating onto margin at apex, setae forming a small brush at apical tip. Tibial apex blunt with small spatulate outside-curving spur next to setal brush. Tarsi attached under spur close to inner margin of tibia. Setae on inner margins of tarsi short. Three very short thick and dark, spine-like setae on dorsoapical margin, parallel with apical margin. Two teeth at apical outer margin. First half of outer margin serrated from joint.

Mesotibia. Outer margin sinuous with small and closely arranged serrations and with short tan setae all along edge. Inner margin relatively smooth except last fifth which is somewhat serrated. Setae short and sparse at regular intervals. Ventromedially and dorsomedially with a dense regular line of tan setae. Apically with two spurs. Tarsi with short tan setae, ending with two claws.

Metatibia. Angulate in cross section. with six rows of short tan setae that are densely spaced.

Pygidium. Surface shagreened with large shallow punctures.

Aedeagus. Symmetrical, see Figure 1 .

Female. Unknown.

Specimen examined. Holotype male: NAMIBIA, Zebrafontein, ca 30km, NNE of Rosh Pinah, 27˚45’ S 16°53’ E 2– 6.iv.,2002 E.Holm & H.Gebhardt. ( SANC).

Etymology. This species is named after Riaan Stals (SANC), who first identified it as new.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus and aedeagus of Drogo stalsi gen. et. sp. n. Dorsal (A) ventral (B) left lateral (C) and (D) frontal views of aedeagus.

FIGURE 2. Map showing the type localities of Drogo stalsi gen. et. sp. n (*) and Elassocanthon brevipes Kolbe, 1908 (·) together with the type locality (G) and recent collecting localities (•) for Byrrhidium namaquense Scholtz and Howden, 1987 and B. convexum Scholtz and Howden, 1987 (Δ).

FIGURE 4. Strict consensus tree showing support for the currently recognized genera of the Byrrhidium group based on 31 morphological characters. Bootstrap percentages above nodes (percentages lower than 50 % not shown) L = 66, CI = 68, RI = 73.