Beckhoplia occidentalis Dombrow 2005
Creators: name: Dombrow, Holger E.
name: Colville, Jonathan F.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Melolonthidae
Beckhoplia
Beckhoplia occidentalis

description: Beckhoplia occidentalis Dombrow, 2005
(Figs. 31, 39, 58, 92-93, 115)
http://zoobank.org/ 6B0920E2-5C48-4648-A210-C41A7378EBD2
Beckhoplia occidentalis Dombrow, 2005: 127.
Type locality. [RSA, NCP]: Nieuwoudtville 5 km E.
Type material. [1] Holotype ♂: white label pr « SOUTH AFRICA | Northern Cape, Hantam | Nieuwoudtville 5 km S at | 31.22.37S–19.09.13E» bs pr «Time 14:30, 17. Sept. 2001 | alt. 752 m, ASTERACEAE | Arctotis acaulis | leg. Holger Dombrow # 339» || blue label pr «Bioregion: | Shale Renosterveld | Vegetation Type: FRs2 – | Nieuwoudtville Shale Renosterveld» || yellow label hw «18» pr «.721 | coll. Dombrow» || red label pr « Holotype | Beckhoplia | occidentalis sp.n. | det.: H. Dombrow 2003» (ZSM).
Additional material examined. 7 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀: white label pr « Republic of South Africa, | Northern Cape, Nieuwoudtville, | 31.24S– 19.08E, 04.– 07.09.2000, | leg. Ingrid Nänni » || yellow label hw «55» pr «.721 | coll. Dombrow » (ESDW).
Taxonomic note. The following specimens from the original type series are transferred to several other species, because of the distinct morphological differences see descriptions of the target species: The 6 ♀♀ from the locality Botterkloof Pass are transferred to B. caliginosa sp.n.; the 3 ♂♂ and 10 ♀♀ from the locality Farm Nuwedam are transferred to B. pumilla sp.n. The locality has to be adjusted because the coordinate is located 5 km E of Nieuwoudtville.
Condition of holotype. Very good: Glued on a card. Dissected, parameres glued behind beetle.
Differential diagnosis. Differs from B. dolichiocnemis: Elytra of B. occidentalis without a longitudinal depression along suture. Elytra of B. dolichiocnemis with a longitudinal depression along suture. Elytra of B. occidentalis partly covering propygidium. Elytra of B. dolichiocnemis protruding the propygidium. Interno-posterior margin of parameres of B. occidentalis curly bracket-shaped in dorsal view (Figs. 92, 115). Interno-posterior margin of parameres of B. dolichiocnemis parabola-shaped in dorsal view (Figs. 96, 117). Externo-posterior margin of parameres of B. occidentalis curly bracket-shaped, convex medially in dorsal view (Figs. 92, 115). Externo-posterior margin of parameres of B. dolichiocnemis undulate in dorsal view (Figs. 96, 117).
Redescription
Measurements: length 7.6–8.8 mm; width 4.0– 4.5 mm.
Integument: Black; funiculum brown annulated; elytra transparently brown, margins blackened.
Tegument: Clypeus bare; inner side of the reflexed anterior and lateral margins loose setose with short, erect, black setae. Head loose setose with long, erect, black setae. Eye canthus with a loose setose ciliary of long, black setae. Scapus loose setose with long, black setae, whitish ventrally, sparse and medium-long on pedicellus; funicle I–II bare, funicle II–IV with few very short and short, erect, brown setae; clavus sparse setose with short, reclinate, black and very short, semi-erect, pale-brown setae. Pronotum loose setose with long, erect, black setae, shorter towards posterior margin; with a loose setose ciliary of distinctly long, black setae on lateral margin. Scutellum loose setose with short and medium-long, semi-erect, brown setae. Elytra without pattern. Sparse setose with short, reclinate and semi-erect, black setae; with two loose, longitudinal rows of medium-long, semi-erect, black setae: a juxta-sutural row from anterior margin crossing scutellar torus towards apical torus; a juxta-humeral row from anterior margin between humerus and scutellar torus towards apical torus. Suture with a loose row of short and long, robust, erect, black setae. Thorax and pleurites loose pilose with long, black hairs. Ventrite I–V loose setose with short, reclinate, black setae; medium-long and long, semi-erect, black setae interspersed. Propygidium loose setose with long, reclinate, black setae, erect on pygidium. Tip of pygidium with a sparse setose ciliary of medium-long and long, black setae. Prothoracic femur loose pilose with long, black hairs; bare internally. Prothoracic tibia loose setose with short, reclinate and semi-erect, black setae; erect and medium-long ventrally; short, semi-erect, white setae interspersed dorsally; with a sparse setose longitudinal row of medium-long, erect, black setae dorsally; with a loose setose ciliary of medium-long, black setae on internal ridge; a setaceous ciliary of short, black setae on anterior margin, more robust towards internal ridge; a medium-long downwards pointing setose ciliary of pale-brown setae along anterior margin of apical tooth. Mesothoracic femur loose pilose with long, black hairs; distinctly long ventrally; bare internally. Mesothoracic tibia loose setose with short and medium-long, reclinate, whitish setae, sparser internally; medium-long, semi-erect, robust, black setae interspersed, long and finer internally. Posterior margin with a bristled ciliary of short, black bristles; lengthening dorsally; missing internally. Metathoracic femur loose setose with short and long, semi-erect, black, setae; bare internally. Metathoracic tibia sparse setose with very short and short, reclinate, brown setae; medium-long, semi-erect, robust, black setae interspersed; denser, long and finer internally. Posterior margin with a loose bristled outer marginal ciliary of short, black bristles, lengthening dorsally and ventrally, more robust ventrally. Prothoracic tarsomere I–IV bare. Mesothoracic and metathoracic tarsomere I–IV sparse setose with very short, reclinate, pale-brown setae. Tarsomere I–IV of all thoracic legs with a setaceous, apical, marginal ciliary of short, dark red-brown setae, lengthening towards metathoracic tarsomeres, fine dorsally and more robust ventrally. Pretarsomere of all thoracic legs sparse setose with very short, reclinate, pale-brown setae; few, long, semi-erect, black setae at apical margin, shorter and dark red-brown ventrally.
Head: Suture between head and clypeus linear, crenated. Head dense punctate with small, shallow, roundish, not merging punctures. Funicle I–II cylindrical; funicle III asymmetric frustum-shaped; clavus elliptic, slightly longer than pedicellus and funiculum combined.
Pronotum: Widest medially; dense punctate with shallow, very small and small, roundish punctures, denser within medial furrow.Anterior corner orthogonal. Lateral margin linearly attenuate anteriorly in anterior quarter and slightly convex attenuate posteriorly. With an indistinct, shortened, shallow medial furrow from posterior margin terminating on disk. Posterior corner rounded.
Scutellum: Parabola-shaped; slightly longer than broad; dense punctate with shallow, small to large, roundish punctures, micropunctate within. Lateral margin slightly convex. Tip rounded.
Elytra: Ovate; longer than broad; widest in anterior third; covering propygidium. Lateral margin slightly convex attenuate apically. Sculpture indistinct; slightly pulvinate laterally; humerus indistinct; with a broad roundish torus around scutellum; lateral trench missing; complanate along scutellum and suture. Loose punctate with extremely small, shallow, roundish punctures, micropunctures in-between; with two sparse, longitudinal rows of small, deep, roundish punctures: a juxta-sutural row from anterior margin crossing scutellar torus to apical torus; a supra-humeral row from anterior margin between humerus and scutellar torus to apical torus.
Abdomen: Ventrite I distinctly shortened medially; ventrite V slightly constricted ventrally. Propygidium with an indistinct stoma at posterior corner. Pygidium slightly pulvinate longitudinally and laterally; upper margin moderately convex; lateral margin subparallel in upper fifth, linearly attenuate apically; tip linear.
Prothoracic leg: Femur and tibia slender. Tibia smooth ventrally. Median tooth elongate. Basal tooth rudimentary. Interspace between apical and median tooth double in width than between median and basal tooth. Shape of interspace between teeth concave. Tarsomere I–IV combined extremely short; equal in length; slightly more than 2 / 5 in length of tibia. Tarsomere IV with a single ventral extension. Pretarsomere distinctly thickened; smooth ventrally; slightly less than 1 / 10 more in length of tarsomere I–IV combined. Internal claw slightly more than 1 / 10 more in length of pretarsomere. External claw slightly more than 7 / 10 in length of internal claw.
Mesothoracic leg: Tibia slightly less than 2 / 5 in length of femur. Tarsomere I–IV combined very short; slightly less than 2 / 5 in length of tibia. Pretarsomere with a shortened smooth ridge ventrally, roundish cutting missing; as long as tarsomere I–IV combined. External claw slightly shorter than pretarsomere. Internal claw slightly less than 4 / 5 in length of external claw.
Metathoracic leg: Tibia slightly longer than femur. Tarsomere I–IV combined distinctly short; slightly more than 7 / 10 in length of tibia. Pretarsomere slightly thickened; with an undulate ridge ventrally; slightly more than 1 / 2 in length of tarsomere I–IV combined. External claw slightly more than 1 / 10 more in length of pretarsomere. Internal claw 4 / 5 in length of external claw.
Parameres: (Figs. 92–93, 115).
♀♀. Measurements: length 7.4–9.2 mm; width 4.4–5.4 mm.
Integument: Only lateral margin of elytra blackened; mesothoracic, metathoracic tibia and all tarsi pale redbrown.
Tegument: Clypeus sparse setose with short, erect, pale-brown setae. Colour of setae on head and eye canthus pale-brown. Funicle with few very short semi-erect, whitish setae; denser on clavus. Colour of setae on pronotum brown. Scutellum loose setose with very short, semi-erect, brown setae; extremely short to very short, semi-erect, whitish setae interspersed medially and towards tip. Colour of setae on elytra brown. Colour of hairs on thorax and pleurites pale-brown. Colour of setae on ventrites yellowish; interspersed setae long and pale-brown. Propygidium and pygidium loose setose with short, semi-erect, yellowish setae; long, semi-erect, pale-brown setae interspersed. Tip of pygidium with a loose setose ciliary of medium-long, brown setae. Colour of hairs on prothoracic femur palebrown; medium-long, erect, brown setae interspersed ventrally; bare internally. Colour of hairs on mesothoracic femur pale-brown to brown. Interspersed setae on mesothoracic tibia red-brown; additionally with few semi-erect, medium-long, transparently red-brown bristles dorsally. Posterior margin with a bristled ciliary of medium-long, transparently red-brown bristles; not lengthening dorsally; missing internally. Metathoracic femur sparse setose with medium-long, erect, whitish, setae; long, erect, pale-brown setae interspersed; bare internally. Colour of setae on metathoracic tibia whitish; interspersed setae transparently red-brown. Metathoracic tibia sparse setose with very short and short, reclinate, brown setae; medium-long, semi-erect, robust, black setae interspersed; denser, long and finer internally. Colour of bristles on ciliary transparently red-brown. Tarsomere I–IV of thoracic legs with few very short, reclinate, whitish setae; colour of bristles on ciliary transparently red-brown. Colour of setae on pretarsomere of all thoracic legs transparently pale red-brown.
Head: Clypeus very slightly depressed laterally; dense punctate with large, deep, roundish punctures. Anterior margin of clypeus slightly vertically reflexed. Lateral margin slightly reflexed. Suture between head and clypeus undulate. Head dense punctate with very large, deep, roundish punctures. Eye below head level. Funicle I–II cylindrical, slightly thickened medially; funicle III short asymmetric frustum-shaped.
Pronotum: Lateral margin linearly attenuate in anterior two fifth, convex posteriorly. Medial furrow missing.
Scutellum: As broad as long.
Elytra: Lateral trench indistinct.
Abdomen: Distinctly pulvinate; ventrite II–V broadened medially; ventrite I–IV broadest. Propygidium with a slightly projected stoma at posterior corner. Pygidium slightly declined posteriorly.
Prothoracic leg: Femur and tibia robust. Median tooth broad triangular-shaped. Basal tooth very small. Tarsomere I–IV combined distinctly short; slightly less than 3 / 5 in length of tibia; tarsomere IV without ventral extension. Pretarsomere slightly thickened; with a shortened smooth ridge ventrally, roundish cutting missing; slightly less than 7 / 10 in length of tarsomere I–IV combined. Internal claw slender; not broadened medially; as long as pretarsomere. External claw slightly less than 4 / 5 in length of internal claw. External claw slightly more than 4 / 5 in length of internal claw.
Mesothoracic leg: Tibia slightly more than 9 / 10 in length of femur. Tarsomere I–IV combined distinctly short. Pretarsomere slightly thickened; slightly more than 7 / 10 in length of tarsomere I–IV combined. External claw slender; not broadened medially; as long as pretarsomere. Internal claw slightly more than 4 / 5 in length of external claw.
Metathoracic leg: Femur slightly thickened. Tibia cornet-shaped; 7 / 10 in length of femur. Tarsomere I–IV combined very short; slightly less than 4 / 5 in length of tibia. Pretarsomere slender; with a shortened smooth ridge ventrally; slightly less than 4 / 5 in length of tarsomere I–IV combined. External claw 2 / 5 more in length of pretarsomere. Internal claw slightly more 3 / 5 in length of external claw.
Distribution. Northern Cape Province (Fig. 140), only known from the type locality.
Vegetation Type. Nieuwoudtville Shale Renosterveld [FRs 2].
Host Plants. Asteraceae: Arctotis acaulis L.
description: Published as part of Dombrow, Holger E. & Colville, Jonathan F., 2020, Review of the genus Beckhoplia Dombrow, 2005 with the description of fifteen new species from South Africa and observations on its biogeography (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Hopliini), pp. 1-79 in Zootaxa 4823 on pages 64-67, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4823.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/4401916