Pleophylla harrisoni, 2017

PLEOPHYLLA HARRISONI AHRENS, BECKETT, EBERLE & FABRIZI View in CoL SP. NOV. ( FIGS 3 AC – AF View Figure 3 , 5N View Figure 5 , 6)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:FA467F76-B3E5-4C3C-9DA0-8102E00BC156

Type material examined: Holotype ♂ “ S. Afr, Tvl. Nelspruit Nat. Res, rivulet val. 25.29 S - 30.55 E / 9.2.1987 E-Y: 2433 beating leg Endrody-Younga” ( TMSA) GoogleMaps . Paratypes: see Appendix S1.

Description: Body length: 9.0 mm, elytral length: 5.7 mm, maximum width: 4.6 mm. Angle between lateral margins of labroclypeus and ocular canthus indistinct; anterior margin of labroclypeus medially straight; margins of labroclypeus strongly reflexed; smooth area in front of eyes three times as wide as long; ratio of eye diameter/interocular width: 0.74. Pronotum with dense and thick erect setae; unicoloured. Hypomeron not carinate. Basal margin of pronotum narrowly interrupted medially (distinctly less than scutellum width); larger punctures on pronotum very coarse; Elytra with dark spots; erect dorsal pilosity on elytra dense (more than ten setae per interval); sutural interval in apical declivity of elytra delimited by a sharp carina; 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: 1/1.41. Metatibia, ratio of width/length: 1/ 3.87. Metatarsi dorsally smooth; first metatarsomere as long as subsequent one. Aedeagus: Fig. 3 View Figure 3 Ac – Ae. Habitus: Fig. 3 View Figure 3 Af. Female genitalia: Fig. 5N View Figure 5 .

Diagnosis: Pleophylla harrisoni sp. nov. is rather similar to P. fasciatipennis in external morphology, but it differs from the latter by the smooth area in front of the eyes being three times as wide as long. The parameres are quite similar to P. warnockae sp. nov. and P. ruthae sp. nov., but the dorsal lobe of the left paramere has only a single basal tooth in P. harrisoni sp. nov.

Variation: Body length: 6.9 – 9.0 mm, elytral length: 5.2 – 5.7 mm, maximum width: 3.6 – 4.6 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 James du Guesclin Harrison (Pretoria). James supports our research in South Africa and recollected this species for our molecular analyses.

Remarks: In a previous publication we referred to this species as ‘SpM-17’ (Ozgul-Siemund € € & Ahrens, 2015).