Nematodes africanus, , Otto, 2017

Otto, Robert L., 2017, Descriptions of six new species of false click beetles (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae: Macraulacinae), with new identification keys for one tribe and two genera, Insecta Mundi 2017 (558), pp. 1-19 : 8-9

Nematodes africanus sp. nov.

Fig. 9–14

Description. Male holotype: Length, 5.5 mm. Width, 1.25 mm. Body subcylindrical, elongate, tapering towards elytral apex; uniformly dark brown; antennae reddish-brown; legs reddish-brown; head, pronotum and elytra clothed with short, recumbent yellowish setae ( Fig. 9 ).

Head: Surface with deep, crowded punctures, almost rugose; subspherical; frons convex, with median round fovea above frontoclypeal region; intervals between punctures shiny; apical margin of frontoclypeal region trilobed, more than 2.0 times wider than base; mandibles stout, bidentate, densely punctate.

Antennae ( Fig. 10 ): Serriform from antennomeres III–XI, attaining just beyond pronotal hind angles; antennomere III elongate, nearly as long as combined lengths of antennomeres IV and V; antennomere IV short, longer than wide, as long as V; antennomeres VI–XI each longer than wide, longer than V; antennomere XI longer than X.

Pronotum: Surfaces dullish, rugose; longer than wide, with moderate, sharp hind angles; basal 1/2 parallel-sided, apical 1/2 arcuate; disc convex with shallow median groove extending nearly entire length, with circular fovea on both side of median groove; base sinuous.

Scutellum: Short, sub-triangular, punctate, moderately setose and distally rounded.

Elytra: Striae present, punctate; interstices flattened; surfaces shiny; basal 1/2 transversely rugose, apical 1/2 punctate, almost rugose.

Legs: First tarsomere as long as the combined lengths of the remaining four on mesothoracic and metathoracic tarsi; tibiae rounded in cross section; metathoracic tarsomeres I–III simple; metathoracic tarsomere IV excavated; metathoracic tarsomere V elongate with simple claws.

Venter: Punctate, with elongate, recumbent yellowish setae; hypomeron simple, without lateral antennal grooves; metathoracic episternum parallel-sided; metathoracic coxal plates medially almost 6 times wider than laterally.

Variation. One female paratype was examined. Female paratype ( Fig. 11 ) measured 9.0 mm long and 2.0 mm wide; much larger and wider than the holotype. Female paratype differs from the holotype based on the shorter median groove on the pronotal disc. The median groove extends from just above the base and terminates at the middle. Female antennal structures ( Fig. 12 ) are slightly different than the holotype. For female paratype, antennomere IV is slightly shorter than V; sub-equal in the male holotype. The beak at the terminus of the last visible ventrite is much shorter and almost bifid in the female paratype ( Fig. 13 ), slightly elongate and truncate in the male holotype ( Fig. 14 ).

Type Material. Holotype, ♂: “LAMTO-PACOBO, 27-III-1984 ” (date, month and year handwritten) / “ COTE D’IVOIRE, J.M. LEROUX” (blue label) / “ HOLOTYPE:, Nematodes , africanus, Otto , det. R.L. Otto, 2016 ” (♂ handwritten behind species name on label) [red printed label]. Holotype is transferred from GERP to BMNH.

Paratype. 1 ♀: [same data as Holotype] / [same data as Holotype] / “Collection of the Global, Eucnemid Research Project, (Robert L. Otto)” (green framed white label) / “ PARATYPE:, Nematodes , africanus, Otto , det. R.L. Otto, 2016 ” (♀ handwritten behind species name on label) [yellow printed label]. Paratype is retained in GERP.

Distribution. The eucnemid species is known from a type locality in the African nation of Côte d’Ivoire, also known as the Ivory Coast.

Biology. Larvae and pupae are unknown.

Etymology. Specific epithet is derived from the name of the continent, from which the species has been taken.

Remarks. The new African species is closely allied with a number of Nematodes species , particularly the Nearctic Nematodes penetrans (LeConte) and the Neotropical Nematodes rugicollis Chevrolat. All three species have shorter antennomeres IV and V in relation to antennomere VI. Nematodes africanus differs by its uniformly dark brown coloration, being uniformly black in the other two species.

Figures

Figures 9–14. Nematodes africanus sp.nov. 9) Male holotype (BMNH), dorsal habitus. 10) Male holotype (BMNH), antenna, anterolateral view. 11) Female paratype (GERP), dorsal habitus. 12) Female paratype (GERP), antenna, anterolateral view. 13) Female paratype (GERP), abdominal apices, dorsal view. 14) Male holotype (BMNH), abdominal apices, dorsal view. (Scale: 11–12, 14–16 = 1.0 mm; 13 = 5.0 mm.)