Neoclita pringlei (Scarabaeidae, Cetoniinae), a new relict genus and species from the Drakensberg Range of South Africa

  • Renzo Perissinotto School of Environmental Sciences, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, PO Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa, and School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P Bag X54001, Durban 4001
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2017.279
Keywords: new genus, new species, Heteroclita, Ichnestoma, Meridioclita, Afrotropical region

Abstract

A new genus is erected within the Cetoniini to describe a newly discovered species with characters shared between Heteroclita Burmeister, 1842, Ichnestoma Gory & Percheron, 1833 and Meridioclita Krikken, 1982. Neoclita pringlei gen. et sp. nov. exhibits a simple clypeal structure without specialized armour, along with hypertrophic and hairy tarsal segments as well as a fully winged female. The new species also exhibits an aedeagal structure closest to Meridioclita, with dorsal lobes of parameres substantially narrower than the ventral ones. The species appears to be restricted to high altitudes in the southwestern peri-Drakensberg area of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Similarly to other mountain relicts known from the southern African region, adults emerge only after major rainfall events during the late spring to early summer season and do not show any evidence of feeding. It appears that flying activity may be temporarily interrupted following soil desiccation, to resume promptly after the next rainfall.

References

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Published
2017-02-16
How to Cite
Perissinotto, R. (2017). Neoclita pringlei (Scarabaeidae, Cetoniinae), a new relict genus and species from the Drakensberg Range of South Africa. European Journal of Taxonomy, (279). https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2017.279
Issue
No. 279 (2017): Neoclita pringlei (Scarabaeidae, Cetoniinae), a new relict genus and species from the Drakensberg Range of South Africa
Section
Entomology
Copyright (c) 2017 Renzo Perissinotto

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