Berberomeloe tenebrosus, 2020

BERBEROMELOE TENEBROSUS SÁNCHEZ-VIALAS ET AL. , SP. NOV.

LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:7402C214-00A6-4C4A-BE83-44584C7C518E

Holotype: Male: Almería, Calar Alto (37°12’39”N 2°36’26”W, 1927 m), 6 May 2005, mel 05048 Bi, M. Gª-París leg. [white label, printed]; MNCN _Ent 231451 [white label, printed] GoogleMaps ; Holotypus, Berberomeloe tenebrosus Sánchez-Vialas, García-París, Ruiz & Recuero des. 2019 [white label, printed] (genitalia extracted). Preserved in absolute ethanol, held at the Entomological Collection of the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales , Madrid .

Paratypes: Peñones S. Fco (de San Francisco), Sierra Nevada, Granada, España, 2400 m, 30SVG656065, 10 June 1990, P. Barranco (leg.) [white label, printed]; MNCN _Ent 231452 [white label, printed] (male, preserved dry).―Puerto de la Ragua, 2000 m., Sierra Nevada, Granada, España, 21 May 2005, J. M. Barreda leg. [white label, printed]; MNCN _Ent 231453 [white label, printed] (female, preserved dry).―Peñones de S. Francisco, Albergue Universitario, Sierra Nevada (Granada), 2500 m; 25 June 1992, J. L. Ruiz leg. [white label, printed]; MNCN _Ent 231454 [white label, printed] (female, extracted genitalia, preserved dry).―Almería, Puerto de la Ragua, 8-V-2017, D. Escoriza leg. [white label, handwritten]; APP 17005 [white label, handwritten]; MNCN _Ent 251028 [white label, printed] (preserved in ethanol).―Almería, Puerto de Escúllar, Sierra de los Filabres, 8 May 2010, M. García-París leg. [white label, handwritten]; ASV16080 [white label, printed]; MNCN _Ent 251029 [white label, printed] (preserved in ethanol).― Granada, Borreguilillo, Pradollano, 10 July 2009, M. G. Rollán & J. París leg. [white label, printed]; ASV16075 [white label, printed]; MNCN _Ent 251027 [white label, printed] (preserved in ethanol).―Granada, carretera del Veleta, Km 41, 2800 m, 15 June 2007, M. G. Rollán leg. [white label, handwritten]; ASV16071 [white label, printed]; MNCN _Ent 251030 [white label, printed] (preserved in ethanol).―El Chorrillo, Granada, 8 July 1984, A. Compte leg. [white label, printed] (preserved dry).―Río Guadalfeo, Granada, July 1974, A. Compte leg. [white label, handwritten]; MNCN _Ent 233473 [white label, printed] (preserved dry).―2 exx labelled: Residencia Universitaria Veleta, Granada, 5 July 1974, A. Compte leg. [white label, printed]; MNCN _ Ent 233475 and MNCN _Ent 233476, respectively [white labels, printed] (preserved dry).―Granada, Pradollano, Sierra Nevada, 2000 m, 21 June 1996, J. París leg. [white label, print]; Berberomeloe majalis Linnaeus, 1758 [white label, print]; 355 [white label, handwritten]; MNCN _Ent 233472 [white label, printed] (preserved dry).―Granada, Pradollano, Sierra Nevada, 2000 m, 17 June 83, M. García-París leg. [white label, print]; Berberomeloe majalis Linnaeus, 1758 [white label, print]; 357 [white label, handwritten]; MNCN _Ent 233468 [white label, printed] (preserved dry).―10 exx labelled: Sierra Nevada, VII-1936, Escalera [white label, printed]; Berberomeloe majalis Linnaeus, 1758 , M. Gª-París det. 98 [white label, printed]; [white label, handwritten: numbered from 527 to 536]; MNCN _Ent 233458– 233466 respectively [white labels, printed] (preserved dry).―Loma del tlfno [Teléfono], Sierra Nevada, 17 July 1972 [white label, handwritten]; Berberomeloe majalis Linnaeus, 1758 , M. Gª-París det. 98 [white label, printed]; 538 [white label, handwritten]; MNCN _Ent 233469 [white label, printed] (preserved dry).―Veleta, Sierra Nevada, 27-VI-62; Berberomeloe majalis Linnaeus, 1758 , M. Gª-París det. 98 [white label, preserved dry]; MNCN _Ent 233470 [white label, printed] (preserved dry).― Güejar- Sierra [white label, handwritten]; Berberomeloe majalis Linnaeus, 1758 , M. Gª-París det. 98 [white label, printed]; 540 [white label, handwritten]; MNCN _Ent 233471 [white label, printed] (preserved dry).―All paratypes labelled: ‘ Paratypus, Berberomeloe tenebrosus Sánchez-Vialas, García-París, Ruiz & Recuero , des. 2019 [red labels for dry-preserved specimens, and white labels for ethanol-preserved specimens, all printed]’. All specimens are held at the Entomological Collection of the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid. Total paratypes: 26 exx.

Etymology: The epithet is derived from the Latin adjective tenebrosum, dark, gloomy, shrouded in darkness, referring to the dark appearance of this species due to the entirely black coloration that characterizes this taxon.

Description of the holotype: Length (frons to posterior margin of elytra), 9.4 mm. Total length (including abdomen) of preserved holotype, 33 mm. Maximum width, 6.3 mm. Coloration black all over the body and appendages. Tegument finely microreticulated, semimatt. Head maximum width, 3.5 mm. Surface covered by numerous punctures uniformly distributed. Head punctures small to medium-sized, rounded, shallow and isolated from each other. A longitudinal midline is finely impressed from the upper half of the frons to the vertex. Minimum interorbital distance, 2.1 mm. Clypeus, 1.8 mm wide by 0.6 mm long. Labrum, 1.7 mm wide by 0.6 mm long. Antennomeres widened apically, with short black vestiture, mostly decumbent and with a few sparse setae erect, longer and semi-erect on antennomeres I–II; antennomere I slightly widened apically, subcylindrical (length: 0.4 mm); II short, cylindrical (length: 0.1 mm); III (length: 0.5 mm) subcylindrical, slightly widened apically, rectangular; IV (length: 0.5 mm) similar to III, subrectangular; V (length: 0.5 mm) trapezoidal, wider than VI, with a wide and rounded apical tooth on the inner edge; VI (length: 0.4 mm) trapezoidal, with an apical tooth on the inner edge; VII (length: 0.4 mm) trapezoidal, wider than VI, with an expanded apical tooth on the inner edge; VIII (length: 0.4 mm) trapezoidal, narrower than VII, weakly dentate on its outer edge of apex; IX (length: 0.4 mm) trapezoidal, wider than VIII, markedly dentate on inner edge; X (length: 0.3 mm) trapezoidal, apical tooth slightly acute; XI (length: 0.4 mm) subconical, slender, notched on apex. Pronotum subquadrate with subparallel sides, narrower posteriorly (anterior edge of pronotum: 3.1 mm; basal edge of pronotum: 2.6; pronotum length on sagittal plane: 2.2 mm); anterior margin curved, posterior margin slightly arcuate; fore angles expanded, obtusely pointed; with an impressed longitudinal midline and marked but diffuse lateral depressions. Pronotum surface heterogeneously punctate; punctures of various sizes, sparse, mostly medium and small, circular, well separated from each other, not confluent; medium sized punctures deep, located on the lateral borders and along midline. Dorsal surface of pronotum almost glabrous, with an isolated small seta in each puncture; anterior margin, adjacent to the neck, with numerous moderately long setae. Elytra length, 4.9 mm; tegument glabrous, slightly wrinkled longitudinally with impressed irregular vermicular lines, with scarce, weakly marked, dispersed punctures. Abdomen entirely black, without red stripes on the terga. Last ventrite notched. Metafemur shorter than metatibia (metafemur length: 3.3 mm; metatibia length: 3.4 mm). Metatarsal tarsomeres length, from inner to apical: 1.7, 0.8, 0.7, 0.9 mm. Genitalia with tegmen (see Fig. 25C–F) brownish; moderately elongated, slender both on dorsal and lateral views. Phallobase longer than wide, length similar to the parameres; wider on dorsal view; maximum width in the middle part. Parameres longer than wide, basally cylindrical; distal third formed by parameral lobes; scarce setae present on mid-dorsal region. Parameral lobes relatively long and narrow, separated by a longitudinal notch that extends to the middle of the dorsal surface of the parameres; apexes rounded. Median lobe long, robust, flattened, with rounded apex in lateral view and two acute ventral hooks, close to each other and separated from apex. Endophallic hook visible.

Female: Similar to male, but with the last abdominal ventrite rounded, not emarginated in its posterior margin, and less dentate antennomeres. Studied specimens present the inner surface of the bursa copulatrix without sclerotized spicules or plates (similar to those of B. indalo , as figured in Fig. 8B).

Variability: Body length variable (frons to posterior edge of elytra), 12–16 mm; maximum total length a m o n g p r e s e r v e d, s t u d i e d s p e c i m e n s, 4 2 m m. Morphometric variability is shown in Table 2. The density and distribution of the head and pronotum punctures show weak individual variability.

Diagnosis: Berberomeloe tenebrosus can be distinguished from all other species of Berberomeloe by the following combination of characters ( Fig. 25): (1) entirely black head and abdomen; (2) punctures on the head small to medium-sized, rounded, shallow and mostly isolated from each other; (3) pronotum surface heterogeneously punctate; with medium-sized punctures, deep and located on the sides and along the midline area; disc region smooth or finely impressed; (4) fore angles of pronotum moderately expanded; (5) apex of the median lobe rounded; (6) male antennomere XI slender; and (7) male antennomeres VII and IX markedly expanded on the inner apical side.

Distribution and notes on natural history: Berberomeloe tenebrosus is found in Sierra Nevada and Sierra de Los Filabres mountain ranges (provinces of Almería and Granada) ( Fig. 2), within an elevation range from 1250 m (0.6 km west of Ferreira) to 3000 m (surroundings of Pico Veleta), mostly at supra- and oro-Mediterranean bioclimatic levels, and locally at meso- and crioro-Mediterranean levels, with subhumid to humid ombrotypes (see: Rivas-Martínez, 1987; Molero-Mesa et al., 1992; Valle, 2003; Valle et al., 2004).

In Sierra Nevada, B. tenebrosus generally inhabits montane open fields such as alpine meadows, open high mountain scrubland and stony soils, dominated by formations of Genista versicolor Boiss. ex Steud. ( Fig. 26) and, at higher elevation, by formations of Juniperus communis L., mainly on siliceous substrate ( González-Megías et al., 2004; Ruiz & García-París, 2013, as ‘betic group’ of B. majalis ). It can be found also at forest edges, composed mostly of Pinus sylvestris , Quercus pyrenaica and Q. rotundifolia (see: Valle, 2003; Ruiz & García-París, 2013). In the foothills of the northern slopes of Sierra Nevada, at 1250 m, it has been found in almond ( Prunus dulcis ) fields (pers. obs.). In Sierra de los Filabres (Almería), it is also found in open grasslands with Genista versicolor formations, and on P. sylvestris and Q. rotundifolia forest edges

It has been found feeding on Genista versicolor flowers, although it is probably polyphagous, like most members of the genus ( Bologna, 1991). Adults are found from April to August ( Ruiz & García-París, 2013).

COMPARATIVE MORPHOLOGY OF SPECIES OF BERBEROMELOE

The clade formed by B. insignis and B. tenebrosus differs from all the taxa of the B. majalis species group in the absence of coloured, transverse tergal bars, the morphology of antennomeres, with slenderer male antennomere XI, and, in general, with much stronger apical teeth in male antennomeres. Berberomeloe insignis can be distinguished from B. tenebrosus and the other congeneric species, among other traits, by the presence of symmetrical red blotches on the temples of the head. Berberomeloe tenebrosus and B. insignis differ from B. castuo , B. comunero , B. yebli , B. laevigatus , B. maculifrons , B. majalis and B. payoyo in the clearly expanded fore angles of the pronotum, comparatively more elongated than in the other species, in the pronotum puncturation and in the slenderer distal region of the median lobe of the male genitalia.

Within the B. majalis species group, the conspicuously narrow, coloured tergal bars represent, by itself, a diagnostic character to differentiate B. castuo and B. payoyo from all other species, whereas pronotum puncturation differentiate B. castuo , B. comunero and B. yebli , with usually deeply marked punctures, from B. majalis , B. payoyo , B. indalo and B. maculifrons (except Middle Atlas populations), usually presenting subtler marked punctures. The shape of the distal part of male genitalia median lobe is truncated in most of the B. majalis species group except in B. yebli , in which it is rounded. The puncturation of elytra could represent a diagnostic trait to differentiate B. laevigatus from the other congeneric species.

Additional morphological traits to identify each species are presented in the following key: