Diplocladus rufobasalis Gerstmeier & Weiss

Gerstmeier, Roland & Weiss, Ingmar, 2009, Revision of the Genera Diplocladus Fairmaire and Strotocera Schenkling (Coleoptera: Cleridae, Tillinae), Zootaxa 2242, pp. 1-54 : 21

Diplocladus rufobasalis Gerstmeier & Weiss , n. sp.

(Figs. 12, 52)

Specimens examined:

Holotype: Ƥ. South Africa, Natal, Ndumu Game Reserve, 26.54S 32.15E, 21–22.i. 1981, M.W. Mansell ( SANC).

Paratypes: South Africa, C.P, Grahamstown, 33.19S 26.32E, 29.xi.1983, R. Oberprieler (1 Ƥ, CRG); Südafrika 30.i.–3.ii.1995, KwaZulu-Natal: N’dumu Game Res. 26°55S’/ 32°19’E, leg. F. Koch (1 Ƥ, ZMB).

Length: 16mm – 16.7mm (3 specimens).

Head: Dark red to reddish brown; conspicuously wrinkled.

Antennae: Black; almost reaching base of pronotum when laid alongside. Pronotum: Dark red to reddish brown; anterior half subparallel, conspicuously constricted towards base; coarsely wrinkled (mostly longitudinal); behind anterior transverse depression with six gibbosities on disc and two gibbosities at base; length:width ratio 1.51:1.

Scutellum: Dark red-brown or black.

Elytra: Basal third to first half red to reddish brown, remainder black with yellow transverse fasciae beyond middle spanning from lateral to sutural margins; diameter of punctures larger than interstices, punctures within fasciae small and sparsely distributed, posterior of fascia very finely and diffusely punctate; length:width ratio 2.57:1.

Legs: Black.

Lower surface: Head and thorax red-brown, abdomen black.

Vestiture: With whitish to yellowish and red hairs.

Distribution: South Africa.

Etymology: Named after the reddish brown colour of the anterior part of the elytra.