Shibhonia buxanthi, Carapezza & Kment, 2024

Shibhonia buxanthi sp. nov.

( Figs 1–20 View Figs 1–5 View Figs 6–9 View Figs 10–12 View Figs 13–20 )

Type locality. Socotra, Shibhon plateau,Eserhe (12°25′12″N 53°56′36″E). Type material. HOLOTYPE: J ( Fig. 1 View Figs 1–5 ), ‘YEMEN SOCOTRA Island / Shibhon plateau, / ESERHE 13.vi.2012 / Croton socotranus shrubland / 12°25.2′N, 53°56.6′E, 547 m [p] // SOCOTRA expedition 2012 / J. Bezděk, J. Hájek, V. Hula, / P. Kment, I. Malenovský, / J. Niedobová & L. Purchart lgt. [p] // HOLOTYPUS / SHIBHONIA gen. nov. / BUXANTHI / sp. nov. / det. Carapezza & Kment 2024 ’ [p, red label] ( NMPC). PARATYPES: SOCOTRA: Shibhon plateau, Eserhe (12°25.2′N

53°56.6′E), Croton socotranus shrubland, 547 m a.s.l., 13.vi.2012, 5JJ

5 ♀♀, Socotra expedition 2012: J. Bezděk, J. Hájek, V. Hula, P. Kment, I. Malenovský, J. Niedobová & L. Purchart lgt. (2 JJ 4 ♀♀ NMPC, 1 J 1 ♀ MMBC, 1 J NHMW); Wadi Ayhaft (12°36′35″N 53°59′18″E), 280 m a.s.l., 10.iv.2008, 1 J 1 ♀, 23.i.2014, 8 JJ 1 ♀, on Buxanthus pedicellatus Tiegh., A. Carapezza lgt. ( ACPI); Zemhon area [= Aloove] (12°20.58′N 54°06.39′E), 270–350 m a.s.l., 16.–17.vi.2010, 1 J 1 ♀, V. Hula & J. Niedobová lgt. ( NMPC).All the paratypes bear the following label: ‘ PARATYPUS / SHIBHONIA gen. nov. / BUXANTHI / sp. nov. / det. Carapezza & Kment 2024 ’ [p, red label].

Additional material. SOCOTRA: Shibhon plateau, Eserhe, (12°25.2”N 53°56.6′E), Croton socotranus shrubland, 547 m a.s.l., 13.vi.2012, 6 larvae (5 L5 1 L4) (in pure ethanol), on Buxanthus pedicellatus , Socotra expedition 2012: J. Bezděk, J. Hájek, V. Hula, P. Kment, I. Malenovský, J. Niedobová & L. Purchart lgt. ( NMPC).

Description. Male. Colouration ( Figs 1–2 View Figs 1–5 ). Colouration marked by contrasting bright orange and brown black parts of body, orange colour tending to fade in preserved specimens. Head uniformly orange both dorsally and ventrally; labium pale with apical half of segment IV embrowned; scape (segment I) and pedicel (segment II) orange, pedicel apically embrowned; basiflagellum (segment III) and distiflagellum (segment IV) pale brown. Pronotum including collar and propleuron uniformly orange; meso- and metapleuron orange, often with brown-black central spot; metathoracic scent gland peritreme and evaporatorium orange; legs entirely orange; tibial spines pale brown. Scutellum and hemelytra including membrane uniformly brown black or black; abdomen either entirely orange or pregenital abdomen black with ventrites VI–VIII marginally orange and genital capsule orange.

Structure. Body tumid and rounded ( Figs 1–3 View Figs 1–5 ), 1.85–2.00 times longer than maximum width across hemelytra and 2.6 times longer than basal width of pronotum. Head declivous, in dorsal view 2.5 times wider across eyes than medially long, in lateral view 1.3 times longer than high, in frontal view 1.2 times wider than high; clypeus protruding beyond anterior margin of frons ( Fig. 10 View Figs 10–12 ), preocular part equal to two fifths of total length of head; posterior margin of vertex carinate ( Fig. 9 View Figs 6–9 ); eyes moderately large, touching anterior margin of pronotal collar, occupying about two thirds of head heigth in lateral view; ocular index 1.20–1.25; antennal insertion in contiguity with antero-inferior margin of eye, dorsal to ventral margin of eye ( Fig. 10 View Figs 10–12 ); antennae thin and long, little shorter than body length; scape exceeding anterior margin of clypeus by two thirds of its length, pedicel very slightly incrassate from base to apex, 1.1 times longer than basal width of pronotum and 1.1 times longer than combined length of basi- and distiflagellum; basiflagellum thinner than pedicel, 1.3 times longer than distiflagellum; labium extending to metacoxae, first labiomere inflated, about twice thicker than the three distal labiomeres; length of labiomeres (mm): 0.48-0.46-0.24-0.42. Pronotal collar short, its length inferior to maximal width of scape, close to maximal width of pedicel. Pronotum rather convex, 1.87 times wider than medially long, evenly punctured behind callal region; lateral margins rounded, deflected, posterior margin straight in middle, laterally rounded; posterior margin of pronotum 1.72 times as wide as head across eyes. Mesoscutum not exposed. Scutellum ( Fig. 9 View Figs 6–9 ) widely and shallowly punctured, tumid, with modest basal depression, basally as wide as medially long. Hemelytra evenly punctured except on cuneus ( Figs 7, 8 View Figs 6–9 ), widely surpassing apex of abdomen, lateral margins markedly rounded, posteriad to costal fracture declivous ( Figs 1 View Figs 1–5 , 8 View Figs 6–9 ). Tibial spines little longer than diameter of tibia; metatarsi with metatarsomere III subequal to II and 1.5 times longer than I. Metathoracic scent efferent system with elongate ostiole and ear-shaped peritreme. Male genitalia as for the genus.

Pubescence. Dorsal surface with golden, semirecumbent, simple setae ( Fig. 9 View Figs 6–9 ). Antennae and legs with short, recumbent pale setae.

Female ( Fig. 3 View Figs 1–5 ). Similar to male in colouration, structure and pubescence. Body 1.80–1.94 times longer than maximum width across hemelytra and 2.6 times longer than basal width of pronotum, ocular index 1.30–1.35; in a few specimens base of scutellum orange or with small, triangular, orange spot; in one specimen whole scutellum except for the tip is orange; posterior margin of pronotum 1.87 times as wide as head across eyes. Female genitalia ( Figs 11–12 View Figs 10–12 ) as for the genus.

Larva (4 th and 5 th instars) ( Figs 4–5 View Figs 1–5 ). Body oval, yellow, eyes and apex of labium black, tibiae white ( Fig. 5 View Figs 1–5 ). In last instar larvae head, thorax and apex of abdomen with variable orange markings, most intense on pronotum ( Fig. 4 View Figs 1–5 ); area around ostioles of anterior dorsal abdominal scent gland (situated between tergites III and IV) orange; distiflagellum grey. Body and appendages sparsely covered with black setae ( Fig. 4 View Figs 1–5 ).

Measurements. Males (n = 8; median (minimum–maximum); mm). Body length: 4.36 (3.80–4.80); maximum width across hemelytra 2.31 (2.20–2.46); head width: 1.00 (0.93–1.05); minimum dorsal interocular distance: 0.38 (0.35–0.40); pronotum width: 1.72 (1.58–1.84); pronotum median length: 0.92 (0.83–1.05); length of antennomeres: I – 0.58 (0.56–0.59), II – 1.88 (1.80–1.93), III – 0.96 (0.90–1.00), IV – 0.74 (0.71–0.77).

Females (n = 7; median (minimum–maximum); mm). Body length: 4.92 (4.06–5.33); maximum width across hemelytra 2.60 (2.40 – 2.93); head width: 1.04 (0.97–1.08); minimum dorsal interocular distance: 0.42 (0.39–0.45); pronotum width: 1.87 (1.74–2.06); pronotum median length: 1.00 (0.90–1.06); length of antennomeres: I – 0.58 (0.56–0.61), II – 1.84 (1.74–1.93), III – 0.98 (0.89–1.06), IV – 0.79 (0.72–0.85).

Larva of instar 5 (n = 5; median (minimum–maximum); mm). Body length: 3.28 (2.94–3.43), maximum body width across abdominal segment IV 1.96 (1.86–2.06).

Larva of instar 4 (n = 1; mm). Body length: 2.74, maximum body width across abdominal segment IV 1.47.

Differential diagnosis. As for the genus.

Etymology. The specific epithet of the new species is based on its host plant, Buxanthus pedicellatus , a junior synonym of Buxus hildebrandtii ; noun in genitive case standing in apposition.

Host plant and habitat. Adults and larvae of the new taxon were collected by beating branches of Buxus hildebrandtii ( Buxales : Buxaceae ) in a woody area of the low elevation zone ( Fig. 24 View Figs 23–25 ) and in Croton socotranus shrubland in the medium elevation zone ( Fig. 23 View Figs 23–25 ) of Socotra Island. Buxus hildebrandtii is an evergreen shrub or small tree ( Fig. 25 View Figs 23–25 ), generally short, below 6 meters in height, but can grow up to 9 meters high and a trunk diameter of up to 15 cm under favorable conditions. The leaves are oval in shape, leathery and olive-green, 2 to 5 cm long and 0.5 to 2.5 cm wide. It is growing on the mountains of the island, on both limestone and granite. It is an important component of the shrubland and often the dominant shrub in large areas ( MILLER & MORRIS 2004, ANONYMUS 2024). Specimens of Shibhonia buxanthi gen. & sp. nov. were collected in altitudes between 270 and 547 m a.s.l.

Distribution. Endemic to Socotra.