Sisyphus bicuariensis Daniel & Davis, 2020

Daniel, Gimo M., Davis, Adrian Lv., Sole, Catherine L. & Scholtz, Clarke H., 2020, Taxonomic review of the tribe Sisyphini sensu stricto Mulsant, 1842 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) in southern Africa, including new species descriptions, Insect Systematics & Evolution 51 (1), pp. 1-61 : 18-20

Sisyphus bicuariensis Daniel & Davis sp. n. ( Fig. 3A ).

ZooBank: http://zoobank.org/ E02CDE50-8BB1-45D9-87A9-610A7C3713A0

Diagnosis: S. bicuariensis sp. n. resembles S. trichodichromicus Montreuil, 2015 . Both bear bicoloured setae. However, S. trichodichromicus bears a shallow notch separating the medial teeth from the blunt lateral teeth; the clypeo-genal suture shows an obtusely angled cleft; and the genae are simple and arcuate. This differs to S. bicuariensis sp. n., where a markedly deep notch separates the medial teeth from the sharp lateral teeth; the clypeo-genal suture shows a rectangular cleft; and the genae are long and virtually parallel. Additionally, the shapes of the parameres are different in both species.

Description: Male holotype: Size. Length: 4.2 mm; width: 2.2 mm. Colour. Black body with grey and black setae ( Fig. 5G ); clypeus shiny brown antero-laterally; meso- and metasternum black with brown and white setae; antennal club brown. Head. Clypeus upcurved antero-laterally; margin between medial teeth straight; a deep notch between medial and lateral teeth. Clypeo-genal suture with a rectangular cleft; genae long and virtually straight. Frons and vertex with dorsal ocellate punctation and setation. Frons declivous dorso-medially; epicranial suture visible; vertex with a few granules antero-medially. Pronotum. Convex with maximum width longer than maximum length; disc bearing three depressions and ocellate punctation; setae black and grey medially on the central disc, grey laterally; setae on pro-episternum grey, well-developed antero-laterally. A complete lateral prothoracic ridge between the pronotal disc and pro-episternum. Elytra. Narrow posteriorly bearing thicker black setae alternating with thin and thick grey setae either in equal proportion (1:1) or with less grey setae; weakly developed tufts of setae protrude from the epipleurae below the edge of the elytra (<5) ( Fig. 5H ); elytral surface crenulate with distinct double crenulate line, which is interrupted by fine, ocellate strial punctures; elytral striae with minute punctation; granulation and depressions basally on elytral striae 1–4. Hind wing. Wing and venation fully developed. Pygidium. Bearing scattered setae and ocellate punctation; narrow basally. Sternites. Margin between abdominal sternites finely crenulate; setation well-developed laterally, less so medially; punctation dense laterally and sparse medially; meso-metasternal suture visible; meso- and metasternum densely punctate with matted setae antero-laterally; metasternum with a punctate depression postero-medially. Mesepimerum and metepisternum finely punctate and setose. Legs. In ventral view, profemur punctate and pubescent, carinate antero-laterally with a lateral row of fine and well-developed setae; in lateral view, meso- and metafemur with granulation, also densely punctate and setose; meso- and metatrochanter contiguous with femur, metatrochanter larger and slightly projected backwards; metacoxa punctate and shagreened ventro-anteriorly; protibia with three teeth and a single terminal spine; mesotibia punctate and setose with two terminal spines; metatibia densely setose, serrated laterally with two spurs; pro-, meso- and metatarsus five-segmented, with two claws, setose laterally; first tarsal segment of meso- and metathoracic legs with a row of dense setae on the external margin. Aedeagus. Phallobase slightly curved. Median lobe clearly visible. Parameres ( Fig. 6A ).

Morphological variation

Size: Male: length: 5.0–4.0 mm; width: 2.6–2.0 mm; Female: length: 4.9– 4.1 mm, width 2.7–2.0 mm.

Male. Meta- and mesotibia curved; with a carina on the dorso-posterior edge of the meta- and mesofemur; last abdominal sternite narrowed medially ( Fig. 1A ). Female. Meta- and mesotibia almost straight; lacking a carina on the dorso-posterior margin of the meta- and mesofemur; last visible abdominal sternite two times wider than in males ( Fig. 1B ).

Examined type material

Holotype: (♂ SANC) ANGOLA, Bicuari NP (15.375173°S 14.752320°E) (2 km N Camp ); 18.xii.1974; leg: Davis & Temby /1671/, / Ex coll. CSIRO, Div. Entomology, South Africa Station /. Paratypes: (20♂, 16♀ SANC) with the same data as the holotype. (10♂, 6♀ SANC) ANGOLA, Caconda (37 & 30 km SW) ; 21.xii.1974; leg: Davis & Temby; / 1678/, / Ex coll. CSIRO, Div. Entomology, South Africa Station /. (2♂, 3♀ SANC) ANGOLA, Sá da Bandeira (11 & 3 km W), 29.xii.1974 ; leg: Davis & Temby /1691/, / Ex coll. CSIRO, Div. Entomology, South Africa Station /. (2♂, 2♀ SANC) ANGOLA, Paiva Coucero (50 & 45 km E) ; 18.xii.1974; leg: Davis & Temby, /1671/, / Ex coll. CSIRO, Div. Entomology, South Africa Station /. (1♂, 1♀ SANC) ANGOLA, Huila ; 22.xii.1974, leg: Davis & Temby /1683/, / Ex coll. CSIRO, Div. Entomology, South Africa Station /.

Additional examined type and non-type material: S. trichodichromicus (Holotype: MHNH, through photograph without locality data); (3♂, 4♀ TMSA) ZAMBIA, Liuwa Plains ; 14.643259°S 22.626423°E, 29–30.xi.2003, 1050 m, leg: Deschodt & Groenewald. (2♂, 4♀ SANC) ZAMBIA, idem; (2♂, 2♀ UPSA) ZAMBIA, with the same data .

Etymology: Patronym is a noun in apposition, which reflects the name of the area in which the majority of type specimens were collected: Bicuari National Park, South Angola.

Distribution: The new species may be associated with unshaded vegetation and open woodland in southern Angola ( Fig. 7 ).

Figures

Fig. 3. Images of the aedeagi of the muricatus species-group: A. S. muricatus; B. S. neobornemisszanus; C. S. fasciculatus; D. S. perissinottoi; E. S. manni; F. S. swazi sp. n; G. S. alveatus.

Fig. 5. Images of the habitus of the goryi species-group: A. S. bicuariensis sp. n; with enphasis of the black and gray setae on pronotum and elytra; B. S. caffer; C. S. genierorum; D. S. goryi; E. S. sordidus.F. Pronotal setae originate from the posterior edge or between ocellate points. G. Pronotal setae arise from the centre of ocellate punctures, commonly seen in S. genierorum, S. sordidus; S. perissinottoi; S. manni and S. swazi sp. n. H. Tufts of setae on the epipleurae visible from above.

Fig. 6. Images of the aedagi of the goryi species-group: A. S. bicuariensis sp. n; B. S. caffer; C. S. genierorum; D. S. goryi; E. S. sordidus.

Fig. 1. A- medially narrow sternite, typical for males in Sisyphus. B- Abdominal sternite in females of Sisyphus species; C- Sisyphus; bears strong setae on the external edge of the first metatarsus; D- Neosisyphus, lacking strong setae on the external margin of the first metatarsus. E- Complete lateral ridge, which divides proepisternum from pronotal disc in Sisyphus. F- Lateral ridge does not reach antero-lateral edge of the pronotum in Neosisyphus.

Fig. 7. Distribution map for the goryi species-group.