Published January 2, 2020 | Version v1
Taxonomic treatment Open

Sisyphus umbraphilus Daniel & Davis 2016

Description

Sisyphus umbraphilus Daniel & Davis, 2016 (Figs. 8, 9A)

Daniel et al. 2016: 67–69

Size: Male: length: 5.1–7.1 mm, width: 2.9–4.2 mm; Female: length: 5.4–7.4 mm, width 3.2–4.2 mm.

Type locality: Umfolozi, KwaZulu Natal (South Africa)

Diagnosis: S. umbraphilus belongs to its own species-group. However, it is somewhat similar to S. oralensis. In this case, S. umbraphilus is distinguished by having tufts of epipleural setae. It bears relatively small ocellate punctures on the pronotum. Furthemore, In S. umbraphilus, the parameres are simple and attenuated towards the apex (Fig. 9A) whereas, in S. oralensis they are somewhat obtuse and truncated towards the apex (Fig. 14A).

Examined type material

Holotype: (♂ SANC): SOUTH AFRICA, KZN, Umfolozi 28°15’S 31°55’E, 1–7.x. 1970, leg: Bornemissza & Aschenborn. Paratypes: (3♂, 9♀ SANC) with the same data as holotype. (1♂, 2♀ UPSA): SOUTH AFRICA, KZN, Ithala Game Reserve 27°27’53.6”S 31°15’36.1”E, 13.i.1999, leg: Chown, McGeogh & Davis. (2♂ SANC): SOUTH AFRICA, KZN, Jozini 27°26’0”S 32°4’0”E, 15.x.1978, leg: Bornemissza & Aschenborn. (7♂, 14♀ SANC): SOUTH AFRICA, Gauteng, Pretoria, 35 km NE of Pretoria Farm 25°42’0”S 28°13’0”E, 12–13.xii.1983, leg: Davis. (1♂ SANC): SOUTH AFRICA, KZN, Weke-Weke Stream, Shongweni Farm 29°48’S 30°43’E, 11.xi.2010, leg: AJ Armstrong & G Van Bassouw.

Examined non-type material: See Supplementary information.

Distribution: S. umbraphilus has been recorded in patches of dense woodland and thicket in KwaZulu Natal (Daniel et al. 2016) as well as in dense riverine woodland in North West Province (South Africa). In Gauteng, it has been collected from shaded vegetation on deep sands (Davis 1996) (Fig. 10).

Notes

Published as part of Daniel, Gimo M., Davis, Adrian Lv., Sole, Catherine L. & Scholtz, Clarke H., 2020, Taxonomic review of the tribe Sisyphini sensu stricto Mulsant, 1842 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) in southern Africa, including new species descriptions, pp. 1-61 in Insect Systematics & Evolution 51 (1) on pages 26-27, DOI: 10.1163/1876312X-00002195, http://zenodo.org/record/3786629

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Linked records

Additional details

Biodiversity

Collection code
SANC
Event date
1970-10-01 , 1978-10-15
Verbatim event date
1970-10-01/07 , 1978-10-15/2010-11-11
Scientific name authorship
Daniel & Davis
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Order
Coleoptera
Family
Scarabaeidae
Genus
Sisyphus
Species
umbraphilus
Taxon rank
species
Type status
holotype , paratype
Taxonomic concept label
Sisyphus umbraphilus &, 2016 sec. Daniel, Davis, Sole & Scholtz, 2020

References

  • Daniel, G. M., Davis, A. L. V, & Scholtz, C. H. (2016) Three new Sisyphus species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) from shaded vegetation in southern Africa. Zootaxa, 4147 (1): 67 - 74.
  • Davis, A. L. V. (1996) Habitat associations in a South African, summer rainfall, dung beetle community (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Aphodiidae, Staphylinidae, Histeridae, Hydrophilidae). Pedobiologia, 40 (3): 260 - 280.