Pleophylla kruegeri, 2017

PLEOPHYLLA KRUEGERI AHRENS, BECKETT, EBERLE & FABRIZI View in CoL SP. NOV. ( FIGS 4 AC – AF View Figure 4 , 6)

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Type material examined: Holotype: ♂ “ S. Afr.: Mpumalanga Marie [p]skop, 1700 m 12.12.1998; Kruger/DNA voucher BMNH 837896” ( TMSA) . Paratypes: 1 ♂, 1 ♀ “ RSA: Mpumalanga Prov., Mariepskop Forest Reserve, 1300 -1600 m, 21.- 26.XI.2008, leg. W. Schawaller ” ( SMNS) , 2 ♀ “ S. Afr.; Mpumalanga Mariepskop forest, 24.34 S – 30.52 E / 23.11.2008, E-Y:3802 night with torch, 1613 m leg. Ruth M uller € ” ( TMSA) GoogleMaps .

Description: Body length: 10.6 mm, elytral length: 7.1 mm, maximum width: 5.1 mm. Angle between lateral margins of labroclypeus and ocular canthus distinct; anterior margin of labroclypeus medially distinctly sinuate; margins of labroclypeus strongly reflexed; smooth area in front of eyes 1.5 times as wide as long; ratio of eye diameter/interocular width: 0.63. Pronotum apparently glabrous (with only a few erect setae anteriorly, otherwise with only minute setae); unicoloured; basal margin widely incomplete medially (equal to or more than scutellum width); larger punctures on pronotum very coarse. Hypomeron carinate. Elytra with dark spots; erect dorsal pilosity on elytra dense (more than ten setae per interval); sutural interval in apical declivity of elytra flat and not delimited by a sharp carina; white, fine pilosity condensed to longitudinal patches; impunctate (only striae punctate); adpressed white pilosity long, 1/3 to 1/2 of width of elytral intervals; external apical elytral angle blunt; Mesosternal process long. Ratio of length of metepisternum/metacoxa: 1/1.33. Metatibia, ratio of width/length: 1/4.33. Metatarsi dorsally smooth; first metatarsomere slightly longer than subsequent one. Aedeagus: Fig 4 View Figure 4 Ac – Ae. Habitus: Fig 4 View Figure 4 Af.

Diagnosis: This species differs from all other known Pleophylla species by having the ventral and dorsal lobes of the parameres completely fused with each other, and without setae on the parameres.

Variation: Body length: 10.6 – 11.5 mm, elytral length: 7.1 – 8.1 mm, maximum width: 5.1 – 5.6 mm. Density of dark spots may vary, but never completely without spots. Female: antennal club of female straight, composed of five antennomeres, as long as the remaining antennomeres combined; sixth antennomere shorter than a quarter of club length. Eyes smaller than in male: ratio of eye diameter/ interocular width: 0.5.

Etymology: The new species is named after one of its collectors, Martin Kr uger € ( TMSA).

Remarks: The systematic placement of this species is still uncertain. The species differs clearly from all other Pleophylla species, which might justify a separate genus. Many symplesiomorphies of Pleophylla and Omaloplia are absent from this species, such as the separate dorsal and ventral lobes on the parameres or the pilosity of parameres. However, P. kruegeri shares with Omaloplia only two plesiomorphies and therefore it does not occupy a basal position amongst the Pleophylla species in the cladistic analysis ( Fig. 9 View Figure 9 ), a prerequisite for placement in a separate genus.

In a previous publication we referred to this species as ‘SpM-24’ (Ozg € ul-Siemund € & Ahrens, 2015).

PATTERNS OF DISTRIBUTION AND PHENOLOGY

Although the distribution of Pleophylla in South Africa is focussed to the eastern and southern parts of the country, its northern occurrences extend patchily along the African Eastern Arc Mountains to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda as well as Kenya. Between these areas records are lacking over long distances. Current distribution data suggest that the species of Pleophylla are closely associated with the Afrotropical forest, but as far as known, they are absent from the tropical lowland forests of western Central Africa and western Africa. The ranges of many species overlap, at least partly, and numerous taxa co-occur syntopically ( Table 1); so far we have found up to five species in the same locality (in South Africa, Natal, Karkloof forest). The species with the widest range is P. fasciatipennis , which is found from north-eastern South Africa south to the Cape.

The main temporal occurrence in terms of numbers of species and individuals is during November and December; after February species richness and abundance drop considerably ( Fig. 8 View Figure 8 ). During May to August records are very rare, except in June when records are entirely lacking.