Parasthetops semiplanus, Perkins, 2008

Perkins, Philip D., 2008, Facial affect recognition in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis, Zootaxa 1864, pp. 1-124 : 17-18

Parasthetops semiplanus new species

( Figs. 15 , 21 , 95 )

Type Material. Holotype (male): South Africa: Eastern Cape Province, Sundays River system, Letskraal , river, 32° 5' S, 24° 49' E, 13 July 1967 (RSU 10.1). Deposited in the AMG . Paratypes (51): Namibia: C. Namib desert, Weissenborn farm, shore washing, 26° 3' S, 16° 24' E, 9 August 1989, Endrödy­Younga & Klimaszewski (#2643) (1 TMSA) ; Naukluft, Felseneck farm, water collection, 24° 12' S, 16° 4' E, 24 October 1974, Endrödy­Younga (#415) (4 TMSA) ; Naukluft River , shore washing, 24° 16' S, 16° 15' E, 10 August 1989, Endrödy­Younga & Klimaszewski (#2644) (2 TMSA) ; South Africa: Eastern Cape Province, Sundays River system, Letskraal , river, 32° 5' S, 24° 49' E, 13 July 1967 (RSU 10.1) (32 AMG) ; 30 km N Graaff­ Reinet , elev. 1000 m, 31° 57' S, 24° 39' E, 31 December 1993, Wewalka (10 NMW) ; Western Cape Province, Groot Toren farm, river shore and stones, 31° 20' S, 19° 44' E, 15 September 1994, Endrödy­Younga (#3004) (2 TMSA) .

Differential Diagnosis. Recognized by the moderately elongate elytra, the frons punctures coarser and denser than those of the pronotal reliefs, and the prominent setae of the elytral intervals, which are longer than

those of the elytral punctures. P. semiplanus is similar in size and dorsal sculpture to P. retinaculus ( Figs. 15 , 18 ), but is distinguished therefrom by the longer elytra and the male genitalia, which are quite dissimilar in the two species ( Figs. 19, 21 ). Females of P. semiplanus do not have markedly modified elytra as are present in females of P. pampinus and P. lemniscus .

Description. Size (length/width, mm) holotype: body (length to elytral apices) 1.75/0.67; head 0.26/ 0.44; pronotum 0.36/0.56; elytra 1.15 /0.67. Dorsum piceous to black, maxillary palpi, legs and venter dark brown. Submentum and mentum microreticulate, dull, sparsely punctulate.

Head with labrum very finely, very sparsely punctulate, shining. Clypeus entirely and frons on disc shining, moderately densely, moderately coarsely punctate, punctures separated by about 1–3xpd, size of largest punctures about 1xef. Frons microreticulate laterally and in deep anteocellar sulci. Ocelli distinct.

Pronotum cordate, widest in front of middle; anterior angles obtuse, posterior rectangular; sides finely margined, weakly crenulate; anterior margin shallowly arcuate over median 2/3, with narrow hyaline border; discal reliefs strongly shining, very finely, very sparsely punctate, punctures much finer and sparser than frons punctures, interstices ca. 4–8xpd; anteriorly and posteriorly punctures much larger, about 2–3xef; with foveae as follow: median anterior elongate and smaller posterior, shallowly confluent; a small anterior and larger oval posterior admedian; and a large anterior and small deep posterior adlateral on each side; foveae microreticulate and punctate; punctures on discal reliefs without discernible setae.

Elytra comparatively elongate, quite flattened, non­carinate, parallel­sided or nearly so, apices separately weakly rounded; sutural apices rectangular; sides smooth, weakly explanate; posterior declivity very gradual. Serial punctures moderately large and deep, about 1xpd of largest pronotal punctures, interstices on disc about 1xpd; without granules. Series one striate­impressed, more strongly in posterior 1/2 than anterior 1/2. Intervals flat or very weakly rounded, width on disc about 1–2xpd. Most punctures with very short, fine seta; setae on intervals much longer, very sparse.

Metaventral disc rather flat, with midlongitudinal impression in basal 1/2. Thoracic ventrites and abdominal ventrites 1–5 clothed with dense setae except glabrous midlongitudinal prosternal ridge, glabrous dull mesoventral plaques and small glabrous inverted V­shaped basomedian area on metaventrite in front of intercoxal sternite. Ventrite 6 shining, with sparse setigerous punctures across distal 1/2.

Wings fully developed on holotype and all dissected males.

Females with explanate elytral margin very similar to males; 6th ventrite slightly longer than 5th, apical margin moderately sharply arcuate.

Aedeagus length ca. 0.51 mm, flagelliform distal process 0.10 mm; main­piece, in lateral view, arcuate, acute angulation at distal end very small; flagellum with loop, terminal part flexible, hence shaped variously depending on preparation( Fig. 21 ).

Etymology. Named in reference to the rather flattened body form.

Distribution. Currently known from six locality records in four very widely separated areas in Namibia and South Africa ( Fig. 95 ).

Figures

FIGURE 15. Parasthetops semiplanus, dorsal and lateral habitus of holotype.

FIGURE 18. Parasthetops retinaculus, dorsal and lateral habitus of holotype.

FIGURES 19–22. Parasthetops, aedeagi of holotypes. —19. P. retinaculus. —20. P. lemniscus. —21. P. semiplanus. —22. P. pampinus.

FIGURES 95–96. Geographical distributions of Parasthetops species.