Beckhoplia castanea 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 castanea

description: Beckhoplia castanea Dombrow, new species
(Figs. 18, 23, 47, 70–71, 104)
http://zoobank.org/ 7CFAF1C8-2140-457D-BC87-6814D8E18F7B
Beckhoplia colvillei Dombrow, 2005: 128 ex parte.
Type locality. [RSA, NCP]: Farm Glenlyon [now Hantam National Botanical Garden].
Type material. [9] Holotype ♂: white label pr « RSA, NC, Nieuwoudt- | ville, Glenlyon Farm | 31.24S– 19.08E, #210 | 09.09.1995, leg.: HDO» || red label pr « Paratype | Beckhoplia | colvillei sp.n. | det.: H. Dombrow 2003» || yellow label pr «SAM–COL | A071215» || green label pr «Host plant: | Bulbinella latifolia | ssp. doleritica » || blue label pr «Bioregion: | Shale Renosterveld | Vegetation Type: FRs2 – | Nieuwoudtville Shale Renosterveld» || yellow label hw «50» pr «.991 | coll. Dombrow» || red label pr « Holotype | Beckhoplia | castanea sp.n. | det.: H. Dombrow 2019» (ZSM). – Paratypes 3 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀: same labels as holotype but || yellow label hw «18» pr «.840–.847 | coll. Dombrow» || red label pr « Paratype | Beckhoplia | castanea sp.n. | det.: H. Dombrow 2019» (ESDW).
Condition of holotype. Excellent. Glued on card. Dissected, parameres and spiculum gastrale glued behind beetle.
Differential diagnosis. Differs from B. setosa: Pronotum of B. castanea with medial furrow. Pronotum of B. setosa without medial furrow. Pretarsomere of metathoracic tarsus of B. castanea with an undulate ridge ventrally. Pretarsomere of metathoracic tarsus of B. setosa with a granulate ridge ventrally. Interno-posterior margin of parameres of B. castanea rounded, slightly incised medially (Figs. 70, 104). Interno-posterior margin of parameres of B. setosa (Figs. 68, 103) curly bracket-shaped in dorsal view. Anterior margin of phallobase of B. castanea broad v-shaped (Figs. 70, 104). Anterior margin of phallobase of B. setosa (Figs. 68, 103) concave in dorsal view.
Description
Measurements: length 8.4–9.4 mm; width 4.3–4.6 mm.
Integument: Black; funiculum pale-brown annulated; elytra transparently pale-brown, outer margins sometimes blackened.
Tegument: Clypeus bare; loose setose with very short and short, erect, pale-brown and black setae on the inner side of the reflexed anterior and lateral margin. Head loose setose with medium-long, erect, black setae. Eye canthus with a dense setose ciliary of long, black, setae. Scapus loose setose with long, black setae, brown ventrally, sparser and medium-long on pedicellus; funiculum with few short, semi-erect, brown setae, lengthening and darker towards clavus; clavus sparse setose with short, semi-erect, black and short to very short, semi-erect, brown setae. Pronotum loose setose with medium-long to distinctly long, erect, brown setae; with a dense ciliary of long, black, setae on lateral margin. Scutellum loose setose with short and medium-long, erect, black setae. Elytra without pattern. Loose setose with short, semi-erect, brownish setae; medium-long, semi-erect, black setae interspersed, denser and long in anterior third; loose, long, semi-erect, whitish, squamiform setae around apical torus; with a sparse juxta-sutural row of medium-long, erect, black setae, shorter in posterior half, from anterior margin crossing scutellar torus towards apical torus. Suture with a dense row of robust, short to long semi-erect, black setae. Thorax and pleurites loose pilose with long, black hairs. Ventrite I–V loose setose with short and medium-long, reclinate, brownish setae; medium-long, semi-erect, black setae interspersed. Propygidium loose squamose with reclinate, narrowly-lanceolate, pale-brown and whitish scales; medium-long and long, semi-erect, black setae interspersed. Pygidium sparse setose with long, erect, black setae; tip with a loose ciliary of long, black setae. Prothoracic femur loose pilose with long, black hairs; bare internally. Prothoracic tibia loose setose with short, reclinate, white setae; medium-long, black, semi-erect setae interspersed dorsally, long and black 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, brown setae on anterior margin, more robust towards internal ridge; a medium-long downwards pointing setose ciliary of brown setae along anterior margin of apical tooth. Mesothoracic femur loose pilose with long, black hairs; pale-brown ventrally; bare internally. Mesothoracic tibia sparse setose with short, reclinate, white setae; medium-long, semi-erect, robust, black setae interspersed, 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 long, semi-erect, black setae; long black hairs interspersed near coxa; long pale-brown hairs interspersed ventrally; bare internally. Metathoracic tibia loose setose with short, reclinate, brown setae; medium-long, semi-erect, black setae interspersed, finer and long internally. Posterior margin with a loose bristled outer marginal ciliary of short, black bristles, lengthening dorsally and ventrally, more robust ventrally. Tarsomere I–IV of all thoracic legs sparse setose with very short, reclinate, pale-brown setae; with a setaceous, apical, marginal ciliary of short, dark-brown setae, lengthening towards metathoracic tarsomeres, fine dorsally and more robust ventrally. Pretarsomere of all thoracic legs sparse setose with short, semi-erect, red-brown setae, lengthening towards metathoracic pretarsomere; few, medium-long, semi-erect, black setae at apical margin, shorter and red-brown ventrally.
Head: Suture between head and clypeus linear, crenated. Head dense punctate with small, shallow, roundish, partly merging punctures. Funicle I–II cylindrical, slightly thickened medially; funicle III short asymmetric frustum-shaped; clavus long elliptic, slightly longer than pedicellus and funiculum combined.
Pronotum: Widest medially; dense punctate with shallow, very small, roundish punctures, denser within medial furrow in posterior fifth. Anterior corner obtuse. Lateral margin convex. With an indistinct, shallow, complete medial furrow. Posterior corner angled.
Scutellum: Parabola-shaped; slightly longer than broad; dense punctate with shallow, small, roundish punctures, micropunctate within; with a shortened, median, longitudinal, narrow, smooth stripe from anterior margin terminating in apical fifth. 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 beside scutellum and along suture. Loose punctate with extremely small, shallow, roundish punctures, micropunctures in-between; a sparse juxta-sutural row of very small, shallow, roundish punctures from anterior margin, crossing scutellar torus towards apical torus; a sparse supra-humeral row of small, shallow, roundish punctures from anterior margin between humerus and scutellar torus towards apical torus.
Abdomen: Ventrite I distinctly 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 slightly convex, linear medially; lateral margin linear attenuate apically; tip rounded.
Prothoracic leg: Femur robust. Tibia slender; smooth ventrally. Median tooth elongate. Basal tooth rudimentary. Interspace between teeth almost equal. Shape of interspace between anterior and median tooth u-shaped and between median and basal tooth concave. Tarsomere I–IV combined extremely short; equal in length; slightly less than 2 / 5 in length of tibia. Pretarsomere slightly thickened; with a small, triangular-shaped, median tooth ventrally; slightly less than 1 / 5 more in length of tarsomere I–IV combined. Internal claw 1 / 10 more in length of pretarsomere. External claw slightly less than 4 / 5 in length of internal claw.
Mesothoracic leg: Tibia slightly more than 9 / 10 in length of femur. Tarsomere I–IV combined extremely short; slightly more than 3 / 10 in length of tibia. Pretarsomere with a shortened, smooth ridge ventrally, followed by a roundish cutting apically; slightly less than 1 / 10 more in length of tarsomere I–IV combined. External claw 9 / 10 in length of pretarsomere. Internal claw slightly shorter than external claw.
Metathoracic leg: Tibia slightly less than 1 / 10 more in length of femur. Tarsomere I–IV combined distinctly short; slightly more than 3 / 5 in length of tibia. Pretarsomere slightly thickened; with an undulate ridge ventrally; 1 / 2 in length of tarsomere I–IV combined. External claw slightly more than 1 / 10 more in length of pretarsomere. Internal claw slightly less than 4 / 5 in length of external claw.
Parameres: (Figs. 70–71, 104).
♀♀. Measurements: length 8.2–9.3 mm; width 4.5–4.9 mm.
Integument: Black; flagellum brown; elytra transparently red-brown, outer margins sometimes blackened; thoracic legs dark brown, metathoracic tibia and thoracic tarsi paler.
Tegument: Clypeus loose setose with short, erect, pale-brown setae, medium-long and brown on head. Eye canthus with a loose ciliary of medium-long, brown setae. Scapus loose setose with medium-long, brown setae, paler ventrally; funiculum with few extremely short, semi-erect, brown setae, sparse on clavus. Pronotum without pattern. Loose setose with medium-long, erect, brown setae; short, semi-erect, whitish setae interspersed posteriorly; with a loose ciliary of medium-long and long, brown setae on lateral margin. Scutellum loose setose with short and medium-long, semi-erect, whitish and brown setae. Elytra without pattern. Sparse setose with short, semi-erect, pale-brown setae, denser along suture, within lateral trench and around apical torus; long semi-erect brown setae interspersed, erect on humerus and scutellar torus. Suture with a loose row of semi-erect short pale-brown and robust, long erect, brown setae. Thorax and pleurites loose pilose with long, pale-brown hairs. Ventrite I–V loose setose with short and medium-long, reclinate, pale-brown setae; long, erect, brown setae interspersed. Propygidium and pygidium loose setose with short, reclinate, pale-brown setae; medium-long, semi-erect, brown setae interspersed. Tip of pygidium with a loose ciliary of medium-long, brown setae. Prothoracic femur loose pilose with long, brown hairs. Prothoracic tibia loose setose with short, reclinate, pale-brown setae dorsally; erect and medium-long ventrally; with a loose setose ciliary of, short, pale-brown setae on internal ridge; anterior margin with a setaceous ciliary of loose, short, pale-brown setae; a medium-long downwards pointing setose ciliary of pale-brown setae along anterior margin of apical tooth. Mesothoracic femur loose pilose with long, brown hairs; paler ventrally. Mesothoracic tibia sparse setose with short, reclinate, pale-brown setae; long, semi-erect, robust, brown setae interspersed; finer, paler, medium-long and long internally. Posterior margin with a short and medium-long bristled marginal ciliary of redbrown bristles; missing internally. Metathoracic femur loose setose with medium-long and long, whitish and brown setae. Metathoracic tibia sparse setose with very short and short, semi-erect, white setae; medium-long, semi-erect, pale-brown setae interspersed, long internally. Ciliary of posterior margin as in male but pale-brown. Setae of thoracic tarsi pale red-brown.
Head: Clypeus very slightly depressed laterally; dense punctate with large, shallow, roundish punctures. Anterior margin of clypeus distinctly reflexed vertically. Lateral margin very slightly reflexed. Suture between head and clypeus undulate. Head dense punctate with very small to small, deep, roundish, not merging punctures, micropunctate within. Eye on head level. Clavus short elliptic, as long as pedicellus and funiculum combined.
Pronotum: Widest in anterior third; moderate pulvinate laterally; size of punctures very small and small; lateral margin linearly attenuate in anterior third, slightly convex attenuate posteriorly. Posterior corner rounded.
Scutellum: Broader than long; dense punctate with very small, deep, roundish punctures; with a median, smooth spot at anterior margin.
Elytra: Widest in anterior quarter. Lateral margin slightly convex attenuate apically. Sculpture indistinct; with a broad roundish torus beside scutellum; a shortened, broad juxta-sutural, costa from anterior margin beside scutellum terminating behind disk; lateral trench indistinct. Loose punctate with very small to small, shallow, roundish punctures, micropunctures in-between; a sparse juxta-sutural row of small, shallow, roundish punctures from anterior margin, crossing scutellar torus towards apical torus; a sparse supra-humeral row of small, shallow, roundish punctures from anterior margin between humerus and scutellar torus towards apical torus.
Abdomen: Distinctly pulvinate; ventrite I extremely shortened medially; ventrite II–IV not shortened medially; ventrite V broadest, broadened medially, not constricted ventrally. Pygidium slightly pulvinate longitudinally and laterally; slightly declined posteriorly; lateral margin subparallel in upper quarter, linear 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; slightly more than 7 / 10 in length of tibia. Pretarsomere slender; with an undulate ridge ventrally; slightly more than 3 / 5 more 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 4 / 5 in length of internal claw.
Mesothoracic leg: Tibia slightly less than 9 / 10 in length of femur. Tarsomere I–IV combined distinctly short; slightly less than 1 / 2 in length of tibia. Pretarsomere slightly thickened; with a smooth ridge ventrally, roundish cutting missing; slightly less than 4 / 5 in length of tarsomere I–IV combined. External claw slender; not broadened medially; slightly more than 4 / 5 in length of pretarsomere. Internal claw slightly less than 9 / 10 in length of external claw.
Metathoracic leg: Tibia slightly extended dorso-apically; slightly more than 7 / 10 in length of femur. Tarsomere I–IV combined slightly more than 4 / 5 in length of tibia. Pretarsomere slender; slightly less than 1 / 2 in length of tarsomere I–IV combined. External claw slightly shorter than pretarsomere.
Distribution. Northern Cape Province (Fig. 140), only known from the type locality.
Vegetation Type. Nieuwoudtville Shale Renosterveld [FRs 2].
Host Plants. Asphodelaceae: Bulbinella latifolia subsp. doleritica (P. L. Perry) P. L. Perry.
Etymology. The name derives from the brown elytra [Latin: castane- = 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 30-33, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4823.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/4401916