Parelaphinis umtamvuna, Perissinotto, 2022

Perissinotto, Renzo, 2022, Review of the genera Elaphinis and Parelaphinis (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae) with description of three new species from South Africa, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (Acta. Ent. Mus. Natl. Pragae) 62 (1), pp. 35-55 : 51-53

Parelaphinis moesta ( Gory & Percheron, 1833) ( Figs 53–61 , 63 )

Cetonia moesta Gory & Percheron, 1833: 292 .

Cetonia moesta : PඣඋංඇGඎൾඒ (1907): 340; SർHൾඇKඅංඇG (1921): 305. Elaphinis moesta : Bඎඋආൾංඌඍൾඋ (1842): 598.

Atrichelaphinis moesta : Kඋൺൺඍඓ (1898): 220.

Cetonia bella MacLeay, 1838: 46 : Lൺർඈඋൽൺංඋൾ (1856):526;PඣඋංඇGඎൾඒ (1907): 340.

Micrelaphinis brincki Schein, 1960: 99 .

Parelaphinis moesta : Mൺඋൺංඌ & Hඈඅආ (1989): 29; Hඈඅආ & Mൺඋൺංඌ (1992): 174; Hඈඅආ & Sඍඈൻൻංൺ (1995): 300; Hඈඅආ & Pൾඋංඌඌංඇඈඍඍඈ (2004): 87; Mൺඅൾർ & ŠටඉൾK (2016): 62; Mൺඅൾർ & ŠටඉൾK (2017): 71; BൾංඇHඎඇൽඇൾඋ (2017): 258.

Type material. Cetonia moesta : Hඈඅඈඍඒඉൾ: ♀, “Gory type ”, “ moesta GP , bella M. Leay, Caffria ”, “Coll. Melly” ( MHNG).

Cetonia bella : Lൾർඍඈඍඒඉൾ: J, “Int. S. Afr. 43 19”, “ Cet. multiguttata Melly, Int. S. Afr., Earl of Derby ” ( BMNH).

Micrelaphinis brincki : Hඈඅඈඍඒඉൾ: J, “S. Afr. Cape Prov, 2 miles W Rhodes, 11.III.1951, No 226”, “Swedish South Africa Expedition 1950- 1951, Brinck-Rudebeck” ( MZLU, Type no 3:l).

Additional material examined. LESOTHO: 1ind.,[Alwyns Kop?] 1500m, Orange riv.Valley,SE 3027 Be (Mൺඋൺංඌ & Hඈඅආ1989:32). SOUTH AFRI- CA: Eൺඌඍൾඋඇ Cൺඉൾ: 1 J, Micrelaphinis moesta, Compared to Type, Micrelaphinis brincki Schein,J , type locality 2miles W.Rhodes(Cape),Lund Univ. Sweden, Compared to Type, moesta Gory & Percheron , type locality Cape, Genéve,Switzerland (TMSA-CPH2084);East London,SE 3327Bb (Mൺඋൺංඌ & Hඈඅආ 1989: 32); 1 ind., Middelburg, 18 Dec 1985, Pitfall trap (unbaited), M de Jager (SANC-COLS-14997); n inds, Steynsburg, SE 3125 Bd (Mൺඋൺංඌ & Hඈඅආ 1989: 32); 1J 1 ♀, Compassberg, 15 Dec 1997, R Perissinotto & L Clennell ( BMCS); 1 J, ibidem, 8 Feb 1998 ( RPGS); 1 J 1 ♀, ibidem, 8 Mar 1998 ( BMPC);1J 1♀, ibidem, Mar1998 ( GBEG); 1♀, Huntly Glen,Bedford, 25Jan 1997,R Perissinotto& L Clennell( RPGS); 1♀, ibidem, 3Feb 1999 EL Pringle ( EPBS); 1 J, ibidem, 19 Jan 2004, EL Pringle ( EPBS); 1 ♀, ibidem, 11 Jan 2006,EL Pringle ( EPBS);1J, ibidem, 8 Jan 2008,EL Pringle ( EPBS); 1 ♀, ibidem, 19 Jan 2009, EL Pringle ( EPBS); 1 J, Baviaanskloof, 25 Dec 1999, R Perissinotto & L Clennell ( BMCS); 1 ♀, Nr Grahamstown, 10 Mar 1992, R Perissinotto & L Clennell ( BMCS); 1♀, Mountain Zebra NP, 15 Jan 1997,R Perissinotto &L Clennell( BMCS);1J, Graaf-Reinet, 16Dec2004,R Perissinotto& L Clennell ( BMCS);1J 1♀, ibidem, Mar 2005,R Perissinotto &L Clennell ( BMCS);1J, ibidem, 31 Dec 2007,R Perissinotto &L Clennell ( TGMF); 1 ♀, ibidem, Jan 2009, R Perissinotto & L Clennell ( TGMF); 1 J, Hofmeyr, 26Dec 2011,R Perissinotto &LClennell( BMCS);2JJ,Aberdeen, 19 Jan 2009, EL Pringle ( EPBS); 2 inds, Chris Hani (Camdebo), Sneeuberge Mountains, Nieu-Bethesda, 31°50′39.34″S, 24°31′51.14″E, 1450 m, 30 Dec 2014, on Helichrysum hamulosum (Mൺඅൾർ & ŠටඉൾK 2016: 62–63, fig 13); 1 ind.,Chris Hani(Tsolwana),Winterberge Mountains,along R344, 1000–1650 m, l Jan 2015, on Daucus carota (Mൺඅൾർ & ŠටඉൾK 2016: 62–63, fig 14); 1 ind., Sarah Baartman District (Dr Beyers Naudé Municipality); Naudésberg Pass 1445 m, 2 Jan 2017; dead along roadside (Mൺඅൾർ & ŠටඉൾK 2017: 62). Fඋൾൾ Sඍൺඍൾ: 1 ♀, Zastron, 6 Jan 2000, R Perissinotto & L Clennell (Hඈඅආ & Pൾඋංඌඌංඇඈඍඍඈ 2004: 87). GൺඎඍൾඇG: 1 J, Transvaal, Klipportje, Parkhill Rd. [locality doubtful], Cornel (TMSA-CPH2086). NඈඋඍHൾඋඇ Cൺඉൾ: 1 ♀, Hantamsberg, Calvinia, 1 Jan 1997, Giannatelli, Stobbia & Marais ( TMSA); 2JJ 1 ♀ ibidem, Dec 1996, R Giannatelli & P Stobbia ( TGMF); 35 JJ. 15 ♀♀, Calvinia 15-16 Dec 1995, AP & ME Marais ( BMCS, TMSA, ISAM COL-A027380); n inds, ibidem, 15.XII.1995, J Ball & AP Marais (Hඈඅආ & Sඍඈൻൻංൺ 1995: 300); 1 ♀, ibidem, emerged 21 Mar 1996, AP & ME Marais ( BMCS); 10JJ 6♀♀, ibidem,emerged 23 Mar 1996,AP & ME Marais, ex Coll.JB Ball&AP Marais ( ISAM COL-A067949); 1♀, ibidem, 25Dec 1996, AP & ME Marais ( BMCS); 1 J 1 ♀, ibidem, 27 Dec 1996, R Perissinotto & L Clennell ( BMCS); 1 ♀, ibidem, 2 Jul 1997, Coll. R Alexis ( RBINS); 1 ♀, Kikvorsberg, Mar 2005, R Perissinotto & L Clennell ( BMCS); 1 J, ibidem, Oct 2005,R Perissinotto&L Clennell ( BMCS);1J, Gr Tafelberg, 2Jan 2006, R Perissinotto & L Clennell ( BMCS). Wൾඌඍൾඋඇ Cൺඉൾ: 1 J, Plettenbergbaai [upper Keurboom River], 23Dec1995,R Perissinotto &L Clennell( TMSA);1 J,ibidem, 28 Dec2010,R Perissinotto&L Clennell ( BMCS). Cൺඉൾ Pඋඈඏංඇർൾ [not resolved]:1J, Cetonia herschellii, M.L.Caffria , Elaphinis(Pareaphinis) moesta G&P, det. E. Marais 1987, Macleay Museum, University of Sydney, 2006Australia (TMSA-CPH2085).

Remarks. This species has recently been collected in several provinces on the western interior of South Africa, including Free State, Western, Eastern and Northern Cape, as well as Lesotho ( Fig. 66 ). However, the records of smaller and more rounded specimens with merging spots on dorsum regarded as ʻnorth-eastern populationsʼ of this species in Hඈඅආ & Pൾඋංඌඌංඇඈඍඍඈ (2004) are actually representative of the new species P. drakensbergica sp. nov. described above. An unusually dark specimen (TMSA-CPH2086), with reduced white maculation on the dorsum and with label data referring to a locality in the Gauteng Province (Klipportje, Parkhill Rd.), appears to represent an outlier ( Fig. 66 ). However, its aedeagus fits remarkably well into the typical shape observed in P. moesta . This, combined with the rather amateurish data label accompanying this specimen (handwritten, no date), and the fact that no other specimens have ever been recorded from this province despite it being one of the traditional centres of entomological research in the country, leads to the conclusion that the specimen in question may have been mislabelled with a wrong locality. Another apparent outlier is the locality record of Hantamsberg, above the Northern Cape town of Calvinia ( Fig. 65 ), which represents the westernmost range of the species distribution, being situated approximately 400 km to the west of the closest records currently known for this species ( Fig. 66 ). However, repeated collections have been made at this locality and several specimens have been analysed is great detail, confirming their remarkable similarity to the typical morphology observed in P. moesta across its mainly Eastern Cape range. The Hantamsberg specimens can though attain the largest size observed in the species, with a total length at time reaching 15 mm, and consistently exhibit neatly rounded tomentose spots across their dorsal surface (Hඈඅආ & Pൾඋංඌඌංඇඈඍඍඈ 2004, BൾංඇHඎඇൽඇൾඋ 2017).

As already reported in Mൺඋൺංඌ & Hඈඅආ (1989) and Hඈඅආ & Mൺඋൺංඌ (1992), sexual dimorphism in this species is rather moderate and similar to that observed in most other Cetoniini species. The female is slightly broader than its male counterpart, has wider protibiae but shorter protarsi and antennal clubs ( Fig. 61 ). Its pygidium protrudes beyond the elytral apices and the abdominal ventrites exhibit a moderate convexity; its metatibial spurs are spatulate rather than acuminate like in the male and its distal metatibial edge is undulated rather than serrated.

Most specimens of P. moesta have been dug out from underground, often within or around dunghills of hyrax, Procavia capensis (Hඈඅආ & Pൾඋංඌඌංඇඈඍඍඈ 2004, Mൺඅൾർ & ŠටඉൾK 2016). In the Western and Northern Cape, specimens were also found on the roots of Senecio leptophyllus (Hඈඅආ & Pൾඋංඌඌංඇඈඍඍඈ 2004), while a few observations have also been made of specimens feeding on flowers of herb and shrub species, such as Helichrysum hamulosum ( Fig. 63 ) and Daucus carota (Mൺඅൾർ & ŠටඉൾK 2016; pers. obs.). Adults seem to be active from late Austral spring till the end of summer, with peak in December–January. Observations of airborne individuals are scarce, as flight generally occurs immediately after substantial rainfall and is generally limited to short distances and heights above the ground (pers. obs.). Both larvae and pupae in their cocoons were retrieved in number within detrital deposits on rocky platforms and crevices at the top of the Hantamsberg (Northern Cape) by AP and ME Marais in the mid 1990s. Many of these were successfully reared to adulthood, by keeping them in a garage at cool temperatures and with moisture regularly controlled (A. P. Marais, pers. comm.).

Figures

Figs 53–61. Parelaphinis moesta (Gory & Percheron, 1833). 53–60 – male; 61 – female. 53, 61 – dorsal habitus; 54 – ventral habitus; 55 – lateral habitus; 56 – clypeus; 57 – pygidium; 58 – parameres, dorsal view; 59 – parameres, lateral view; 60 – parameres, frontal view. Photographs: Lynette Clennell (53–60), Gerhard Beinhundner (61).

Figs 62–65. 62–63 – males of Parelaphinis umtamvuna sp. nov. (62) and of P. moesta (Gory & Percheron, 1833) (63) in their respective natural habitats on the Umtamvuna and Sneeuberge, respectively. 64–65 – typical habitat of Parelaphinis umtamvuna sp. nov.on the escarpment of the Umtamvuna River valley in southern KwaZulu-Natal (64) and of P.moesta on the escarpment of the Hantamsberg plateau above Calvinia, Northern Cape (65). Photographs: Lynette Clennell (62, 64), Petr Malec (63), David Bilton (65).

Fig. 66. Known distribution of Parelaphinis moesta (Gory & Percheron, 1833), P. drakensbergica sp. nov. and P. umtamvuna sp. nov. within southern Africa (map adapted from www.wikimedia.org); grey dot indicates doubtful record of P. moesta from Gauteng, as discussed in text.