Strotocera nodulosa sp. n ., 2022

Strotocera nodulosa sp. n.

( Fig. 7, 17-25)

ZooBank:http://zoobank.org/ 0A618D89-A26F-48E2-89ED-8218FF3F6478

Holotype, ♂. – Kenya: Eastern Nyambeni Hills , Ngaja Forest , 1070 m, at light; 0°19'113" N, 38°02'609" E, 02.-04.XII.2002, leg.: C. Häuser, D. Bartsch & A. Zahm ( SMNS). GoogleMaps

Paratypes.

- 6 ex., same label data (2 ex. RGCM, 4 ex. SMNS).

- 2 ex., Kenya: Rift Valley Matthews Range , ca. 35 km N Wamba, 1300-1400 m; 1°10'707" N, 37°18'962" E, 07.-12.XII.2002, leg.: C. Häuser, D. Bartsch & A. Zahm (1 ex. RGCM, 1 ex. SMNS). GoogleMaps

Description

Diagnosis. – Strotocera nodulosa sp. n. males can be easily separated from all other Strotocera species by its node on the first abdominal ventrite. The most similar species, S. werneri Gerstmeier & Weiss, 2009 , is smaller (10.7 mm in length) and has red brown legs, while S. spinosa sp. n. is even smaller (8.75 mm in length), has a distal protibial spine and brown tarsi.

Length. – 12.3-16.6 mm (9 specimens measured).

Head. – Head including eyes wider than pronotal anterior margin, red brown, glossy, with very fine and diffuse punctation; with long, erect, light hairs. Eyes conspicuously protruding, eye width 0.57-0.72 mm, eye distance 1.20-1.48 mm, index 1.82-2.11. Antennae black, short, stout, not reaching base when extended backwards; from A5 slightlydilatedinwards, from A6, at least from A7 wider than long, from A6 onwards the whole antennomere with pubescens of white, short hairs, A11 basally slender, slightly dilated inwards and slightly pointed, outer side more-or-less broadly, evenly rounded, only straight at tip. Labrum amber, more-or-less rectangular, broadly V-shaped. Palpomeres black, tips light brown; last maxillary palpomere stout, short, spatulated; last labial palpomere securiform, inner side short, slightly impressed, outer side long, almost straight, sensory field narrow, borders equal, not impressed. Gula U-shaped, posteriorly bulging, gular sutures diverging, with deep, broad, elliptical pits, pads long, not adjoined.

Pronotum. – Longer than wide, widest behind middle (l = 3.28-4.52 mm, w = 2.00-2.80 mm, length to width index 1:1.55-1.67), subparallel, behind middle slightly constricted, towards base slightly dilated, without anterior transverse impression, slightly sinuate behind middle. Red brown, glossy, with very fine and diffuse punctation. Long, erect, light, directed anteriorly.

Scutellum . – Roundish, bulging, middle longitudinally impressed, posterior margin emarginated (Fig. 24).

Elytra . – Subparallel, more than twice as long as wide (l = 8.67-11.19 mm, w = 3.20-4.58 mm, length to width index 1: 2.33-2.72). Elytral base not margined, apices broadly rounded separately, punctation in 10 rows, punctation at the end of first third with differing terminal points, rows 1 and 2 ending behind middle, towards outer side the rows of punctation are increasingly longer, disappear before apex, apex almost smooth; diameter of punctures slightly larger than interstices, punctation more-or-less deep and conspicuous, punctures in basal half with stronger basal boundary (but not rasplike). Interstices with very fine microsculpture; long, light, erect hairs, from middle increasingly directed backwards.

Legs. – Stout, black, tibiae almost straight, only at insertion slightly curved; tibiae without carina, spurs short, stout; claws simple, with stout, long denticle; soles from sole 2 conspicuously, slightly lobed. Tarsal sole formula 4-4-4, tibial spur formula 2-2-2.

Lower surface. – Red brown, legs black, front and middle coxae red brown, soles yellow brown. Pronotal process short, stout, distally very slightly dilated, only slightly (anteriorly) connected with hypomeral tips, front coxal cavities posteriorly narrowly open. Anterior part of mesoventrite straight, without anterior mesoventral process. Abdominal ventrite 1 with a central, apical node (Fig. 25). Light hairs of lower surface short, more-or-less depressed.

Genitalia. – See Fig. 17-23.

Distribution. – Only known from Kenya.

Etymology. – The specific epithet, nodulosus, refers to the node on the first abdominal ventrite of males.