Derelomus peglerae Haran, 2025

Derelomus peglerae Haran sp. nov.

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Fig. 26 View Fig

Diagnosis

In the D. ephippiger group, this species can be distinguished by the combination of very long and almost straight rostrum, only slightly downcurved in lateral view ( Fig. 26A–C View Fig ) and an elytral pattern forming longitudinal dark strips near the middle of the length of interstriae 3–4. This species is unique in having a series of only 3 granules on the stridulatory plate ( Fig. 26E View Fig ). GenBank accession number for the corresponding DNA barcode: ON553433 View Materials /PV698480–81.

Etymology

The species is dedicated to Alice Marguerite Pegler (1861–1929), pioneer field botanist and entomologist in the Eastern Cape Province of the Republic of South Africa. Through observations and specimens’ collection, she was an early contributor to the recognition of the importance of beetles, including weevils in the pollination of Cycads. She also collected the series used by Hesse to describe D. postfasciatus .

Material examined

Holotype

REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA – Limpopo Province • ♂; “South Africa, Tvl.; Hans Merensky Nat.; Res. 23.42S 30.44E [23°41′42.0″ S 30°40′05.2″ E]; 23-25.i.1987; R. Oberprieler ” “collected on; leaves of; Phoenix ; reclinata ” “National coll.; of insects; Pretoria, S. Afr” “Holotype ♂; Derelomus peglerae ; Haran, 2025”; SANC.

GoogleMaps

Paratypes

ANGOLA • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; no precise locality; 7 Jun. 1928; NHMUK.

ETHIOPIA • 1 ♀; “ Abyssinie ” [no precise locality]; 1882; A. Raffray; MNHN. GoogleMaps

KENYA • 2 ♂♂; Nairobi, Scottlab [now the National Agricultural Research Laboratories , NAR]; 1°15′29.2″ N, 36°46′23.1″ E; 30 March 1947; R.H. Le Pelley coll.; on Tecoma Juss. sp. ; NHMUK. GoogleMaps

REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA – Eastern Cape Province • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Mbotyi campsite ; 31°27′54.0″ S, 29°43′48.0″ E; Dec. 2009; Ş. Procheş coll.; male and female inflorescences of Phoenix sp. ; JHAR07433 ; CBGP. GoogleMaps – KwaZulu-Natal Province • 4 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, 2 specs (preserved in ethanol); St Lucia; 28°22′59.8″ S, 32°24′33.4″ E; 5 Jan. 2019; J. Haran coll.; male inflorescence of Phoenix reclinata ; JHAR02043 ; CBGP GoogleMaps • 1 ♂; iSimangaliso Wetland Park , Ozabeni, 3 km SSW of Sodwana Camp; 27°38′10.8″ S, 32°34′55.2″ E; 22 Oct. 2014; E Grobbelaar coll.; SANC-MCOL-0374/ JHAR02335 ; SANC. GoogleMaps – Limpopo Province • 1 ♀; Nwanedi Provincial Park ; 22°37′34.8″ S, 30°24′21.6″ E; 8 Feb. 1994; R. Oberprieler coll.; collected from Phoenix reclinata ; SANC GoogleMaps • 1 ♂; Hans Merensky Nature Reserve ; 23°41′42.0″ S, 30°40′05.2″ E; 23–25 Jan. 1987; R. Oberprieler coll.; collected on leaves of Phoenix reclinata ; SANC GoogleMaps • 5 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; ANIC GoogleMaps • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; Mmabolela Estate; 22°37′52″ S, 28°16′34″ E; 20–24 Nov. 1994; F. Genier coll.; savanna light trap; CMNC. GoogleMaps – Mpumalanga Province • 1 ♂; Kruger Park , Satara Camp ; 24°23′40.0″ S, 31°46′41.6″ E; 15–17 Dec. 1985; S. and J. Peck coll.; Acacia grasslands; CMNC.. GoogleMaps

UGANDA • 2 ♀♀; Kawanda; 0°25′12.0″ N, 32°32′24.0″ E; 15 Feb.–6 Mar. 1958; P. Whalley; mercury vapor light trap; NHMUK. GoogleMaps

Redescription ( ♂)

MEASUREMENTS. Body length 2.8–3.6 mm.

COLOR. Body integument uniformly pale brown, club, medial line of pronotum dark brown, apex of rostrum, postocular strip also dark in some specimens, more rarely with a longitudinal dark strip near middle of length of interstriae 3–4; elytra and pronotum with minute recumbent whitish setae, glabrous in appearance.

HEAD. Rostrum distinctly longer than pronotum in lateral view (1.28 ×), slightly and regularly downcurved; in dorsal view about 5 × as long as wide, integument densely punctate, forming 5 longitudinal carinae; antennae inserted near apical ¼ of length; head capsule densely punctate in dorsal view, forehead flat; eyes convex, exceeding lateral curve of head capsule in dorsal view; antennal funicle with first segment 2.5× as long as wide, slightly longer than segments 2–3 together, 3–4 isodiametric, 5–7 transverse.

PRONOTUM. Wider than long (W: L ratio: 1.35–1.41), widest near base, narrower there than elytra at humeral angles (0.75×), side slightly rounded, converging apicad, forming notch or blunt tooth near middle of length; apical constriction superficial, less deep than width of scape in middle of length; integument with punctures rounded, space between punctures rough, shiny, micropunctate, wider or narrower than diameter of punctures in middle, narrower laterally.

METATHORAX. Metanepisterna with recumbent white setae, non-contiguous.

ELYTRA. Longer than wide (W: L ratio: 0.73–0.77); sides slightly convex, widest near middle of length; humeri raised; apex rounded, notched or jointed at level of suture; striae with punctures about ⅓ to ¼ as wide as width of interstriae; interstriae flat or slightly convex, 5 raised into carina; scutellar shield rounded, concolorous, coated with small recumbent scales not concealing integument.

ABDOMEN. Underside uniformly pale brown, with minute recumbent whitish setae, not contiguous. Stridulatory plate with lines of 3 granules 2/5 × as long as median line from base, space between granules 2–3 × as wide as diameter of a granule. Central sclerotized area wide, wider than long, truncate at base ( Fig. 26E View Fig ).

LEGS. Profemora moderately thickened near middle of length; protibiae with external margin straight, internal bisinuate, setae on apical half of internal margin recumbent, at most as long as claws; claws simple.

TERMINALIA. Body of penis elongate (W: L ratio: 0.26), 2× as long as apodemes; sides concave in basal ⅔, convex in apical ⅓ in dorsal view, narrowing apicad in apical ¼, apex truncate; in lateral view curvature stronger in basal ⅓ of length, width narrowing regularly from apical ⅓, apex curved upward ( Fig. 26D View Fig ).

Sexual dimorphism

Female can be distinguished from males by the longer rostrum, 1.5 × as long as pronotum in lateral view (1.28 × in males). The antennae are inserted at the apical 2/5 of the rostrum (¼ in males).

Life history

Adults are found on male inflorescences of Phoenix reclinata ( Arecaceae ), which probably constitutes the habitat for the larvae. This species is found on its host in sympatry with D. costiger Marshall, 1958 and D. bivirgatus Marshall, 1951 . Adults were recorded in June, October and from December to March.

Distribution

Derelomus peglerae sp. nov. is known from Angola, Ethiopia, the Republic of South Africa and Uganda. In the Republic of South Africa, it was recorded from the coastal regions of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, and inland in the Limpopo Province.