Perilampus houbaraensis Yoo and Darling, 2021

Perilampus houbaraensis Yoo and Darling n. sp.

Figures 10G‒L View FIGURE 10 , 11F‒K View FIGURE 11 , Appendix 1

Material examined. Holotype. “ United Arab Emirates: Al Houbara Protected Area , 24°00'36"N, 54°02'24"E, 1- 31 May 2016, A Saji; A van Harten, Malaise trap ”, “Digital Image Voucher 2019, Royal Ontario Museum”. The holotype is point-mounted ( Female: ROME159089 View Materials , ROME). GoogleMaps

Paratypes. 2 males. United Arab Emirates: Al Houbara Protected Area , 24°00'36"N, 54°02'24"E, 1-31 Mar 2016, A Saji; A van Harten, Malaise trap ( ROME159086 View Materials - EAD, ROME159087 View Materials - ROME) GoogleMaps .

Additional material examined. Yemen: 1 male . Abyan, Al Kowd , 13°5'0"N, 45°22'0"E: 1-5 Sep 2001, A van Harten; S Al Haruri, Light trap ( 1 male: ROME159198 View Materials - ROME) GoogleMaps .

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from Al Houbara Protected Area, where most specimens, including the holotype, were collected.

Description. Female. Length: approximately 1.4 mm (HT 1.4 mm). Color: black, mesonotum with iridescent blue reflections, dorsellum black with blue reflections. Legs: coxae black, hind femora black or brown, pro and meso femora and tibiae brown, lighter distad and on inner surfaces, with weak blue reflections, tarsi brown. Antennae: scape brown, lighter distad, pedicel and flagellum brown.

Head ( Figs 10H, 10I View FIGURE 10 ): in frontal view quadrate, slightly wider than high, HW/HH approximately 1.2, sparsely setose to smooth; in dorsal view weakly transverse ( Fig. 8H View FIGURE 8 ), width same or slightly greater than twice length, HW/HL 2.0‒2.1; wider than pronotum, HW/PW about 1.4. Frontal carina: absent. Scrobal cavity: shallow; with weak round swelling originating from between median and lateral ocelli extend towards eye margin. Ocelli: large; forming a wide triangle, POL about twice distance between posterior and anterior ocelli; POL very long,>2.5× OOL. Vertex: rounded behind; smooth, interocellar region with long groove originating from occiput to anterior ocellus ( Fig. 10H View FIGURE 10 , arrow); occiput with median furrow delimited below vertex, with costulae. Outer orbits: smooth, strong costulae behind. Inner orbits: in lateral view, nearly parallel to inner eye margin; smooth. Malar space: short, about 0.2× eye height, MS/EH approximately 0.2; smooth ( Fig. 10I View FIGURE 10 ). Clypeus: weakly transverse, wider than high, CW/ CH approximately 1.7‒1.8, trapezoidal, lateral sulci weak and straight or weakly rounded, weakly divergent; epistomal sulcus straight or weakly concave, same strength as lateral sulci, only slightly extended ventrad; lower margin convex. Supraclypeal area: subquadrate. Antenna: scape length approximately 0.5× EH; anellus length approximately 0.1× PL; F1 subquadrate, shorter than pedicel, F1L/PL approximately 0.6‒0.7, F2–F7 transverse; clava 4-segmented, with distinct terminal button.

Mesosoma ( Figs 10G, 10J, 10K, 10L View FIGURE 10 , 11F View FIGURE 11 ): length approximately 1.4× maximum width. Pronotum in dorsal view: short, about 0.25× length of mesoscutum, PN/MSC 0.2‒0.3; shorter along midline, 0.5‒0.6× length laterad; anterior margin sharp, the first row of punctures slightly lower; without flange on lateral panel of pronotum at the level of mesothoracic spiracle. Lateral panel of pronotum: nearly as wide as prepectus, LPP/PPT approximately 1.1‒1.2; flat, with 3 rows of punctures and wide coriarious interspaces dorsad, ventrad with wide coriarious patch; anterior margin slightly rounded; posterior margin ventrad grooved, with row of alveolae. Prepectus ( Fig. 10J View FIGURE 10 ): narrow; nearly indistinguishable from pronotum, without distinct suture; ventral strap long ( Fig. 10J View FIGURE 10 , arrow), with row of alveolae. Femoral depression: nearly smooth. Midlobe of mesoscutum ( Fig. 11F View FIGURE 11 ): without transverse tubercle; punctures rounded to weakly angulate, with wide and weakly coriarious to nearly smooth interspaces. Lateral lobe of mesoscutum: smooth dorsad; coriarious-punctate laterad. Scutellum: about as long as mesoscutum, SC/MSC approximately 1.1; posterior margin smoothly rounded; punctures rounded to weakly angulate, with wide and weakly coriarious to nearly smooth interspaces. Axilla: punctate dorsad, imbricate below. Axillula: short triangular lobe, shorter than width at base, smooth. Propodeum ( Fig. 10K View FIGURE 10 ): length along midline about 0.3× width of propodeum; submedian area shagreened to smooth, with weak groove along median carina; smooth laterad; plicae incomplete laterad, delimited ventrad by plicae, dorsad by transverse band of foveae; propodeal spiracle margin narrowly foveate ventrad; nucha rugulose. Fore wing ( Fig. 10L View FIGURE 10 ): postmarginal vein long, 0.8‒0.9× length of marginal vein, 1.4‒1.6× length of stigmal vein; stigmal vein with weak uncus.

Metasoma: petiole short with large smooth to weakly rugulose raised scale ( Fig. 10G View FIGURE 10 , arrow); Gt2 smooth, posterior margin weakly concave at middle; Gt3 smooth.

Male. Length: approximately 1.4‒1.6 mm. Color: mesonotum with blue or green-blue reflections. Structure and sculpture similar to female except as follows: Head ( Fig. 11G View FIGURE 11 ): in dorsal view quadrate. Ocelli: larger. Malar space: shorter. Scape ( Figs 11I, 11J View FIGURE 11 ): about 0.5× EH; elongate, length about 5× width above radicle; strongly expanded distad, about 1.4× width above radicle; punctures covering about 0.3 scape length, with slightly wide interspaces. Mesosoma: more elongate, length approximately 1.5× maximum width. Gt3: weakly imbricate dorsad. Aedeagus: with paired lateral spines ( Fig. 11K View FIGURE 11 , arrow).

Variation. One male specimen (ROME159198) lacks iridescence on the mesonotum.

Diagnosis. Perilampus houbaraensis is very similar to P.yemenensis with similar venation ( i.e., long postmarginal vein) and prepectus (i.e. indistinct suture between prepectus and pronotum). However, P. houbaraensis and P. yemenensis can be distinguished by differences in sculpture: nearly smooth versus strongly imbricate propodeum ( Fig. 10K View FIGURE 10 cf. 10E), smooth versus coriarious malar space ( Figs 10I View FIGURE 10 , 11H View FIGURE 11 cf. Figs 10C View FIGURE 10 , 11C View FIGURE 11 ), and weakly coriarious to nearly smooth versus strongly coriarious interspaces on mesonotum ( Fig. 11F View FIGURE 11 cf. 11A). And the male scape of P. houbaraensis is more slender with punctures covering a smaller area than in P. yemenensis ( Figs 11I, 11J View FIGURE 11 cf. Fig. 11D View FIGURE 11 ).