Bolbelasmus nikolajevi Hillert, Arnone, Kral & Massa 2016, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Hillert, Oliver
name: Arnone, Marcello
name: Král, David
name: Massa, Bruno
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Bolboceratidae
Bolbelasmus
Bolbelasmus nikolajevi

description: Bolbelasmus nikolajevi Hillert, Arnone, Král & Massa sp. nov.
(Figs 5, 12, 18, 25, 31, 37, 43, 57, 59, 64)
Bolbelasmus bocchus: PIC (1924): 126 (note, distribution); SCHATZMAYR (1946): 50 (distribution); ALFIERI (1976): 206 (distribution).
Bolbelasmus bocchus vaulogeri: KRIKKEN (1977): 290, figs 18–19 (revision); BARAUD (1992): 53 (monograph); KRÁL et al. (2006): 82 (catalogue); ARNONE & MASSA (2010): 411, fig. 12 (distribution, note).
Type locality. NW Tunisia, Sidi Bouzid gov.,7.5 km SWW of Hajeb el Ayoun,by road, 35°22′N, 09°28′E, 340 m a.s.l.
Type material (126 specimens). TUNISIA: SIDI BOUZID PROV.: HOLOTYPE: ♂ (DKPC), ‘NW Tunisia, Sidi Bouzid gov., 7.5 km SWW of, HAJEB EL AYOUN, by road, 29.iii.2014, 35°22’N, 09°28’E, 340 m, David Král lgt.’ ALLOTYPE: ♀ (DKCP), same data. PARATYPES: EGYPT: ALEXANDRIA PROV.: ‘Egypt,Alexandria,1958’, 1♀ (NMPC); ‘ Egypt, Mariout, 4.iii.1924, coll. Alfieri’, 1 ♀ (NHMB). LIBYA: AZ ZAWIYAH PROV.: ‘Afrika, Libye, SURMAN - viii.[19]88, Č. Sobota lgt.’, 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (JDCC). BENGHAZI PROV.: ‘Libya, Benghazi, 8.3.1987, lgt. Háva [p]’, 1 ♀ (DKCP), 1 ♀ (JHCP); ‘Libia, Benghazi, 1986 V. Poláček lgt. [p]’, 1 ♂ (SJCP). BUTNAN PROV.: ‘ Libya, Cirenaica, Tobruk III, 32°5‘1“ N, 23°58‘ 35“ E, Geo C. Kruger lgt., R.U. Agrario’, 2 ♂♂ 2 ♀♀ (MSNG). TRIPOLI PROV.: ‘Afr. Libya – Tadjiura, 04.1986, Houška lgt.’, 2♂♂ (JMCH); ‘Libya, Tagiura, červenec [= July], [19]85, Voleman [lgt.]’, 2 ♂♂ (VTCZ); ‘Libya, Tagiura, srpen [= August], [19]85, Voleman [lgt.]’, 1♀ (VTCZ); ‘AFRIKA, Libya,Tarabulus vii.[19]88, V.Poláček lgt.’, 1♂ (JMCP); Foualgha, 8.4.1983, M. Dudycha [lgt.] [handwritten]’, 1 ♂ (RCCP). Not located: ‘Libya, Takadria, srpen [= August], [19]84, Voleman [lgt.]’, 1 ♀ (VTCZ). TUNISIA: BIZERTE PROV.: ‘Biserta, Tunisia, De Vauloger, Nevinson Coll., 1918-14, Bolboceras, vaulogeri Ab., types, Type, H. T.’, 1 ♂ (BMNH) [not syntype of B. vaulogeri, type label added later; M. Barclay pers. comm.]. GABÈS PROV.: ‘Gabes, 1897’, 2 ♂♂ (MNHN); ‘Tunisie, Mareth, R. Demoflys lgt., i. [19]49’, 1 ♂ (MNHN); ‘Tunisia, Gov. Gabes, Matmata, 19.iv.2013, Leg. G.Sabatinelli, At light’, 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (GSCT); ‘Matmata, iii.2014 ’, 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (GSCT); ‘TUNISIA: 15.4.1996, TAMEZRET, 13 km W of Matmata, J. BATELKA lgt.’, 2 ♀♀ (JBCP); ‘E Tunisia, Gabes, 5 km NEE of Oudref, Matwiya plage, 24.–25.iii.2014, 34°01‘N 10°00‘E, O. Hillert lgt.’, 7 ♂♂ 8 ♀♀ (OHCB); ‘E Tunisia, Gabes gov., 5 km NEE of Oudref, MATWIYA plage, ca. 20 m, 24.–25.iii.2014, 34°01‘N, 10°00‘E, David Král lgt.’, 2 ♂♂ 3 ♀♀ (DKCP), same data but Petr Šípek lgt., 3 ♂♂ 2 ♀♀ (CUPC), 1 ♀ [in pure alcohol] (CUPC); ‘TN-Gabes, dintorni, 13.IV.[19]95 leg. S. Ziani’, 1 ♂ (SZCM). GAFSA PROV.: ‘Tunisie, Gafsa, Chretien [lgt.], 1910’, 1 ♂ (MNHN); ‘Tunisie, Gafsa,A. Weiss [lgt.], 1904’, 1 ♀ (MNHN); ‘Gafsa, 1897’, 1 ♂ (OHCB);‘ Tunis, Métlaoui, C. Dumont’, 1 ♀ (DKCC). KASSERINE PROV.: ‘T., Thelepte, Mai 1941, R. Demoflys [lgt.]’, 2 ♂♂ 1 ♀ (MNHN); ‘Tun., Sbeitla, Mars 1941, R. Demoflys [lgt.]’, 2 ♀♀ (MNHN). KEBILI PROV.: ‘ TUNISIA, 3.-4. iv.2008 / 45 km E of Douz, Wadi Raml,/ N33°31’ E09°30’ / J.Batelka & J. Straka lgt.’, 1♀ (JBCP). KEF PROV.: ‘Tunisia NW,Le Kef, NABEUR env., 16.4.2001, lgt.M.Snížek’, 1♂ (VKCC). MEDENINE PROV.: ‘E Tunisia, Medenine, Djerba island, 5 km E of Midoun, sea coast, 26.iii.2014, 33°49‘N 11°02‘E, O. Hillert lgt.’, 1 ♂ (OHCB); ‘ TN-Medenine, str. per Toujan, 13.IV.[19]95 leg. S. Ziani’, 4 ♀♀ (SZCM). NABEUL PROV.: ‘ Tunisia, (Nabeul), Cap Bon peninsula, 6 km W of El Hawariah, sea coast, 23.iii.2014, 37°03‘N 10°57‘E, O. Hillert lgt.’, 4 ♂♂ (OHCB); ‘NE Tunisia, Nabeul gov., Cap Bon peninsula, 6 km W of EL HAWARIAH, sea coast, 23.iii.2014, 37°03‘N, 10°57‘E, ca. 3 m, David Král lgt.’, 2 ♂♂ 4 ♀♀ (DKCP), same data but Petr Šípek lgt., 1 ♂ 1 ♀ [partially demaged spec. in pure alcohol] (CUPC); ‘ Tunisia, Cap Bon IV.1960, G. Frey’, 1 ♀ (NHMB). SFAX PROV.: ‘Tunisie, Ketana [Bir Ketana], iv.[19]50, R. Demoflys [lgt.]’, 1 ♀ (MNHN); ‘ Tunisie, La Hencha, iii.[19]42, R.Demoflys [lgt.]’, 1♂ (MNHN); ‘Tunisia 1896, Sfax, de Vauloger [lgt.], Nevinson Coll., 1918-14’, 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (BMNH). SIDI BOUZID PROV.: ‘NE Tunisia, Sidi Bouzid, 7.5 km SWW of Hajeb el Ayoun by road, 29.iii.2014, 35°22‘N 09°28‘E, O. Hillert lgt.’, 7♂♂ 8♀♀ (OHCB); ‘NW Tunisia, Sidi Bouzid gov., 7.5 km SWW of,HAJEB EL AYOUN,by road, 29.iii.2014, 35°22‘N, 09°28‘E, 340 m, David Král lgt.’, 4♂♂ 2♀♀ (DKCP), 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (CUPC); ‘Tunisie, Maknassy,A. Dumont [lgt.], 1928’, 5 ♂♂ 2 ♀♀ (MNHN); ‘Tunisia, Bled Gamouda [Bilad Gamouda], de Vauloger [lgt.], Nevinson Coll., 1918-14.’, 1 ♂ (BMNH). TOZEUR PROV.: ‘ Tunis, Tozeur, C. Dumont [lgt.], 1929’, 2 ♂♂ (MNHN). No further locality specified: ‘ Tunisie, Septent[rionalis], Schaedlin’, 1 ♂ (MNHN).
Description. Male (holotype). Distinctly convex, surface brownish or light-brown, shiny, pronotum covered with double punctation, elytron very fine microsculptured basally, microsculture missing apically.
Head (Figs 5, 18, 25, 31, 37, 57). Clypeus broadly rounded, nearly semicircular, anterior angles vague. Posterior angles of clypeal margin elevated. Frontal horn well developed, long, distinctly furcate, base triangularly shaped in dorsal view, posterior edge of base situated at height of center of eye, side margin of tubercle keeled from base to apex. Punctation of clypeal disc simple, distinct. Oblique keels above eyes reaching approximately to half of eyes. Punctation of frons and vertex same as on clypeus; frontoclypeal suture present. Eyes distinctly elliptic and well developed; genae arcuate posteriorly, extending eyes laterally.
Pronotum (Figs 5, 18, 25, 31, 37, 57) distinctly transverse; broadest just in basal quarter, entirely bordered; lateral margin evenly rounded, marginal carina not crenate, distinctly widened and elevated; lateral fovea almost missing. Pronotal punctation distinct, double, consisting of deeply impressed punctures, punctures separated by approximately 2–3 times their diameter, intermixed with very fine, pinned punctures. Base of pronotum glabrous. Lateral hornlike apophyses well developed, bent distinctly upwards and sidewards in lateral and dorsal view; between lateral and apical apophyses distinct, deeply oval concavity.Apical hornlike apophyses distinctly elevated, angled, directed 30° frontoapically, subapical protrusion of apical apophyses laterally near apex on outside.
Scutellar shield triangular elongate, very finely punctate, shiny.
Elytra approximately as long as wide, surface shiny, glabrous; between suture and humerus 7 distinct striae along entire elytral length, all striae with distinctly separated punctures; intervals flat; humeral umbone weak.
Parameres as in Fig. 64.
Variability in males. Surface black to brownish; pronotal hornlike apophyses in medium developed and underdeveloped (hypothelic) specimens short, more or less straight, only simply rounded to almost acute apically.
Female (allotype). Head (Figs 12, 43). Clypeus broadly rounded, semicircular with straight anterior margin, anterior angles evenly rounded. Posterior angles of clypeal margin very weakly elevated. Frontal carina well developed, distinctly interrupted in middle, bituberculate on internal interruption, laterally keeled on each side. Punctation of clypeus, frons, vertex and occiput simple, distinct; oblique keels above eyes distinct, elongated to half of eyes; eye well developed, distinctly elliptic, genae well developed, arcuate anteriorly and posteriorly.
Pronotum (Fig. 12) distinctly transverse, lateral margin weakly widened, broadest just basally, surface distinctly deeply punctate, double except of basal part, punctures consisting of well and deeply impressed punctures, separated approximately by distance equal to their diameter, intermixed with very fine, pinned punctures.Anterior transverse protrusion distinct, sharply semicircular, lateral apophyses present.
Elytron surface shiny, glabrous; humeral umbone weak.
Measurements. Total body length 12.0–15.1 mm (holotype, ♂: 14.6 mm; allotype, ♀: 14.8 mm).
Differential diagnosis. Refer to species key.
Etymology. Patronymic; named in honour of our friend Georgy V. Nikolajev (Al-Farabi State University, Almaty, Kazakhstan), a renowned specialist in world Scarabaeoidea.
Collection circumstances. Prefers sandy and/or loess soils.
Distribution. Mediterranean Egypt, Libya (Tripolitania, Cyrenaica) and Tunisia (Fig. 59).
description: Published as part of Hillert, Oliver, Arnone, Marcello, Král, David & Massa, Bruno, 2016, The genusBolbelasmus in the western and southern regions of the Mediterranean Basin (Coleoptera: Geotrupidae: Bolboceratinae), pp. 211-254 in Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 56 (1) on pages 232-234, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.5306071