Pleophylla murzini, 2017

PLEOPHYLLA MURZINI AHRENS, BECKETT, EBERLE & FABRIZI View in CoL SP. NOV. ( FIGS 3E – H View Figure 3 , 5H View Figure 5 , 6)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A318BD5A-132B-407A-A34B-3007CE2F656A

Type material examined: Holotype: ♂ “ S. Africa Eastern Cape pr Katberg pass, h = 1250 m; 09.1.2002 S. Murzin leg” ( ZFMK) . Paratypes: see Appendix S1.

Description: Body length: 11 mm, elytral length: 8.14 mm, maximum width: 6.14 mm. Angle between lateral margins of labroclypeus and ocular canthus indistinct; anterior margin of labroclypeus medially straight; margins of labroclypeus moderately reflexed; smooth area in front of eyes twice as wide as long; ratio of eye diameter/interocular width: 0.63. Pronotum with dense and thick erect setae; unicoloured; basal margin of pronotum complete; larger punctures on pronotum very coarse. Hypomeron not carinate. Elytra with dark spots; erect dorsal pilosity on elytra dense (more than ten setae per interval); sutural interval in apical declivity of elytra distinctly elevated but convex; white, fine pilosity not condensed to longitudinal patches; intervals punctate at least laterally; adpressed white pilosity long, 1/3 to 1/2 of width of elytral intervals; external apical elytral angle evenly convex. Mesosternal process short. Ratio of length of metepisternum/metacoxa: 1/1.44. Metatibia, ratio of width/length: 1/4.11. Metatarsi dorsally smooth; first metatarsomere as long as subsequent one. Aedeagus: Fig. 3E, F View Figure 3 . Habitus: Fig. 3H View Figure 3 . Female genitalia: Fig. 5H View Figure 5 .

Diagnosis: The new species is rather similar to P. ferruginea in the shape of the male genitalia. Pleophylla murzini differs from the latter by the slightly larger body size and the shape of parameres: the basal basomedian branches (tooth) of the left and right paramere are much larger than the distal basomedian branches (whereas in P. ferruginea they are subequal in size). From the other large species (following below) it differs by the complete basal marginal line on the pronotum.

Variation: Body length: 8.9 – 11 mm, elytral length: 6.8 – 8.5 mm, maximum width: 4.8 – 6.5 mm. Density of dark spot may vary, sometimes completely without spots. Female: antennal club of female straight, composed of five antennomeres, slightly longer than the remaining antennomeres combined; sixth antennomere short, half as long as club length. Eyes smaller than in male: ratio of eye diameter/ interocular width: 0.53.

Etymology: The new species is named after its collector, Sergej Murzin (Moscow).

Remarks: In a previous publication we referred to this species as ‘SpM-16’ (Ozg € ul-Siemund € & Ahrens, 2015).