Sisyphus swazi Daniel &amp; Davis &amp; Sole &amp; Scholtz 2020, sp. n.
Creators: name: Daniel, Gimo M.
name: Davis, Adrian Lv.
name: Sole, Catherine L.
name: Scholtz, Clarke H.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Scarabaeidae
Sisyphus
Sisyphus swazi

description: <i>Sisyphus swazi</i> Daniel &amp; Davis sp. n. (Fig. 2F) ZooBank: http://zoobank.org/ C42533D7-5760-4187-8415-45608ED98DD0 <b>Diagnosis</b>: <i>Sisyphus swazi</i> <b>sp. n</b> is similar to <i>S. alveatus</i> in that both bear tufts of setae on the elytra. However, it differs by having a concave anterior margin between the medial clypeal teeth whereas in <i>S. alveatus</i> the margin is straight. In <i>S. swazi</i> <b>sp. n</b> the anterior margin of the pronotum is wider than the posterior margin, unlike in <i>S. alveatus</i> where the width is almost uniform. Pronotal setae arise from the centre of ocellate punctures in the new species, while in <i>S. alveatus</i> they are inserted between ocellate points. The interior edges of the metatibiae are weakly serrated in <i>S. swazi</i> <b>sp. n</b> whereas in <i>S. alveatus</i> they bear strong dentition. <b>Examined type material</b> Holotype: (&amp;male; SANC): SWAZILAND (Mbabane) Ekuvinjelweni, 26.09353°S 31.30082°E, baited pitfalls, leg: Cebisile N. Magagula. <b>Description:</b> Male holotype: <b>Size</b>. 5.0 mm, width: 2.7 mm. <b>Colour</b>. body and setae brown; meso- and metasternum black. <b>Head</b>. Margin between clypeal medial teeth concave; dorsal surface of the clypeus setose and punctate; clypeo-frontal suture visible; vertex setigerous with ocellate points. <b>Pronotum</b>. Complete lateral prothoracic margin between the prothoracic disc and prothoracic episternum. Strong anterolateral emargination; anterior edge wider than posterior margin. Setae arise from the centre of ocellate punctures on the pronotal disc. Setae not uniform, but randomly arranged in patches; forming distinct bald spots on pronotal disc. <b>Elytra</b>. Short; narrow posteriorly; elytral striae minutely punctate and crenulate; double line of striae non-continuous, interrupted by fine ocellate strial puctures. Interstrial setae arranged in tufts. Hind wing and venation reduced to small sclerites (Fig. 2J). <b>Pygidium</b>. Ushaped and setigerous with ocellate punctures. <b>Sternites</b>. Abdominal sternites finely crenulate, setigerous with ocellate punctation; setae arranged in rows laterally; mesometasternal suture visible; punctate depression on the postero-medial surface of the metasternum. <b>Legs</b>. In ventral view, antero-lateral carina of profemur punctate, with a lateral row of fine and well developed setae; meso- and metafemur very small anteriorly, enlarged mid-posteriorly, densely punctate and setose; protibia with three teeth and a single terminal spine; mesotibia punctate and setose with two terminal spines; metatibia setose with weak indentation anteriorly, serrated laterally with two spurs; pro- meso- and metatarsi five segmented with two claws, setose laterally; first tarsal segment of the meso- and meta-thoracic legs with a row of strong setae on the external edge. <b>Aedeagus</b>. Parameres symmetrical, somewhat truncated towards the apex. In ventral view, a knob-like structure present basally (Fig. 2F) <b>Female</b>: unknown. <b>Distribution</b>: The new species has only been recorded in shaded vegetation along the escarpment of the Lebombo Mountains in Swaziland (Fig. 4). <b>Remarks</b>: By showing a concave edge between the medial teeth of the clypeus and setae on the pronotum arising from the centres of ocellate points, <i>Sisyphus swazi</i> <b>sp. n.</b> is superficially similar to two other southern African species of the <i>muricatus</i> species-group: namely, <i>S. manni</i> and <i>S. perissinottoi</i>. However, both species differ from <i>S. swazi</i> <b>sp. n</b>. by having uniformly arranged setae on the pronotum, which lacks bald patches. Furthermore, both species bear a pronotum of uniform width, in contrast to <i>S. swazi</i> <b>sp. n</b> in which the latero-anterior margins of the pronotum are expanded. <b>Etymology</b>: Patronym is a noun in apposition, which reflects the name of the country (Swaziland) in which the holotype specimen was collected.
description: Published as part of <i>Daniel, Gimo M., Davis, Adrian Lv., Sole, Catherine L. &amp; Scholtz, Clarke H., 2020, Taxonomic review of the tribe Sisyphini sensu stricto Mulsant, 1842 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) in southern Africa, including new species descriptions, pp. 1-61 in Insect Systematics &amp; Evolution 51 (1)</i> on pages 16-17, DOI: 10.1163/1876312X-00002195, http://zenodo.org/record/3786629