Aferos (s. str.) rubellus

Kazantsev, Sergey V., 2005, Review of Aferos Kazantsev (Coleoptera, Lycidae), with a note on Staepteron cyanoxanthum (Bourgeois), Zootaxa 830, pp. 1-23 : 10-11

Aferos (s. str.) rubellus sp. n. ( Figs. 22–23 )

Description

Male. Dark brown. Head, palps, except ultimate palpomeres, 2 basal antennomeres, prothorax, procoxae, protrochanters and profemora rufous.

Head with inconspicuous roundish impression behind antennal prominence. Antennal sockets separated by minute lamina. Eyes small (interocular distance 3.6 times as long as eye radius). Labrum inconspicuous. Mandibles small, strongly curved. Labial and maxillary palpi slender, with ultimate joints dilated and flattened distally. Antennae extending nearly to elytral mid­point; antennomeres 3–11 filiform; antennomere 3 about twice as long as antennomere 2 and 1.5 times shorter than antennomere 4; antennal pubescence sparse and decumbent.

Pronotum transverse, 1.3 times wider than long, with conspicuous median areola and transverse carinae, more prominent near lateral margins; anterior margin almost straight; lateral margins almost parallel­sided, with slightly produced laterally hind angles. Scutellum elongate, narrowing distally, rounded at apex.

Elytra long, 3.3 times longer than wide at humeri and 6.25 times longer than pronotum, slightly narrowing posteriorly, with primary costa 2 conspicuously weaker than the rest primary costae in proximal elytral half; costae 3 and 4 more prominent in distal elytral half; interstices with double rows of small regular quadrate cells. Minute, but relatively dense pubescence distributed along costae.

Legs slender, with conspicuously curved tibiae; tarsomeres 1–4 provided with plantar pads.

Aedeagus with relatively short, not distally produced parameres and narrowed preapical portion of median lobe ( Figs. 22–23 ).

Length: 5.9–7.5 mm. Width (humerally): 1.5–2.2 mm.

Female. Similar to male, but antennae shorter and eyes smaller.

Type material

Holotype male: "S. Africa, R. E. Turner, Brit. Mus., 1923 ­ 547 ", " Port St. John, Pondoland , Oct. 1923 " ( TMNH); paratypes, male: S.Afr., E Transvaal, Berlin F. S. gorge , 25 º 32 ' S – 30 º 44 ' E, intercept trap, 42 d., 23.X. 1986, Endrödy­Younga leg. ( ICM); female: S. Afr., Tvl, Uitsoek , Grootkloof ind. for. 25 º 15 ' S – 30 º 33 ' E, fungous trunks, 14.XII. 1986, Endrödy­Younga leg. ( TMNH).

Diagnosis

A. rubellus sp. n. is evidently close to A. walteri Kazantsev, differing by the relatively short, not distally produced parameres and narrowed preapical portion of median lobe of the aedeagus ( Figs. 22–23 ).

Etymology

The name is derived from the Latin for "reddish" alluding to the coloration of the head and prothorax of the new species.

Figures

FIGURES 22 – 28. Aedeagi of Aferos spp. 22 — A. (s. str.) rubellus sp. n., ventrally; 23 — same, laterally; 24 — A. (s. str.) silvestris sp. n., ventrally; 25 — same, laterally; 26 — A. (s. str.) transvaalensis sp. n., ventrally; 27 — same, laterally; 28 — same, dorsally.