Pleophylla ruthae, 2017

PLEOPHYLLA RUTHAE AHRENS, BECKETT, EBERLE & FABRIZI View in CoL SP. NOV. ( FIGS 3U – X View Figure 3 , 5L View Figure 5 , 6)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A6CD70BC-CCA8-4BC8-BB33-C9D68007354E

Type material examined: Holotype: ♂ “ South Africa, TVL Entabeni Forest Res. 23.00 S 30.16 E. Nov. 1978. G.L. Prinsloo & L. van Luik ” ( SANC) GoogleMaps . Paratypes: see Appendix S1.

Description: Body length: 10.7 mm, elytral length: 7.7 mm, maximum width: 5.7 mm. Angle between lateral margins of labroclypeus and ocular canthus indistinct; anterior margin of labroclypeus medially weakly sinuate; margins of labroclypeus strongly reflexed; smooth area in front of eyes three times as wide as long; ratio of eye diameter/interocular width: 0.7. 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 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/ 3.84. Metatarsi dorsally smooth; first metatarsomere as long as subsequent one. Aedeagus: Fig. 3U – W View Figure 3 . Habitus: Fig. 3X View Figure 3 . Female genitalia: Fig. 5L View Figure 5 .

Diagnosis: Pleophylla ruthae sp. nov. is quite similar to P. fasciatipennis in external morphology. Pleophylla ruthae sp. nov. differs in the sutural interval being convex in the apical declivity of the elytra and not delimitated by a sharp carina. Pleophylla ruthae sp. nov. is similar to P. transkeiensis in the shape of the parameres, but the left paramere is basally less produced medially and the right paramere lacks a blunt median tooth.

Variation: Body length: 9.0 – 10.7 mm, elytral length: 6.6 – 8.0 mm, maximum width: 4.4 – 5.7 mm. Density of dark spots may vary, 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: This new species is dedicated to Ruth M uller € ( TMSA), collector of many Pleophylla species, in gratitude for her hospitality and long-lasting support of our research in South Africa.

Remarks: In a previous publication we referred to this species as ‘SpM-23’ (Ozg € ul-Siemund € & Ahrens, 2015).