Xiphoscelis braunsi Perissinotto & Sipek

Perissinotto, Renzo & Sipek, Petr, 2019, New species of Xiphoscelis Burmeister, 1842 (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Cetoniinae) from arid regions of South Africa and Namibia, ZooKeys 879, pp. 57-89 : 57

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.879.37721
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D2A33EC1-971E-4CCA-B288-37BA8E186C59
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/C4DB98B6-5EC0-4E16-8E00-87232F59E100
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:C4DB98B6-5EC0-4E16-8E00-87232F59E100
treatment provided by	ZooKeys by Pensoft
scientific name	Xiphoscelis braunsi Perissinotto & Sipek
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Xiphoscelis braunsi Perissinotto & Sipek View in CoL sp. nov. Figs 1 View Figure 1 , 4 View Figure 4 , 8 View Figure 8 , 9 View Figure 9

Diagnosis.

This species differs from X. schuckardi by its matte, black to brown dorsal colouration (black and shiny in X. schuckardi ) and the elytral costae which are weakly elevated and poorly visible, rather than prominent as in X. schuckardi ( Figs 1 View Figure 1 , 3 View Figure 3 ). The dorsal sculpture of X. braunsi is also scattered and shallow, in contrast to that of X. schuckardi , which is generally substantially denser and deeper. In X. braunsi , the anterior clypeal margin is deeply sinuate and its lateral margins smoothly rounded ( Fig. 1D View Figure 1 ). In X. schuckardi , the anterior margin is moderately sinuate while the lateral margins are rather straight to arcuate ( Fig. 3D View Figure 3 ). The total body length of X. braunsi falls within the range of 11-16 mm (N = 21), while X. schukardi normally exhibits a larger size of 14-22 mm (N = 26).

Finally, the parameres of the two species are also different at the level of the inner apical end of the dorsal lobes, which is finely pointed in X. braunsi , but rather blunt in X. schuckardi ( Figs 4 View Figure 4 , 6 View Figure 6 ). The entire apical surface of the dorsal lobes is covered in relatively long setae in X. braunsi , while these are extremely short and barely visible in X. schuckardi . The diagnostic differences between X. braunsi and X. namibica are highlighted in the section below, under the description of the latter species.

Description of holotype male.

( Figs 1 A–E View Figure 1 , 4 A–C View Figure 4 ) Size. Length 14.8; width 7.7 mm.

Body. Black to dark brown, completely matte except for small worn ridges on elytral umbones ( Fig. 1A View Figure 1 ); head and pronotum disproportionally small relative to abdomen size; metacoxa, abdominal sternites and pygidium protruding remarkably outside elytral margins; exhibiting scattered and shallow sculpture throughout dorsal surface associated with short to medium dark setae, becoming longer and denser on antero-lateral margins ( Fig. 1A, C, D View Figure 1 ).

Head. Black to dark brown, with round sculpture on frons, becoming irregularly shaped on vertex; ultrafine rugosity across entire surface; long, erect black setae restricted to eye canthus and antennal pedicel; clypeus markedly bilobate and deeply concave, with anterior margin sharply elevated and lateral margins perfectly rounded both posteriorly and anteriorly; antennal clubs and flagellum black to dark brown, of normal cetoniine length; pedicel dark brown, becoming lighter towards base.

Pronotum. Dark brown and matte, becoming blackish at margins; smoothly rounded at all margins except antero-lateral, which exhibit sharp angles leading to medio-apical, weakly elevated transversal protuberance; posterior margin forming straight line in front of scutellum; small, scattered round to horse-shoe punctures throughout surface, becoming denser towards lateral and anterior margins; thick, black, medium to long setae regularly distributed across entire surface and emerging at centre of punctures, becoming denser and longer at lateral margins ( Fig. 1A, C View Figure 1 ).

Scutellum. Black on sides to dark brown on disc; isoscelic triangular with sharply pointed apex and deep but narrow lateral grooves; with regularly spaced horse-shoe punctures restricted to basal and baso-lateral margins; dense line of short, light setae along basal margin, just below posterior pronotal margin ( Fig. 1A View Figure 1 ).

Elytron. Black to dark brown, not covering entire abdomen and leaving external projection of sternites and pygidium partly exposed; subhumeral arch very low and postero-apical declivity extremely steep and abrupt; with costae 1-4 poorly elevated in basal two-thirds, becoming virtually flat in apical third; 5th costa and umbones raised, with latter showing shiny area on top; rest of surface matte and regularly sculptured with geminate striae along intercostal spaces 1-4, becoming round to horse-shoe beyond 5th costa; with sparse short, but thick and erect black setae across whole surface, except umbones; apex without spinal projection and weakly rounded ( Fig. 1A, B View Figure 1 ).

Pygidium. Black at base gradually becoming dark brown towards apex; remarkably narrow and triangular in shape, with basal and baso-lateral margins sharply upturned; with dense, rugose sculpture on basal third, becoming scattered and round towards apex; with moderate central bulge and shallow, symmetric baso-lateral depressions; without pubescence on general surface but with lining of black, long setae along entire apical margin ( Fig. 1E View Figure 1 ).

Legs. Tarsal segments consistently black and elongate, but tibiae reddish-brown with black tips and of normal cetoniine thickness and length; protibia tridentate, with proximal tooth drastically reduced; mesotibia bearing mid outer spine with four thick setae on its surface, two apical spines and two spurs of small to medium size; metatibia with extreme hypertrophic inner spine and spurs, inner spine 2-3 times as thick and 1.5 times as long as spurs; ( Fig. 1A, B, C View Figure 1 ); femora reddish-brown with black edges and bearing long, thin setae; pro- and meso-femora of normal size, but metafemora hypertrophic.

Ventral surface. Shiny, reddish-brown to black; with thin and long dark setae on prosternum, coxae and all femoral margins, becoming shorter and more sparse on other surfaces, particularly abdominal sternites; all setae emerging at centre of small and round sculptures; mesometasternal process extremely small, not protruding forward or upwards and partly covered by coxal bases, reddish-brown to black, with scattered round punctures and thin setae on surface; abdominal sternites initially flat, but forming concavity at middle particularly in area of sternites 5-7.

Aedeagus. Parameres with dorsal lobes tapering gradually and smoothly towards apex, forming short spinal apical inner end, covering completely ventral lobes in dorsal view ( Fig. 4A View Figure 4 ); exhibiting long, thin setae along entire apical margin ( Fig. 4 A–C View Figure 4 ); apical surface rounded-triangular in frontal view ( Fig. 4C View Figure 4 ).

Derivatio nominis. This species is dedicated to the memory of Hans Brauns (1857-1929), renowned physician and entomologist, who during the early 20th century lived and collected extensively in the Willowmore District of the Eastern Cape Province. Most of the early specimens of the new species described here formed part of his collection.

Description of female.

The only reliable and consistent external feature of sexual dimorphism in this species lies in the development of the metatibial internal apical spine and spurs, which are far less hypertrophic in the female, compared to the male. Also, like in most cetoniines, the protibiae and protarsi are appreciably shorter in the female than in the male, and the abdominal sternites of the male are usually concave in the central area while those of the female tend to be flat or slightly convex.

Distribution.

This species appears to be restricted to the Eastern and Western Cape provinces of South Africa. Apart from the long series collected at Willowmore by Brauns in the early part of the 20th century, specimens have recently been found in mountainous areas of the western part of the Eastern Cape and in the interior regions of the Western Cape, at altitudes> 500 m but not exceeding 1000 m asl. Thus, the species appears to follow the geographic range of the Cape Fold Belt, where it inhabits the lower slopes of its mountain ranges ( Fig. 7 View Figure 7 ).

Biology.

Both literature and specimen data records report regular occurrences of association of this species with the southern harvester termite, Microhodothermes viator (e.g., Holm and Marais 1992, Perissinotto et al. 2003, Hans Brauns data labels). In particular, numerous larvae were collected recently at Worcester (Western Cape), from frass accumulations of M. viator that constructs heuweltjies, and reared successfully in the laboratory (Mike Picker, pers. comm.). However, this does not appear to be an obligatory or even predominant association, as most available records and observations are actually of a different nature. Both adults and larvae have most often been found in or around shrubs of a variety of karooid plants, like renosterbos, Dicerothamnus rhinocerotis , or Psilocaulon sp. (RP pers. obs., Petr Malec pers. comm.).

Remarks.

While the ventral habitus of this species is remarkably stable in colour, being predominantly reddish-brown, the dorsal surface ranges across two extreme varieties, one completely black ( Fig. 9 View Figure 9 ) and the other reddish-brown ( Fig. 8 View Figure 8 ). All the variations between these two extremes have been observed, with the populations at the eastern end of the distribution range normally showing a dominance of light forms and the westernmost populations exhibiting predominantly black habitus. Within the type series analysed in this study, the size ranges as follows: ♂ length 11.1-16.0 mm, width 5.3-8.5 mm (N = 13); ♀ length 12.3-15.6 mm, width 5.9-8.3 mm (N = 8).

Type material.

Holotype (♂): South Africa, EC, Fullerton, 5 Jan 2017, R. Perissinotto & L. Clennell (ISAM). Paratypes: 1 ♂, Beauf. W., 1883, (ISAM: COL–A 026571); 1 ♂, Algoa Bay, Capland, Dr Brauns (TMSA: CPH7888); 1 ♂, Capland, Willowmore, 1 Nov 1919, Dr Brauns (TMSA: CPH7883); 2 ♀, Capland, Willowmore, Jan 1916, Dr Brauns, Hadotermes viator Latr. (TMSA: CPH7882); 4 ♂, 1 ♀, Kliplaat, Capland, Dr Brauns, Jan 1911 (TMSA: CPH7889); 2 ♂, Willowmore, Capland, Dr Brauns, Jan 1909 (TMSA: CPH7881); 1 ♂, Willowmore, Capland, Dr Brauns, Jan 1909, Xiphoscelis rufa , J. Krikken ms 1985 - Paratype, Xiphoscelis gariepina G & P. (TMSA); 1 ♂, Willowmore, Capland, Dr Brauns, Jan 1909, X. Gariepena G. & P., Cum typo comp. (TMSA); 1 ♀, Willowmore, Capland, Dr Brauns, 20 Nov 1902 (TMSA: CPH7880); 1 ♂, 2♀, No data (TMSA: CPH7885); 1 ♂, Willowmore, Capland, Dr Brauns, Jan 1909, Xiphoscelis gariepena , C. Hadotermes viator Haq., coll. Jul. Moser (ZMHB); 1♂, Willowmore, Capland, Dr Brauns, 20 Nov 1902 (ZMHB); 1♀, Pr. b. sp. Meyer, coll. Nonfried Africa orient., coll. Jul. Moser (ZMHB); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Willowmore District, Dec 1960, Dr Brown (BMPC); 1 ♂, Matjesfontein (C. C.), E. Simon 1893 (TMSA: CPH7886); 1 ♀, 5 May 1965 (TMSA: CPH7884); 1 ♂, Three Sisters, CP. RSA, 26 Oct 1973, N. J. Duke (TMSA: CPH7887); 1 ♂, South Africa, Western Cape, Matjiesfontein, 33°13'S, 20°35'E, Purcell leg. (SANC: COLS– 12182); 1 ♂, South Africa W. Cape, Anysberg N. Res. 29 Oct 96, C. Price (BMPC); 1 ♀, South Africa E. Cape, Nr. Willowmore, 24 Dec 99, R. Perissinotto & L. Clennell (BMPC); 1 ♀, South Africa, EC, Antoniesberg, 23 Dec 2002, R. Perissinotto & L. Clennell (BMPC); 3♂, 1♀, South Africa, WC, Garcia Pass, 20 Jan 2016; 6♂, 2♀, South Africa, EC, Fullerton, 5 Jan 2017, R. Perissinotto & L. Clennell; 2♂, 2 ♀, South Africa, EC, Nr. Streytlerville, 18 Jun 2016, R. Perissinotto & L. Clennell; 5♂, 4♀, South Africa, EC, Sarah Baartman District (Dr Beyers Naudé Municipality), 15 km NW of Willowmore, 870 m, 5.I.2017, Malec & Šípek leg. (PMPC, PSPC); 1♂, 1♀, South Africa, Eastern Cape, Willowmore env., 3-4.I.2017, P. Malec & P. Šípek leg. (PSPC, NMCR: XS061RSA_1); 1♀, South Africa, Eastern Cape, Willowmore env., 3-4.I. 2017, P. Malec & P. Šípek leg., Ex larva bred from wild larvae, P. Malec breeding; unspecified no. of specimens, South Africa (WC), Worcester, Sep 2017 [common in frass accumulations of Microhodotermes viator termites, heuweltjies] (Mike Picker, pers. comm.).