New species of Xiphoscelis Burmeister, 1842 (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Cetoniinae) from arid regions of South Africa and Namibia

By

Perissinotto, Renzo
Šípek, Petr

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2019

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

879

Pages

57--89

Subjects

Afrotropical region , Fruit chafers , identification key , immature stages , life cycle , Succulent Karoo , taxonomy , Xiphoscelidini

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.879.37721

 

Abstract

Two new species of the southern African genusXiphoscelisBurmeister, 1842 are recognised and described,X. braunsisp. nov.from the Eastern and Western Cape Karoo (South Africa) andX. namibicasp. nov.from the Huns Mountains of southern Namibia and adjacent ranges in South Africa. These were previously overlooked and grouped together withX. schuckardiBurmeister, 1842, but further material and more in-depth analyses have now revealed their clear separation on the basis of key diagnostic features, including clypeal structure, metatibial spur development and aedeagal shape. The densely and coarsely costate elytral structure and the black to brown colour of these species are symplesiomorphies shared with a number of the most primitive genera among the African Cetoniinae. However, these characters also reflect the convergent adaptation to hot and arid conditions they share with several other species occurring in this region. Phylogenetic relationships of the genus with other Cetoniinae are explored using the larval characters highlighted in the description of the 3rdinstar larva ofX. braunsisp. nov.The extraordinary hypertrophy observed in the male metatibial spur of species in this genus, and particularly inX. schuckardi, appears to represent a defence mechanism against potential predators on the ground, apart from playing a role during mating.