Pleophylla silvatica, 2017

PLEOPHYLLA SILVATICA AHRENS, BECKETT, EBERLE & FABRIZI View in CoL SP. NOV. ( FIGS 3M – P View Figure 3 , 5J View Figure 5 , 6)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B2B0915B-126B-4EF4-ACE7-E91C941B5E94

Type material examined: Holotype: ♂ “ S. Afr., E. Transvaal Berlin Karst plat. 25.31 S - 30.46 E / 08.12.1986 E-Y: 2363 fungous Pinus logs leg. Endrody-Younga ” ( TMSA) GoogleMaps . Paratypes: see Appendix S1.

Description: Body length: 13.4 mm, elytral length: 9.3 mm, maximum width: 7.1 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 three times as wide as long; ratio of eye diameter/interocular width: 0.67. Pronotum with dense and thick erect setae; unicoloured; basal margin of pronotum narrowly interrupted medially (distinctly less than scutellum width); 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: 1/1.54. Metatibia, ratio of width/length: 1/4.14. Metatarsi dorsally smooth; first metatarsomere as long as subsequent one. Aedeagus: Fig. 3M – O View Figure 3 . Habitus: Fig. 3P View Figure 3 . Female genitalia: Fig. 5J View Figure 5 .

Diagnosis: Pleophylla silvatica sp. nov. is in external and genital shape similar to P. navicularis . It differs from the latter in having the two narrow basal branches of both parameres (dorsal lobe) subequal in length, whereas in P. navicularis the basal branches of both parameres (dorsal lobe) are different in length.

Variation: Body length: 8.6 – 13.4 mm, elytral length: 6.4 – 9.4 mm, maximum width: 4.6 – 7.1 mm. Density of dark spot may vary, but never 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: 0.5.

Etymology: The new species is named ‘ silvatica ’ following its strict occurrence only in native forests.

Remarks: The northern and southern populations are slightly differentiated in shape of parameres. In a previous publication we referred to this species as ‘SpeciesM-1’ (Ozg € ul-Siemund € & Ahrens, 2015).