Upsa Deschodt, Sole & Scholtz, 2020

Deschodt, Christian M., Sole, Catherine L. & Scholtz, Clarke H., 2020, Upsa centennial, a new genus and species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Endroedyolini) from the Southern Mistbelt forest in South Africa celebrating 100 years of entomology at the University of Pretoria, Zootaxa 4728 (3), pp. 357-362 : 358

Upsa Deschodt, Sole & Scholtz , new genus

( Figs. 1 , 2A, C , E–G)

Type-species: Upsa centennial Deschodt, Sole & Scholtz , new species.

Head. Punctate with punctures small and close together; clypeus bidentate, denticles small, separated by approximately two times their length; antennae yellow; eyes not visible dorsally.

Pronotum. Strongly convex with lateral sides somewhat explanate; punctures small, irregularly spaced, two times further apart than their diameter and sometimes with short, recurved, associated setae.

Elytra. Dark brown; short and sparse golden-brown recurved setae located in punctures; striae double grooved; elytra fused.

Sternum. Mesosternum and metasternum fused, suture evenly round; mesosternum relatively wide medially with more than three irregular rows fitting in between coxae ( Fig. 2C ).

Pygidium. Punctures indistinct ( Fig. 2F ).

Foretibia. Narrow at base, gradually widening; three denticles on outside margin.

Aedeagus. Symmetrical, with parameres flattened terminally ( Fig. 2E ).

Etymology. UPSA is the international coden (or acronym) for the University of Pretoria entomological collection ( Evenhuis 2019). The gender is masculine.

Distribution. This monotypic genus is currently only known from the Alexandria forest in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa ( Fig. 1 ).

Remarks. This genus looks superficially most similar to Outenikwanus Scholtz & Howden, 1987 ( Fig. 2B, D ) by virtue of the very wide medial separation between the metasternum and mesosternum. It can readily be separated, however, by having fewer setae and by the shape of the meso-and metasternal suture being evenly rounded whereas the suture of Outenikwanus is angulate.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Map showing the distribution of all the known Endroedyolini species with the type locality of Upsa centennial Deschodt, Sole & Scholtz, new species in Alexandria forest. All the forests in South Africa (Mucina & Rutherford 2006) are marked in green on the main map and major cities indicated with black circles.

FIGURE 2. Holotype of Upsa centennial Deschodt, Sole & Scholtz, new species (A, C, E–G) and Outenikwanus tomentosus Scholtz & Howden, 1987 (B, D). A, B, habitus, dorsal view; C, D, line diagram of the meso- and metasternum; E, aedeagus, dorsal view; F, pygidium; G, labels. Scale bar = 1.0 mm for 2A–D and 0.5 mm for 2E, F.