Canuschiza zerig, Sehnal & Král & Bezděk, 2017

Sehnal, Richard, Král, David & Bezděk, Aleš, 2017, Canuschiza of Socotra Island (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) Part 2. Canuschiza minuta species group, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (Acta. Ent. Mus. Natl. Pragae) 57, pp. 77-86 : 82-85

Canuschiza zerig sp. nov.

( Figs 3A–J )

Type locality. Yemen, Socotra Island, Dixam [= Diksam], Wadi Zerig, 12°29.6′N, 53°59.5′E, 655 m a. s. l.

Type material (19 specimens). Holotype:J, labelled:‘ YEMEN, SOCOTRA Island | Dixam plateau, wadi ZERIG | pools, Juncus marsh ; Dracaena trees; cave 13.-14.vi.2012 | 12°29.6′N, 53°59.5′E, 655 m || SOCOTRA expedition 2012 | J. Bezděk, J. Hájek, V. Hula | P. Kment, I. Malenovský, J. Niedobová & L. Purchart leg. [p] ’. PARATYPES: Nos. 1–6 (2 JJ 4♀♀): same label data as holotype ; Nos. 7–17 (5JJ 6♀♀): ‘ YEMEN, SOKOTRA Island | MARSHIM cave, DIKSAM | plateau ; 970 m a.s.l. | 12°30′32″N; 53°56′19″E | 9.V.2004 lgt. A. REITER [p]’; No. 18 (♀): ‘ YEMEN, Socotra isl. | Firmihin, x.2000 | V. Bejček & K. Šťastný lgt. [p] ’.

Type depositories. HT and PT Nos. 3, 9, 15, 18 in NMPC, PT Nos. 1, 2, 4–6 in IECA, PT Nos. 7, 8, 12–14 in RSCV, PT Nos. 10, 16 in BMNH, PT Nos. 11, 17 in MNHN.

Additional material examined (2 specimens). YEMEN: SOCOTRA ISLAND: Zemhon area, 16.–17.vi.2010, 12°20.58′N, 54°06.39′E, 270–300 m a.s.l., V. Hula leg., 2 ♀♀ ( IECA).

Description. Male (holotype). Body elongate, almost parallel, remarkably convex. Dorsal and ventral surface moderately shiny, elytra somewhat alutaceous, light chestnut brown, macrosetation pale ( Fig. 3A ). Dorsal surface of head, pronotum, scutellar shield and elytra covered with white, small, recumbent scale-like macrosetae, ventral surface of thorax and abdomen with densely spaced, white recumbent scale-like macrosetae. Head appendages and legs covered with yellowish moderately long macrosetae, mixed with few white recumbent scale-like macrosetae on metafemora.

Head. Labrum transverse, deeply bilobed, lobes rounded, irregularly and coarsely punctate, covered with long erect macrosetae. Clypeus transverse, anterior margin weakly upturned and shallowly sinuate, anterior angles rounded. Frontoclypeal suture present, forming continuous bisinuate flat line. Clypeus and frons densely (to confluent), irregularly, coarsely punctate, each puncture with short, minute recumbent macroseta. Occiput sparsely regularly, moderately punctate. Eye-canthus narrow, short, with row of 5–6 long, erect macrosetae. Frons relatively broad, width of frons / width of eye ratio = 2.37–2.94 (10 specimens measured), distinctly extending beyond eye-canthus. Antenna with nine antennomeres; club with three antennomeres, slightly cambered ( Fig. 3D ), approximately as long as antennal shaft (antennomeres I–VI combined). Antennomeres I–VI with sparse long macrosetae, club with sparse short macrosetae. Terminal maxillary palpomere elongate, apically rounded, approximately as long as palpomeres II and III combined.

Pronotum transverse, moderately convex, widest approximately in middle. Basal and lateral borders complete, anterior border missing. Lateral outline regularly rounded, margins not crenate, bare. Anterior margin regularly, broadly sinuate. Anterior angles moderately produced, obtuse-angular; posterior angles remarkably broadly rounded ( Fig. 3B ). Punctation consisting of coarse, umbilicate, almost regularly spaced punctures becoming somewhat denser laterad, each puncture bearing short, narrow, white scale-like, recumbent macroseta; transversal, weakly convex, nude area anteriorly of base present.

Scutellar shield large, almost equilaterally triangular, sides and apex rounded; disc punctate laterally, each puncture bearing short, narrow, white scale-like, almost recumbent macroseta.

Elytra weakly convex, parallel-sided, rounded apically, apical angle approximately rectangular. Striae missing, excepting feebly visible sutural stria. Humeral umbones present, vaguely swollen. Surface finely microsculptured (shagreened), alutaceous; punctation coarse, almost regularly spaced, punctures separated by 2–3 their diameters. Each puncture bearing short, narrow, white scale-like, almost recumbent macroseta. Epipleura distinct, complete, narrow, with several macrosetae in basal third.

Macropterous.

Legs. Femora narrow, shiny, irregularly punctate, almost nude. Protibia narrow, distinctly tridentate, terminal calcar inserted against emargination between medial and basal dens. Meso- and metatibia slightly expanded apicad, with two macrosetiferous longitudinal and one obliquely transversal carinae. Upper terminal calcar of metatibia flattened, slightly curved, acute apically, almost two times as long as lower, apically truncate chisel-shaped metatibial calcar. Claws bifid, with ventrobasal teeth ( Fig. 3C ).

Ventral surface covered with a densely spaced, short, recumbent, white, scale-like macrosetae. Pygidium convex, all around bordered, apically broadly rounded, irregularly covered with coarse macrosetiferous punctures.

Male genitalia. Parameres symmetrical, approximately as long as phallobasis, regularly curved in lateral aspect, rounded apically in dorsal aspect; apex with tuft of long yellowish macrosetae laterally ( Figs 3E,F ).

Sexual dimorphism. Female differs from male in the following characters: body slightly broadened posteriad ( Fig. 3G ); antennal club straight, distinctly shorter ( Fig. 3J ); metatibia more strongly expanded apically; tarsomeres of all legs shorter ( Fig. 3I ).

Variability. Paratypes slightly vary in length (see measurements), colour and punctation of dorsal surface, length and distribution of scale-like macrosetation of pronotum and elytra. Because two females coming from the Zemhon area possess more rounded posterior pronotal angles than the other material, they are not included in the types series.

Measurements. Total body length: JJ 8.0– 10.6 mm (holotype 9.0 mm); ♀♀ 8.5–10.0 mm. Differential diagnosis. The new species is classified in the Canuschiza minuta species group because of having body shape remarkably convex, posterior angles of pronotum broadly rounded ( Figs 3A,G ), antennae with nine antennomeres (rarely with eight in some females of C. minuta ). For differentiantion from C. minuta see the identification key below.

Etymology. Derived from the area of origin of the new species, Wadi Zerig, Socotra Island; noun in nominative case, in apposition.

Collecting circumstances. As far as it is known, the majority of specimens was captured attracted to light (J. Bezděk, pers. comm.); all specimens collected by A. Reiter were found climbing on vegetation after the dusk (A. Reiter, pers. comm.).

Geographical distribution. Endemic species of the Socotra Island, so far known from the Dixam plateau: Wadi Zerig and the Zemhon area, for details see BEZDĚK et al. (2012).

Figures

Figs 3A–J. Canuschiza zerig sp. nov.: A–F – male, holotype, body length 9.0 mm; G–J – female, paratype No. 3, body length 9.0 mm.A, G – habitus; B, H – pronotum in lateral and dorsal views; C, I – protarsal claw; D, J – head; E, F – aedeagus in dorsal and lateral views. Not to scale.