Corresponding author: Renzo Perissinotto (
Academic editor: Andrey Frolov
Two new species of the southern African genus
Perissinotto R, Šípek P (2019) New species of
The genus
However, later
As already pointed out by
To complicate matters further, recent molecular analyses indicate that the phylogeny of
There are currently three species described within the genus
Holotype specimens of both
Other specimens were obtained through field collections during the period 1995–2018 (R Perissinotto & L Clennell legit), or from museum and private collections (as per list provided below). Fresh specimens were either caught in flight using standard nets after rainfall events, excavated from underground or obtained after rearing third instar larvae collected in the wild under laboratory controlled-conditions. In the laboratory, larvae were kept in plastic containers of 1–5 L capacity, containing the natural soil and detrital material found in situ. Water was sprayed at the soil surface at regular intervals of about 1–2 weeks until pupation.
Data on distribution, period of adult activity and other biological information for all the species of the genus
As in previous works, the description of adult morphological characters follows the terminology of
The identity of the larvae was confirmed by both rearing specimens to adulthood and by molecular match (COI) with adult specimens. Specimens for DNA extraction were stored in 96% ethanol immediately after capture. Genomic DNA from thoracic leg muscle tissue (both larvae and adults) was extracted non-destructively using a Qiagen Blood and Tissue Kit, following standard protocols. Voucher specimens are deposited at the
Larval material was examined with an Olympus SZ9 and a Nikon SMZ 745 stereomicroscope, under which measurements were taken with an ocular grid. Habitus photographs were taken using a Canon EOS 70D camera fitted with Canon EF–S 60 mm f/2.8 Macro USM lens or Canon MP–E 65 mm f/2.8 1–5× macro lens. Microscopic slides were photographed using a Canon EOS 70D camera mounted on an Olympus SZ9 stereomicroscope. Partially-focused images of specimens were combined using Zerene Stacker (Zerene Systems LLC, Richland, USA). Structures examined using scanning electron microscopy (JEOL, Model 6380, Tokyo) were cleaned in 10% lactic acid for 24 h and submerged into a Sonorex ultrasonic bath (Bandelin electronics, Berlin) for 30 s, dried in a heating chamber, or using critical point drying, and mounted on aluminium plates. All pictures were digitally enhanced using Adobe Photoshop CC.
The terminology for larval description follows
To compare the observed larval morphological characters of
Specimen repositories are abbreviated as follows:
This species differs from
Finally, the parameres of the two species are also different at the level of the inner apical end of the dorsal lobes, which is finely pointed in
(Figs
The only reliable and consistent external feature of sexual dimorphism in this species lies in the development of the metatibial internal apical spine and spurs, which are far less hypertrophic in the female, compared to the male. Also, like in most cetoniines, the protibiae and protarsi are appreciably shorter in the female than in the male, and the abdominal sternites of the male are usually concave in the central area while those of the female tend to be flat or slightly convex.
This species appears to be restricted to the Eastern and Western Cape provinces of South Africa. Apart from the long series collected at Willowmore by Brauns in the early part of the 20th century, specimens have recently been found in mountainous areas of the western part of the Eastern Cape and in the interior regions of the Western Cape, at altitudes > 500 m but not exceeding 1000 m asl. Thus, the species appears to follow the geographic range of the Cape Fold Belt, where it inhabits the lower slopes of its mountain ranges (Fig.
Both literature and specimen data records report regular occurrences of association of this species with the southern harvester termite,
While the ventral habitus of this species is remarkably stable in colour, being predominantly reddish-brown, the dorsal surface ranges across two extreme varieties, one completely black (Fig.
(Figs
Unlike with all the other species of the genus, it is virtually impossible to separate the two sexes of
So far, the few specimens known for this species have been collected mostly in south-western Namibia, near the town of Rosh Pinah, in the Namuskluft area at about 1200 m asl (Fig.
Known distribution range of
The holotype and paratype series collected by Holm & Gebhardt in southern Namibia were all retrieved dead from middens of the southern harvester termite
1 | Dorsal habitus completely black and shiny; elytral costae markedly elevated and visible; general dorsal sculpture dense and deep; body length 14–22 mm, larger than all other species; distribution: west coast lowlands of Western and Northern Cape | |
– | Dorsal habitus black or brown and matte or velutinous; elytral costae weakly elevated and dorsal sculpture scattered and shallow; body length 11–16 mm |
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2 | Dorsal habitus exhibiting cretaceous markings |
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– | Body without cretaceous markings |
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3 | Cretaceous ornamentation extensive on elytral surface, pronotal margins and protruding areas of abdominal sternites; body covered in long, scattered black setae; distribution: high mountains of Eastern Cape Karoo, above Great Escarpment | |
– | Cretaceous markings moderately developed on pronotal margins and occasionally present also on elytra, but very faintly; body velutinous and covered in dense, medium to long golden-brown or orange setae; distribution: eastern areas of Eastern Cape Karoo | |
4 | Dorsal habitus completely black and matte; metatibial internal apical spine as long as spurs in both sexes; anterior clypeal margin weakly sinuate to straight; distribution: south-western Namibia and adjacent areas of Northern Cape | |
– | Dorsal habitus black or brown to reddish-brown; metatibial spurs and particularly inner apical spine hypertrophic in male; anterior clypeal margin strongly sinuate; distribution: Cape Fold Belt of the Western and Eastern Cape provinces |
Reddish-brown female specimen of
Black male specimen of
Male specimen of
Male specimen of
Figs
Larvae of
Last instar larva of
Cranial chaetotaxy of the larva of
Group of setae | Epicranium | Frons | Clypeus | |||||||
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Long/medium setae | 5–9 | 1–5 | 1 | 9–15 | 2–30 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Minute/short setae | 13–23 | 3 | – | 3–6 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Last instar larva of
Last instar larva of
Last instar larva of
Apart from a number of characters that have led to believe that the genus
Males of the largest species,
As reported earlier, all species of the genus are restricted to the south-western arid and semi-arid regions of southern Africa (
Following the description of the two new species here, it is evident that
The frequently reported association with the termite
The
Based on the description of the larval morphology of
Strict consensus topology of 13 representatives of the
The outcome shows that the larva of
In the early taxonomic classifications of the
The following museum curators, researchers and owners of private collections are thanked for kindly providing photos, data and material for analysis: Riaan Stals & Werner Strumpher (
Character states of the 77 morphological characters used in the analysis of larval similarity of 13