Brachelytrium ( Elytrobrachium ) metallicum, Bílý, Svatopluk & Bellamy, Charles L., 2010

Brachelytrium ( Elytrobrachium) metallicum View in CoL sp. nov.

( Figs. 8 View FIGURES 1 – 8. 1 – 6 , 22 View FIGURES 9 – 23. 9 – 20 )

Specimens examined. Holotype, male (NMPC): Zimbabwe bor., Nyagui riv. vall., 50 km E of Bindura, 16.xii.1998, F. Kantner leg.; Allotype, female (NMPC): Zambia, Lusaka, 17.i. [19]99, Minetti leg.; one paratype, male (NMPC): Kenya, Tsavo W Nat. Park, 03°30΄S 38°16΄E, 7.xi.2005, Curletti & Sakalian leg.

Diagnosis. Medium-sized to large ( 4.2–5.3 mm), moderately convex, subparallel; dorsal surface golden green (male) or blue (female), pronotal disc darkened; ventral surface golden green with blue tinge (male) or blue-green (female); entire body asetose, prosternal process with several short, white, recumbent setae.

Description of the male holotype. Length: 4.6 mm; width: 1.9 mm. Head relatively small, as wide as anterior pronotal margin; anterior margin of frontoclypeus very slightly emarginate, nearly straight; frons very finely depressed, narrowed dorsally; vertex as wide as width of eye; eyes large, reniform, slightly projecting beyond outline of head, inner margins slightly S-shaped; antennae short, reaching mid-length of lateral pronotal margins; scape nearly straight, pyriform, 4 times as long as wide; pedicel ovoid, 1.5 times as long as wide; antennomere 3 slightly triangular, 1.5 times as long as wide; antennomere 4 widely, obtusely triangular, 1.2 times as wide as long; antennomeres 5–10 trapezoidal, 1.3–1.5 times as wide as long; terminal antennomere rhomboid, slightly longer than wide; sculpture of head consisting of rather rough, polygonal cells with microsculptured backround.

Pronotum nearly cordiform, 1.6 times as wide as long with well-developed lateroposterior depressions; disc regularly convex; anterior margin widely emarginate with indistinct median lobe, posterior margin very finely biarcuate; lateral margins regularly rounded at anterior half, nearly straight at posterior half; sculpture consisting of regular, polygonal cells with nearly indistinct central grains; cells on lateroanterior portion of disc slightly prolonged toward anterior angles. Scutellum flat, cordiform, as wide as long.

Elytra subparallel, 1.8 times as long as wide, regularly convex; humeral swellings small; transverse, basal depression shallow, wide, not reaching scutellum; apical 1/5 widely, separately rounded; epipleuron welldeveloped, rather wide, extending to apex; sculpture fine, nearly tile-shaped, somewhat transversely rugose on postscutellar portion.

Ventral surface lustrous, widely ocellate without central grains; abdominal ventrites very finely ocellate; anal ventrite widely rounded, finely serrate laterally. Legs relatively short, slender, meso- and metatibiae slightly enlarged distally; tarsi slender, tarsomeres 1–4 with well-developed adhesive pads. Tarsal claws fine, slightly hook-shaped, somewhat enlarged at base.

Aedeagus ( Fig. 22 View FIGURES 9 – 23. 9 – 20 ) rather robust, parameres somewhat constricted posteriad mid-length, median lobe sharply pointed apically.

Sexual dimorphism. The female differs from the male by the larger and somewhat stouter body and blue coloration.

Measurements. Length: 4.2–5.3 mm; width: 1.9–2.0 mm.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin substantive “ metallum ” (metal) to stress the metallic coloration of the species.

Distribution. Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Differential diagnosis. Brachelytrium ( E.) metallicum sp. nov. resembles by its body-shape B. ( E.) ventrale ( Kerremans, 1911) from which it differs by the metallic, golden green (male) or blue (female) coloration (bronze with purple or violet frons in B. ( E.) ventrale ), deeper lateroposterior pronotal depressions, indistinct central grains on pronotum, fiely serrate margins of anal ventrite (smooth in B. ( E.) ventrale ) and by the slightly different male genitalia ( Fig. 22 View FIGURES 9 – 23. 9 – 20 vs. Fig. 23 View FIGURES 9 – 23. 9 – 20 ).