Toktokkus mariae, Kamiński, 2022

Kamiński, Marcin Jan, 2022, A new species and distributional notes on the genus Toktokkus Kamiński & Gearner, 2021 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Sepidiini), Zootaxa 5155 (2), pp. 297-300 : 297-298

Toktokkus mariae sp. nov.

( Fig. 1 , 2 )

Type material. Holotype ( BMNH), male: “Damara”.

Diagnosis. Due to the presence of microtubercles on the elytra, relatively small body size (21.0 mm), and extremely finely punctate pronotal disc this new species is close to Toktokkus tuberculipennis (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871) (see Fig. 2D in Kamiński et al. 2021). However, it can be sharply distinguished from that species, and all other congeners, by the presence of three distinctly elevated parallel rows on each elytron ( Fig. 1D ).

Description. Length 21.0 mm, width of pronotum 7.0 mm, and elytra 12.0 mm.

Head. Hypognathous. Frons finely with extremely fine punctures (distributed irregularly, denser on sides); frontoclypeal suture coarse, presenting as a deep groove in middle; apical clypeal margin broad and weakly emarginate; labrum coarsely punctate laterally with shallow groove along apical margin bearing yellow, acuminate setae. Eyes comma-shaped, with ventral portion reduced, strongly emarginate around epistomal base. Mentum strongly trapezoidal and narrowing basally; apical margin straight with median transverse groove. Antennae not available for study (broken off). Prothorax: Pronotal lateral margin rounded. Pronotum widest in anterior half. Disc dull, extremely finely punctate; anterior apices rounded. Hypomeron convex, shining, and impunctate. Prosternal process rounded in lateral view, longitudinally depressed in middle, and rugosely sculptured (ventral view). Pterothorax. Scutellum densely tuberculate. Elytra widest in basal third; disc and humeri dull, concave, impunctate, without tubercles and microtubercles; three parallel rows covered with sharp tubercles and microtubercles present on elytral declivity; remaining portion of elytra impunctate, covered with sharp tubercles (1-2 diameters apart) and microtubercles (1-5 diameters apart). Elytral slope steep. Epipleura impunctate and without tubercles, clearly differentiated from neighboring portion of elytra and encircling ventrite 5. Mesoventrite with deep median groove. Metaventrite with fine longitudinal rugosities, densely setose. Lateral regions of metaventrite (between coxae) extremely short. Metaepisternal suture abbreviated posteriorly. Legs: Densely covered in golden setae. Apex of protibia with prominent denticle on outer margin, lateral carina terminating in basal third; protibial spurs inequal in length. Meso- and metatibial spurs of equal length. Tarsi laterally compressed. Abdomen. Ventrites 1-4 with rugosities, finely punctate laterally (1-2 diameters apart). Males with ventrites 1-3 bearing large, dense patches of setae ( Fig. 1B ); ventrites 4-5 evenly covered with setae ( Fig. 1F ).

Terminalia . Basal portion of tegmen slightly longer than apical ( Fig. 1E ). Apical portion curved laterally, evenly tapering towards apex (in ventral view). Penis relatively narrow, sharply tapering at apex.

Distribution. The available label information is ambiguous and therefore the exact collecting locality of the newly discovered species cannot be confidently determined. Considering the distribution of the genus Toktokkus it can be assumed that T. mariae sp. nov. was most probably collected in Damaraland ( Namibia). Nevertheless, several other localities named “Damara” are known from Africa.

Etymology. Named in honor of my daughter, Maria Antonina Kamińska , born on 9 June 2016 (Warsaw, Poland).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Morphology of the newly discovered Toktokkus mariae sp. nov. Dorsal (A) and ventral (B) habitus, label data (C), elytral slope (D), aedeagus in lateral and ventral views (E), fifth abdominal ventrite (F). Asterisk indicates elevated elytral rows—main diagnostic feature of T. mariae.

FIGURE 2. Distribution of the genus Toktokkus.