Neoserica pophami Ranasinghe & Eberle & Athukorala & Benjamin & Ahrens 2022, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Ranasinghe, Sasanka
name: Eberle, Jonas
name: Athukorala, Namal
name: Benjamin, Suresh P.
name: Ahrens, Dirk
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Melolonthidae
Neoserica
Neoserica pophami

description: Neoserica pophami sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 86E89148-395A-4509-A223-69CBAC480FBE
Figs 3I–L, 7C, 8C
Diagnosis
Neoserica pophami sp. nov. differs from the very similar N. kalaarensis Fabrizi & Ahrens, 2014 in shape of parameres: the right paramere is slightly longer, medially distinctly bent (lateral view) and much wider (dorsal view).
Etymology
The new species is named after Mr Sam Popham, founder of the NIFS Arboretum (noun in the genitive case).
Type material
Holotype SRI LANKA • ♂; “ X-SR0346, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum, 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE, 167m, 13-X-2019, Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe, Black light ”; ZFMK.
Paratypes SRI LANKA • 1 ♂; “ X-SR0332, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE; 167m; 13-X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♂; “ X- SR0333, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE; 167m; 13- X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♂; “ X-SR0348, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE; 167m; 13-X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♂; “ X-SR0353, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE; 167m; 13-X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♂; “ X-SR0357, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE; 167m; 13-X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♂; “ X- SR0360, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE; 167m; 13- X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♂; “ X-SR0365, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE; 167m; 13-X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♂; “ X-SR0369, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE; 167m; 13-X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♂; “ X-SR0370, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE; 167m; 13-X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♂; “ X- SR0380, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE; 167m; 13- X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♂; “ X-SR0383, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE; 167m; 13-X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♂; “ X-SR0384, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE; 167m; 13-X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♂; “ X-SR0388, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE; 167m; 13-X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♂; “ X- SR0393, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE; 167m; 13- X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♂; “ X-SR0394, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE; 167m; 13-X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♂; “ X-SR0401, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE; 167m; 13-X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♂; “ X-SR1081, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE; 167m; 13-X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♂; “ X- SR0471, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE; 167m; 12- X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♂; “ X-SR0473, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE; 167m; 12-X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♂; “ X-SR0474, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE; 167m; 12-X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♂; “ X-SR0475, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE; 167m; 12-X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♂; “ X- SR0488, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85766ºN, 80.67474ºE; 174m; 12-13- X _2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♂; “ X-SR0417, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85796ºN, 80.67554ºE; 181m; 12-13-X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♂; “ X-SR0423, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85796ºN, 80.67554ºE; 181m; 12-13-X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♂; “ X-SR1014, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85824ºN, 182m; 80.67506ºE; 13-X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♀; “ X- SR1042, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE; 174m; 12- X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♀; “ X-SR1056, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE; 174m; 12-X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♀; “ X-SR1067, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE; 174m; 12-X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK • 1 ♀; “ X-SR1068, Sri Lanka, Matale District, Dambulla, NIFS Arboretum; 7.85783ºN, 80.67391ºE; 174m; 12-X-2019; Eberle, Bohacz & Ranasinghe leg.; Black light ”; ZFMK.
Description
MEASUREMENTS. Length: 6.1 mm, length of elytra: 4.4 mm, width: 3.5 mm.
HABITUS (Fig. 3L) AND COLOURATION. Body oval, light reddish brown, antenna yellow, dorsal completely shiny, except a few setae on head almost glabrous.
HEAD. Labroclypeus wide and subtrapezoidal, widest at base, lateral margins convex and convergent anteriorly, anterior angles moderately rounded, anterior margin slightly sinuated medially, all margins moderately reflexed, lateral margins produce an indistinct angle with the ocular canthus; surface weakly convex medially, densely punctate, coarse and fine punctures mixed, with numerous erect setae; frontoclypeal suture indistinctly incised, not elevated and weakly angled medially; smooth area anterior to eye flat, three times as wide as long; ocular canthus moderately long and wide (one third of ocular diameter), finely and densely punctate, with a single terminal seta. Frons with fine, sparse punctures, with a few erect setae beside eyes. Eyes moderately large, ratio diameter/interocular width: 0.75. Antenna with ten antennomeres; club with five antennomeres and straight, as long as the remaining antennomeres combined. Mentum elevated and slightly flattened anteriorly.
PRONOTUM. Moderately transverse, widest at base, lateral margins in basal half almost straight and moderately convergent anteriorly, in anterior half weakly convex and evenly convergent anteriorly, anterior angles distinctly produced and moderately acute, posterior angles blunt; anterior margin almost not produced medially, with a robust and complete marginal line, base of pronotum without marginal line; surface finely and densely punctate, punctures glabrous; lateral and lateral anterior margin sparsely setose; hypomeron carinate, not ventrally produced. Scutellum wide, triangular, at apex moderately pointed, with fine, moderately dense punctures, glabrous.
ELYTRA. Widest shortly behind the middle, striae weakly impressed, finely and moderately densely punctate, intervals flat, with fine and evenly moderately dense punctures, except a few short setae on lateral intervals glabrous; epipleural edge robust, ending at strongly curved external apical angle of elytra, epipleura densely setose; apical border of elytra with a fine rim of microtrichomes (100 ×).
VENTRAL SURFACE. In major part dull, some parts shiny, coarsely and densely punctate, metasternum sparsely covered with fine, short or very minute setae, metacoxa glabrous, with a few long setae laterally; abdominal sternites finely and densely punctuate, with a transverse row of coarse punctures, each bearing a robust seta, the row of punctures on the first visible basal sternite fused to a robust transverse carina bearing the setae, before the carina the fine punctation extremely dense but glabrous. Mesosternum between mesocoxae 1.5 times as wide as the width of mesofemur. Ratio of length of metepisternum/ metacoxa: 1/1.65. Pygidium strongly convex and shiny, finely and moderately densely punctate, without smooth midline, glabrous except some longer setae along the apical margin.
LEGS. Wide and moderately long; femur with two longitudinal row of setae, finely and sparsely punctate; metafemur shiny, behind the posterior longitudinal row of setae punctures finer and slightly denser, anterior margin acute, without serrated line behind anterior edge, posterior margin smooth ventrally, strongly widened, posterior margin finely serrated over its entire length dorsally, with just a few short setae basally. Metatibia wide and flattened, short, widest at apical second third of metatibial length, ratio of width/length: 1/2.8, sharply carinate dorsally, with two groups of spines, basal group at first third, apical group at two thirds of metatibial length, basally with a few short robust single spines, on basal quarter beside dorsal margin with a short serrated line; lateral face weakly longitudinally convex, finely, superficially and sparsely punctate, glabrous, widely smooth along the middle; ventral margin finely serrated, with four robust equidistant setae; medial face smooth and glabrous; apex finely serrated, interiorly near tarsal articulation weakly concavely sinuate. Tarsomeres dorsally smooth and glabrous, neither laterally nor dorsally carinate, ventrally robustly densely setose; metatarsomeres with a strongly serrated ridge and a smooth subventral longitudinal carina; first metatarsomere slightly shorter than following two tarsomeres combined and slightly longer than dorsal tibial spur. Protibia short, bidentate; anterior claws symmetrical, basal tooth of both claws bluntly truncate at apex.
AEDEAGUS. Fig. 3I–K.
Variation
Length: 6.0– 6.8 mm, length of elytra: 4.3–4.7 mm, width: 3.2–3.6 mm.
Female
Length: 6.8–7.2 mm, length of elytra: 4.6–5.0 mm, width: 3.7–4.0 mm. Eyes as large as in male; antennal club shorter little than remaining antennomeres combined, the basal joint of club equals only ⅓ of the length of the club; pygidium weakly convex.
Distribution
See Fig. 7C.
description: Published as part of Ranasinghe, Sasanka, Eberle, Jonas, Athukorala, Namal, Benjamin, Suresh P. & Ahrens, Dirk, 2022, New species of Sericini from Sri Lanka (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae). Part II, pp. 57-101 in European Journal of Taxonomy 821 (1) on pages 66-69, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2022.821.1799, http://zenodo.org/record/6595468