Melitonoma dalaba, Bezděk, 2025

Melitonoma dalaba sp. nov.

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Fig. 9 View Fig

Differential diagnosis

The males of Melitonoma dalaba sp. nov. are characterised by elongate protarsomeres I, 2.45 times as long as wide which are longer than in males of M. juvenca (1.75 times as long as wide) and of M. simoni (2.20 times as long as wide) ( Figs 2N View Fig , 5E View Fig , 9O View Fig ). The pronotum of M. dalaba sp. nov. is covered with distinct and well-visible punctation, which is, however, less intensive than in M. juvenca ( Figs 2D View Fig , 9E View Fig ). The pronotum of the other two species, M. simoni and M. vinculata , is completely, or almost completely impunctate, or covered with very fine punctures visible under higher magnification. The penis of M. dalaba sp. nov. is relatively wide with a distinct triangular apical process, while the penis of M. juvenca and M. vinculata are without a triangular apical process, and that of M. simoni is remarkably and regularly tapered along its apical third ( Figs 3A–F View Fig , 6A–F View Fig , 8A–F View Fig , 9F–K View Fig ).

Etymology

The name “dalaba ” refers to the type locality. Noun in apposition.

Type material

Holotype

REPUBLIC OF GUINEA • ♂ ( Fig. 9A–B View Fig ); Dalaba , Forêt de Goubel; 10°39′27″ N, 12°15′44″ W; 1413 m a.s.l.; 10–18 Sep. 2019; M. Geiser, M. Leno, S. Koivagui, W. Miles, L. Mulvaney and Sz. Safian leg.; upland forest and savannah; NHMUK, NHMUK_014527975 . GoogleMaps

Paratypes

REPUBLIC OF GUINEA • 2 ♂♂; same data as for holotype; NHMUK, NHMUK_014527959 , GoogleMaps NHMUK_014527969 GoogleMaps .

Type locality

Republic of Guinea, Dalaba, Forêt de Goubel, 10°39′27″ N, 12°15′44″ W.

Description

Male

APPEARANCE AND COLORATION. Body length: ♂♂: 6.7–7.2 mm (holotype 7.2 mm). Body elongate, subparallel, convex, almost glabrous. Head black, with dark brownish apices of mandibles. Pronotum with large black spot touching posterior margin, anterior margin of spot nearly straight, anterior, lateral and lateral parts of posterior pronotal margins orange ( Fig. 9N View Fig ). Scutellum black. Elytra orange with humeral black spot, two transverse black bands not touching lateral and sutural margins and black apex of elytra (holotype and one paratype); black pattern, reduced with humeral spot smaller, anterior transverse band fragmented to two small spots, posterior black band missing, and apical black margin narrower (one paratype, Fig. 9C View Fig ). Ventral side of body black, except pronotal hypomeron orange. Antennomeres I–III orange (I with darkened dorsal side), IV–V black with orange bases, VI–XI black. Legs black.

HEAD ( Fig. 9D View Fig ). Mandibles moderately enlarged, dorsally even and glabrous, lateral sides covered with long pale setae; left mandible somewhat larger, with lateral margin straight and oblique, and apex hook-like. Labrum transverse with rounded anterior angles and shallowly emarginated anterior margin, surface semiopaque, with several punctures, pale setae cumulated on anterior angles and anterior margin, several setae also on disc. Anterior margin of clypeus with wide shallow triangular emargination. Anterior part of head slightly impressed along anterior margin, surface slightly convex and uneven, covered with small punctures and short setae. Eyes moderately large. Frons wide, 2.10 times as wide as diameter of eye, surface uneven, almost glabrous, except setae cumulated along internal margins of eyes. Frons separated from vertex by shallowly impressed rounded line. Vertex convex, glabrous, lustrous, impunctate. Antennae short, 0.23 times as long as body, antennomere I club-shaped, III very small, antennae shortly serrated from antennomere IV.

PRONOTUM ( Fig. 9N View Fig ). Moderately convex, transverse, 1.87 times as wide as long, widest in basal quarter. Surface ( Fig. 9E View Fig ) lustrous, covered with fine punctures disappearing in middle line and along lateral and anterior margins, punctures with very short microscopic setae almost invisible at a cursory glance, surface with two shallow vertical impressions along basal margin. Anterior margin almost straight, lateral margins slightly rounded, convergent anteriorly, posterior margin slightly rounded and moderately expanded in scutellar area. Anterior margin unbordered in middle part, thinly bordered laterally, lateral margin widely bordered and posterior margins thinly bordered.Anterior angles rounded, posterior angles widely rounded. Anterior setigerous pores placed on anterior margin close to anterior angle, posterior pores placed in middle of rounding. Posterior angles slightly elevated above elytral base. Scutellum subtriangular, with rounded tip, glabrous, impunctate, shallowly impressed in middle basal margin.

ELYTRA. Subparallel, widest at posterior third, 1.40 times as long as wide and 0.64 times as long as body. Surface glabrous, dull, densely covered with very fine, confused punctures and fine microslupture. Humeral calli developed. Basal margin forming sharp keel. In lateral view, lateral margin of each elytron sinuate. Epipleura lustrous, glabrous, slightly concave, very wide at base, gradually narrowed posteriorly, disappearing in ⅔ of elytral length. Macropterous.

VENTRAL SIDE OF BODY. Densely covered with setae. Abdomen more or less concave in lateral view.

LEGS. Protibiae and protarsi moderately enlarged. Protarsomere I ( Fig. 9O View Fig ) elongate, 2.45 times as long as wide, slightly narrower than protarsomere II, parallel in apical half, slightly convergent basally, protarsomere II 1.35 times as long as wide, length ratio of protarsomeres I–III and V equals 100-66-60- 64 (100 = 0.80 mm). Mesotarsomere I elongate, parallel, as wide as II, length ratio of mesotarsomeres I–III and V equals 100-58-50-66 (100 = 0.60 mm). Metatarsomere I elongate, parallel, with narrowed base, as wide as II, length ratio of metatarsomeres I–III and V equals 100-60-60-80 (100 = 0.50 mm). Claws simple.

PENIS ( Fig. 9F–K View Fig ). Penis 2.95 times as long as wide, widest at anterior quarter, middle part convergent, narrowest at basal quarter, basal part slightly wider. Apical part forming large subtriangular process. Dorsal surface in apical part with finger-shaped elevation, laterally surrounded by distinct concavities. In lateral view, penis bent in middle, apical half wider with sharp apex, basal half narrow, almost straight. In ventral view, apical part with finger-shaped elevation, in middle part narrowed to sharp keel. Internal sac ( Fig. 9L–M View Fig ) with three pairs of hook-like sclerites and one long and thin internal sclerite, 0.25 times as long as penis.

Female

Unknown.

Distribution

Republic of Guinea.