Aphodius (Liothorax) alberti Angus, Maté, Angus & Král, 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Angus, Robert B.
name: Maté, Jason F.
name: Angus, Elizabeth M.
name: Král, David
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Scarabaeidae
Aphodius
Aphodius alberti

description: Aphodius (Liothorax) alberti sp. nov.
Figs 3 e – g, 5 c, d, 6 c, d, 8 k, l, 18 t, 20 o, 21 n, o, 24 e – j 25 d, 26 b’, c’
Type material examined.
Holotype: ♂, “ Turchia – Vil. Rize, Ovitdagi gecidi mt 2600, 18 - jun- 1992. leg. A. Ballerio. ” (NHMUK). Paratypes: 4 ♂♂, 7 ♀♀, 17 unsexed, data as holotype. 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 1 with mouthparts dissected (NHMUK), 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀, 14 unsexed (AB). 5 ♀♀, data as holotype (JFMC).
Other material examined.
Four specimens, unsexed, Ulu Dag b. Bursa As. M. occ. V: 1968 Schweiger, MNHG, may belong to this species. A male from central Armenia, Selim Pass 2350 m, coll. Ziani is shown by its parameres to belong to the A. niger species complex, and it agrees with A. alberti in its black to blackish-brown appendages and its small size, length 3.9 mm. The epipharynx of this specimen has the apophobae less regular but the darkened area is narrowed in its basal 1 / 4.
Differential diagnosis.
Aphodius alberti sp. nov. is the second A. niger group species recognised in Turkey, and as such requires comparison with A. isikdagensis. The most striking distinctions are the size ranges: in A. alberti sp. nov. 4.1–4.9 mm, in A. isikdagensis 4.5–5.8 mm and the colour of the appendages: in L. alberti sp. nov. the legs are blackish brown to very dark brown (Fig. 3 e – g), in A. isikdagensis mid brown (Fig. 3 c, d). The maxillary palpi are metallic black to very dark blackish brown in A. alberti sp. nov. as against mid brown in A. isikdagensis (metallic black in the Artvin specimen). In A. isikdagensis there is a sexual dimorphism in the head: the males with the central area of the clypeus clearly more strongly bulging upwards than in females, and the outer margin of the genae almost continuous with the clypeal margin in the male, but distinctly angled outwards in the female. In A. alberti sp. nov. the central area of the clypeus of both sexes bulges upwards strongly, and the outer margin of the genae is almost continuous with that of the clypeus. The epipharynxes of the two species show some clear differences: in A. isikdagensis the median darkened area is broadly triangular, widest at its base, there are six or seven chaetopedia each side, and the rows of apophobae are arranged in narrow bands, ca two bristles wide, while in A. alberti sp. nov. the darkened area is narrowed over its basal 1 / 3, there are four chaetopedia each side and the rows of apophobae are as single lines (Fig. 8 c, d, k, l).
Description.
General appearance (Fig. 3 e – g). Length 4.1–4.5 (♂), 4.1–4.9 mm (♀), width 1.9–1.95 mm (♂), 1.9–2 mm (♀). Head (Figs 3 e – g, 6 c, d) black, anterior clypeal margin narrowly dark brown, excised medially, angles at sides of excision bluntly rounded. Central area of clypeus bulging upwards in both sexes, punctation fine, moderately dense, with some variation in strength, this not dependant on the sex of the specimen. Frontoclypeal suture fine and straight-transverse over central 1 / 2, with no trace of a median tubercle, then angled forward to meet the sides just anterior to the genae. Lateral margins of genae either continuous with those of clypeus or with a very slight outward angle, without sexual dimorphism. Maxillary palpi glossy blackish brown, antennae dark brown. Epipharynx (Fig. 8 k, l) with the central tylus strongly projecting anteriorly and the anterior margin of the clithra clearly excised either side. Central darkened sclerotised epitorma triangular in apical 2 / 3, then the sides curved inwards so that the width at the base of the darkened region is ca 3 / 4 of its maximum width. Acropariae virtually absent, chaetopariae well-spaced, four each side. Surface of gymnopedia covered with small tooth-like asperities. Prophobae fairly strong, clustered at the edges of the median sclerotised mesoepitorma, apophobae fine, arranged in a single line outside the chaetopariae.
Pronotum hemicylindrical, highly arched transversely, scarcely at all longitudinally. Entire lateral margins visible from above. Surface with double punctation, some specimens (male and female) have the punctation heavier with the larger punctures separated by at least twice their diameter, sparser on disc (Figs 3 e, g, 6 d), in others the punctation is sparser and finer (Figs 3 f, 5 c, d). Posterior margin completely but narrowly bordered (Figs 3 e – g, 6 c, d), the border not widened medially, continuous round the posterior corners. Scutellum pentagonal, elongate, glossy, sometimes with a few punctures medio-basally.
Elytra black, interstices flat, 6–8 × width of the striae, with fine isodiametric reticulation and sparse fine punctures. Metaventrite (Fig. 21 n, o) rather finely punctured in both sexes, flattened over median diamond-shaped plate, sometimes with an impressed median line. Legs dark blackish brown (Fig. 3 e – g), basal segment of mesotarsi elongate, slightly longer than the longer tibial spur (Fig. 18 t). The legs and metaventrite Fig. 20 o appear unnaturally pale brown due to the intense lighting.
Aedeagus (Fig. 24 e – j) Aedeagus length ca 1.1 mm, parameres length ca 0.44 mm, basal piece length ca 0.59 mm. Length of tooth-field ca 0.58 mm, length of longest teeth ca 54 µm. Parameres in lateral view weakly to moderately downturned apically (Fig. 24 h – j). In dorsoventral view sensory area either not visible (Fig. 24 g, the holotype), or visible after squashing as a curved band round the paramere apex (Fig. 24 e, f, a paratype). The parameres struts are clearly less darkened in the paratype, suggesting that the aedeagus is less fully hardened, which would render it more prone to squashing.
Remarks.
Apparently widespread on high ground in Anatolia and possibly extending into Armenia (Fig. 29 a). According to A. Ballerio (pers. comm., 16. vi. 2023) the Liothorax were found on snow patches and in puddles at the sides of the road passing through Ovit pass, a typical alpine prairie (Fig. 28 e). They were mixed with fewer Aphodius (Neagolius) ovitensis Pittino & Ballerio, 1994.
description: Published as part of Angus, Robert B., Maté, Jason F., Angus, Elizabeth M. & Král, David, 2024, Towards a revision of the Palaearctic species of Aphodius Hellwig, 1798, subgenus Liothorax Motschulsky, 1860 (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Aphodiinae), pp. 205-299 in ZooKeys 1207 on pages 205-299, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1207.117225