Miscophus lyubae Mokrousov & Proshchalykin, 2025

Miscophus lyubae Mokrousov & Proshchalykin , sp. nov.

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( Figs 43–53 View FIGURES 43–47 View FIGURES 48–53 )

Type material ( 2 ♀, 1 ♂). Holotype — ♀, “КалмыкиЯ / ЧерноЗемельский р-н / пески Давсна / 03.08.2014 Мокроусов // N 46.294767 / E 46.675475 // Holotype ♀ Miscophus / lyubae Mokrousov / et Proshchalykin [actually Astrakhan Province, Narimanov Distr., Davsna sands, 46.294767°N 46.675475°E, M. Mokrousov collector] [ ZISP]. Paratypes: ibid., 15.VII.2015, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, M. Mokrousov [ CMMN].

Diagnosis. Miscophus lyubae belongs to the M. mimeticus species group, characterized by: female clypeal anterior margin continuous, without indentations; male S 8 in most species with fused medial teeth, split only at the apex. It differs from all related species, except M. rufiventris Tsuneki, 1972 , M. affinis Pulawski, 1964 and M. volgensis sp. nov., by legs and metasoma predominantly light ferruginous. The female of Miscophus lyubae differs from all species of the group by a very large clypeal border; the male differs from M. rufiventris by the presence of S8 median teeth (lacking in M. rufiventris ), from M. affinis by fused medial teeth on S8 (distinctly separated in M. affinis ) and from M. volgensis by darkened femora and metasomal apex (legs, except coxae, and metasoma completely ferruginous in M. volgensis ).

Description. Head ( Figs 45–46 View FIGURES 43–47 , 52–53 View FIGURES 48–53 ). Median furrow indistinct. White setation well developed especially on clypeal base and on lower frons, but not concealing sculpture. Frons with dense punctation; gena shiny with sparse small punctures.

Mesosoma. Shiny, with irregular and not dense punctation on pronotum, mesonotum and mesopleuron (including episcrobal area). Pronotal collar slightly depressed posteriorly. Propodeal enclosure with central keel and oblique rugae, interspaces sparsely punctate and shiny, with white setae not concealing sculpture. Propodeal lateral and posterior surfaces striate, interspaces impunctate and shiny.

Metasoma. Shiny, with sparse indistinct puntures, T 1–3 with distinct tomentum apicolaterlly.

Coloration. Head and mesosoma predominantly black, with the following reddish areas: clypeal apex, mandible (except amber apex), antenna predominantly except darkened above and apically; pronotal lobe, tegula. Legs predominantly reddish (coxa only apically), trochanters, fore- and midfemora largely darkened (slightly so in paratypes and conspicuously in holotype). Wing venation yellowish. Metasoma predominantly reddish, darkened basally (in female paratype) or apically (in holotype).

Female ( Figs 43–47 View FIGURES 43–47 ). Body length 5.4–5.7 mm ( holotype 5.7 mm).

Head ( Figs 45–46 View FIGURES 43–47 ) ratio H:W = 0.95, ratio POL:OOL = 2.00. Frons relatively narrow, ratio head height to maximal frons width = 1.85. Clypeal anterior margin continuous, unusually wide, length of apical semitransparent part in middle nearly equal to antennal socket diameter ( Fig. 45 View FIGURES 43–47 ).

Legs ( Fig. 47 View FIGURES 43–47 ). Forebasitarsus with three spines, apical one slightly shorter than second tarsomere.

Male ( Figs 48–53 View FIGURES 48–53 ). Body length 4.3 mm.

Head ( Figs 52–53 View FIGURES 48–53 ) ratio H:W = 0.82, ratio POL:OOL = 2.25. Ratio head height to maximal frons width = 1.60.

Legs. Forebasitarsus with two thin spines, apical one slightly longer than half of second tarsomere.

Metasoma. S8— Fig. 49 View FIGURES 48–53 .

Genitalia. Paramera— Fig. 50 View FIGURES 48–53 ; penial valvula— Fig. 51 View FIGURES 48–53 .

Etymology. The species is named (in diminutive) in honour of the first author’s wife—Lyubov A. Mokrousova, for many years of assistance in research.

Distribution. Russia ( Astrakhan Province).