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

description: Beckhoplia pallidibrunnea Dombrow, new species
(Figs. 38, 52, 57, 61, 64–65, 101)
http://zoobank.org/ 725E4997-D1E7-4D08-A3FF-95E8A92913D0
Type locality. [RSA, NCP]: Farm Glenlyon [now Hantam National Botanical Garden].
Type material. [20] Holotype ♂: yellow label hw «30» pr «.276 | coll. Dombrow» ||white label pr « Republic of South Africa | NC, Bokkeveldberge | Farm Glenlyon | 31.23.841S–19.08.397E» bs pr «altitude 732 m | 04.09.2008 | #522 | leg.: H. & E. Dombrow» || green label pr «Host plant: | Homeria miniata | Arctotis acaulis » || blue label pr «Bioregion: | Shale Renosterveld | Vegetation Type: FRs2 – | Nieuwoudtville Shale Renosterveld» || yellow label pr «SAM–COL | A071227» || red label pr « Holotype | Beckhoplia | pallidibrunnea sp.n. | det.: H. Dombrow 2019» (SAMC). – Paratypes 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀: same labels as holotype but || yellow label hw «30» pr «.266,.280,.287 | coll. Dombrow» || yellow label pr «SAM–COL | A071227» || red label pr « Paratype | Beckhoplia | pallidibrunnea sp.n. | det.: H. Dombrow 2019» (SAMC); 10 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀: same labels as holotype but || yellow label hw «30» pr «.267–.268;.270–.271;.273–.275,.277–.279,.281–.286 | coll. Dombrow» || red label pr « Paratype | Beckhoplia | pallidibrunnea sp.n. | det.: H. Dombrow 2019» (ESDW).
Condition of holotype. Very good. Glued on card. Dissected, parameres and spiculum gastrale glued behind beetle.
Differential diagnosis. Differs from B. fusca: Scutellum of B. pallidibrunnea as broad as long. Scutellum of B. fusca longer than broad. Pretarsomere of metathoracic tarsus of B. pallidibrunnea slightly thickened. Pretarsomere of metathoracic tarsus of B. fusca slender. Interno-posterior margin of parameres of B. pallidibrunnea parabola-shaped (Figs. 64, 101). Interno-posterior margin of parameres of B. fusca narrowed curly bracket-shaped (Figs. 66, 100). Externo-posterior margin of parameres of B. pallidibrunnea concave medially (Figs. 64, 101). Externo-posterior margin of parameres of B. fusca convex, incised medially (Figs. 66, 100).
Description
Measurements: length 8.5–9.0 mm; width 4.3–5.0 mm.
Integument: Black; funiculum brown annulated; elytra transparently pale-brown, margins sometimes blackened.
Tegument: Clypeus bare; sparse setose with very short, erect, black setae on the inner side of the vertically reflexed anterior and lateral margin. Head loose setose with medium-long, erect, black setae. Eye canthus with a loose setose ciliary of long black setae. Scapus loose setose with medium-long, black setae, brown ventrally, sparse and short on pedicellus; funiculum with few very short, semi-erect, brown setae, sparse on clavus. Pronotum loose setose with medium-long and long, erect, black setae; with a loose setose ciliary of long, black setae on lateral margin. Scutellum loose setose with medium-long, erect, black setae. Elytra without pattern. Loose setose with short, semi-erect, brownish setae; medium-long, erect, black setae interspersed, long towards humerus; with a sparse juxtasutural row of robust, long, erect, black setae, shorter in posterior half, from anterior margin, crossing scutellar torus towards apical torus. Suture with a loose row of short to long, robust, erect, black setae. Thorax and pleurites loose pilose with long, black hairs. Ventrite I–V loose setose with short, reclinate, black setae; long, semi-erect, black setae interspersed. Propygidium loose squamose with reclinate, lanceolate, whitish scales; long, semi-erect, black setae interspersed. Pygidium sparse setose with long, erect, black setae; tip of pygidium with a loose ciliary of medium-long, black setae. Prothoracic femur loose pilose with long, black hairs; bare internally. Prothoracic tibia loose setose with short, reclinate, black setae, medium-long and long ventrally; with a sparse setose longitudinal row of short and medium-long, erect, black setae dorsally; a loose setose ciliary of short, black setae on internal ridge; a setaceous ciliary of short, black setae on anterior margin, more robust towards internal ridge; a longer, downwards pointing setose ciliary of brown setae along anterior margin of apical tooth. Mesothoracic femur loose pilose with long, black hairs; bare internally. Mesothoracic tibia loose setose with short, semi-erect, whitish setae; medium-long, semi-erect, black, robust setae interspersed, sparser, finer, medium-long and long internally. Posterior margin with a bristled ciliary of very short and short, black bristles, lengthening dorsally and ventrally, missing internally. Metathoracic femur loose setose with medium-long to distinctly long, erect, black setae; whitish ventrally; bare internally. Metathoracic tibia loose setose with very short, reclinate, brown setae; medium-long and long, robust, semi-erect, black setae interspersed, denser and finer internally. Posterior margin with a loose bristled outer marginal ciliary of short, black bristles, lengthening dorsally and ventrally, more robust ventrally. Prothoracic and mesothoracic tarsomere I–IV bare. Metathoracic tarsomere I–IV sparse setose with very short, reclinate, brown setae. Tarsomere I–IV of all thoracic legs with a setaceous, apical, marginal ciliary of short, black setae, lengthening towards metathoracic tarsomeres, fine dorsally and more robust ventrally. Pretarsomere of all thoracic legs sparse setose with extremely short to very short, semi-erect and reclinate, brown setae; short and semi-erect ventrally; few, medium-long, semi-erect, black setae at apical margin.
Head: Suture between head and clypeus undulate, crenated. Head dense punctate with small, shallow, roundish, partly merging punctures, micropunctate within. Funicle I–II cylindrical; funicle III asymmetric frustumshaped; clavus elliptic, slightly longer than pedicellus and funiculum combined.
Pronotum: Widest at anterior two fifth; loose punctate with very small and small, shallow, roundish punctures, dense apically, loose within medial furrow. Anterior corner orthogonal. Lateral margin linearly attenuate anteriorly, subparallel posteriorly. With an indistinct, complete, shallow medial furrow. Posterior corner angled.
Scutellum: Parabola-shaped; as broad as long; dense punctate with small, shallow, roundish punctures, micropunctate within; with a complete, median longitudinal, narrow, smooth stripe. Lateral margin slightly convex. Tip rounded.
Elytra: Ovate; longer than broad; widest medially; protruding propygidium. Lateral margin slightly convex attenuate apically. Sculpture indistinct; slightly pulvinate laterally; humerus distinct; with a roundish torus beside scutellum; lateral trench missing; broadly, slightly, longitudinally depressed along suture. Loose punctate with extremely small, shallow, roundish punctures, micropunctures in-between; a sparse juxta-sutural row of small, roundish punctures from anterior margin, crossing scutellar torus towards apical torus, terminating in apical quarter.
Abdomen: Ventrite I extremely shortened medially; ventrite V broadest, not constricted ventrally. Propygidium with a slightly projected stoma at posterior corner. Pygidium distinctly pulvinate longitudinally and laterally; upper margin moderately convex, linear medially; lateral margin slightly convex attenuate apically; tip rounded.
Prothoracic leg: Femur and tibia robust. Tibia smooth ventrally. Median tooth elongate. Basal tooth rudimentary. Interspace between anterior and median tooth double in width than between median and basal tooth. Shape of interspace between anterior and median tooth u-shaped and between median and basal tooth concave. Tarsomere I–IV combined extremely short; lengthening from tarsomere I–IV; slightly less than 7 / 10 in length of tibia. Pretarsomere distinctly thickened; with a small, triangular-shaped, median tooth ventrally; slightly longer than tarsomere I–IV combined. Internal claw slightly shorter than pretarsomere. External claw slightly more than 7 /
10 in length of internal claw.
Mesothoracic leg: Tibia slightly less than 9 / 10 in length of femur. Tarsomere I–IV combined extremely short; slightly less than 2 / 5 in length of tibia. Pretarsomere with a shortened granulate ridge ventrally, roundish cutting missing; as long as tarsomere I–IV combined. External claw slightly shorter than pretarsomere. Internal claw slightly more than 9 / 10 in length of external claw.
Metathoracic leg: Tibia slightly more than 1 / 10 more in length of femur. Tarsomere I–IV combined distinctly short; slightly less 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 less than 1 / 10 more in length of pretarsomere. Internal claw slightly more than 4 / 5 in length of external claw.
Parameres: (Figs. 64–65, 101).
♀♀. Measurements: length 9.3–9.7mm; width 4.9–5.7 mm.
Tegument: Clypeus setose with loose, very short, semi-erect brown setae, medium-long on head. Setae on funiculum and clavus pale-brown. Eye canthus with a loose ciliary of medium-long, brown setae. Pronotum without pattern. Loose setose with medium-long and long, erect, brown setae; very short and short, semi-erect, yellowish setae interspersed in medial furrow. With a loose setose ciliary of medium-long and long brown setae on lateral margin. Scutellum loose setose with medium-long, semi-erect, brown setae; short semi-erect, yellowish setae interspersed. Elytra without pattern. Loose setose with short, reclinate, pale-brown setae; long, semi-erect and erect, brown setae interspersed, denser towards humerus. Thorax and pleurites loose pilose with long, brown hairs. Ventrite I–V loose setose with short and medium-long, reclinate, yellowish-white setae; long, semi-erect, brown setae interspersed. Propygidium and pygidium loose setose with short, reclinate, yellowish-white setae; long, semi-erect, brown setae interspersed. Tip of pygidium with a loose setose ciliary of medium-long and long black-brown setae. Prothoracic femur loose pilose with medium-long and long brown hairs; bare internally. Prothoracic tibia loose setose with very short and short semi-erect brown setae; erect and medium-long ventrally. With a loose setose ciliary of medium-long brown setae on internal ridge; anterior margin with a loose setaceous ciliary of short pale-brown setae and 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; long and distinctly-long pale-brown ventrally; bare internally. Mesothoracic tibia loose setose with short, semi-erect, yellowish-white setae; sparser internally; medium-long, semi-erect, pale-brown, robust setae interspersed; medium-long and long, finer and darker internally. Fringe of posterior margin as in male but red-brown. Metathoracic femur loose setose with medium-long and long brown setae; paler ventrally; bare internally. Metathoracic tibia loose setose with short, semi-erect, pale-brown setae; medium-long and robust, semi-erect, red-brown setae interspersed; finer, medium-long and long internally. Ciliary of posterior margin as in male but red-brown. Setae of thoracic tarsi red-brown.
Head: Clypeus very slightly depressed laterally; dense punctate with large, shallow, roundish punctures. Anterior margin slightly vertically reflexed. Lateral margin slightly reflexed. Head dense punctate with small to large, shallow, roundish punctures, not merging, not micropunctate. Funicle II–III short-asymmetric frustumshaped; clavus short elliptic, as long as pedicellus and funiculum combined.
Pronotum: Moderate pulvinate laterally. Dense punctate with small to large, shallow, roundish punctures, denser apically. Lateral margin convex attenuate in posterior three fifth. Posterior corner rounded.
Scutellum: With a shortened, median, longitudinal, narrow, smooth stripe from anterior margin terminating in anterior third.
Elytra: Widest in anterior third; lateral trench indistinct; scutellar torus missing; not depressed along suture.
Abdomen: Distinctly pulvinate; ventrite I distinctly shortened medially; ventrite II–V broadened medially. Pygidium slightly pulvinate longitudinally and laterally; slightly declined posteriorly; lateral margin subparallel in upper quarter, linearly attenuate apically; tip linear.
Prothoracic leg: Median tooth broad, triangular-shaped. Basal tooth very small. Shape of interspace between teeth concave. Tarsomere I–IV combined distinctly short; equal in length; slightly more than 3 / 5 in length of tibia. Pretarsomere slightly thickened; with a smooth ridge ventrally; slightly more than 3 / 5 in length of tarsomere I–IV combined. Internal claw slender; not broadened medially; slightly less than 9 / 10 in length of pretarsomere. External claw slightly less than 9 / 10 in length of internal claw.
Mesothoracic leg: Tibia 9 / 10 in length of femur. Tarsomere I–IV combined very short; slightly more than 2 / 5 in length of tibia. Pretarsomere with an undulate ridge ventrally, roundish cutting missing; slightly less than 4 / 5 in length of tarsomere I–IV combined. External claw slender; not broadened medially; Internal claw slightly less than 4 / 5 in length of external claw.
Metathoracic leg: Femur slightly thickened. Tibia distinctly extended dorso-apically; slightly less than 9 / 10 in length of femur. Tarsomere I–IV combined short; slightly more than 4 / 5 in length of tibia. Pretarsomere slender; slightly more than 2 / 5 in length of tarsomere I–IV combined. External claw slightly shorter than pretarsomere. Internal claw slightly less than 9 / 10 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. Iridaceae: Moraea miniata Andrews; Asteraceae: Arctotis acaulis L.
Etymology. The name derives from the pale-brown elytra [Latin: pallidi- = pale; Latin: brunne- = brown].
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 19-22, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4823.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/4401916