Genus Namibdrilus gen. nov.

Figs 1, 2, 3, 4

Type species.

Namibdrilus albertalleni sp. nov.; here designated.

Etymology.

The generic name is derived from the Republic of Namibia, plus Drilus, a genus name in Elateridae: Drilini . Gender: masculine.

Diagnosis.

Namibdrilus gen. nov. can be unequivocally distinguished from its congeners by the robust unidentate mandibles (Fig. 2 A – D) and the aedeagal median lobe dorsally without a subapical hook (Fig. 4 B, E – G). Additionally, the following combination of characters can be used to recognize the genus: body (Fig. 1 A, B) elongate; frontoclypeal region (Fig. 2 A – D) strongly produced forwards, gradually narrowed toward apex, apically carinate and widely rounded; eyes (Fig. 2 A – D) large, their frontal separation 1.15 times eye diameter; antenna (Fig. 2 E) robust, strongly serrate; pronotum (Fig. 3 A, B) roughly subrectangular, 1.30 times as wide as long, lateral carina not developed; prosternum (Fig. 3 C) distinctly transverse, without well-developed prosternal process; scutellar shield (Fig. 3 A) apically subtruncate and medially emarginate; mesoventrite (Fig. 3 C) narrow, v-shaped; elytra (Figs 1 A, 3 E) elongate, with relatively rough surface and without any apparent striae or rows of punctures; abdomen (Figs 1 B, 4 A) with eight free visible sternites, the first of which is partly membranous medially; abdominal sternite IX and tergite X (Figs 4 C, D) not apparently elongate, about 1.5 times as long as wide. Based on its morphology, Namibdrilus gen. nov. is similar to genera of the clade D ( Drilus clade) defined by Kundrata and Bocak (2019). For more information and the comparison of Namibdrilus gen. nov. with presumably related genera see the identification key and discussion below.

Distribution.

Namibia.