Ausmontins jacobsi Deschodt & Davis 2018, new species

Ausmontins jacobsi Deschodt & Davis, new species

(Figs. 1A, 2A–B, 3)

Type material. Holotype male: Klein Aus Vista, Namibia, S26.660429° E16.238527°, 12.iii.2017 1482m, D.H. Jacobs (TMSA). Paratypes: four specimens (one male and three unsexed), same data as holotype (1 SANC; 1 TMSA; 2 UPSA).

Description: Holotype male: Medium sized beetle. Measurements with head inflexed, 7.37 mm (long) × 5.57 mm (wide) × 3.98 mm (high).

Head. Clypeus bidentate, with two well-developed forward pointing teeth, area between teeth straight. One very small tooth on lower clypeal margin between dorsal teeth. Clypeogenal suture fairly distinct and straight. Clypeal surface clearly and densely punctate with small punctures which are separated by about one puncture diameter.

Pronotum. Convex; surface shagreened (or sharkskin like) with two distinct puncture types; (1) small, clear, regular ovoid punctures somewhat organised in lines each separated by about one puncture length and two to three puncture widths; (2) larger, clear round and deeper set punctures, each separated by about three to four puncture diameters.

Elytra. Fused together, strongly convex with surface shagreened. Striae shallow but clearly visible, punctate with punctures about three to four puncture diameters apart. Punctures on interstriae forming somewhat regular rows, punctures about four puncture diameters apart, each with a single very short and thin recurved seta.

Sterna. Prosternum surface shagreened and covered with medium punctures, punctures separated by less than one puncture diameter. Meso- and metasternum fused, mesometasternal suture more or less straight. Surface of mesosternum shagreened with small punctures, punctures separated by less than one puncture diameter. Metasternum same as mesosternum but punctures slightly smaller.

Protibia. Inner margin for first two thirds more or less straight with no denticles, last third bulbous. Very short, fairly regular spaced setae on inner margin. Tibial apex blunt with small spatulate spur above tarsus. Underside of tibial apex with slightly downward curving spatulate process. Three teeth at apical third of outer margin. First two thirds of outer margin from joint irregularly serrated.

Mesotibia. Slightly curving inward. Outer and inside margin smooth with single row of closely arranged tan setae. Dorsal surface flat and shagreened with single row of densely arranges tan setae, ventral surface with two rows of densely arranged tan setae.

Metatibia. Slightly curving inward. Outside and inside margin smooth with single row of closely arranged tan setae, row of setae on inside less dense in first half. Dorsal and ventral surface same as for mesotibiae.

Pygidium. Surface shagreened with medium sized faint punctures.

Aedeagus. Parameres symmetrical, see Fig. 2.

Female. No significant differences were noted.

Etymology. This species is named after Dr Dawid Jacobs who collected the type series.

Diagnosis. This species can easily be separated from all other hyrax associated deltochiline species by the following suite of characters: three teeth on outside fore tibial margin, short teeth on the clypeus, angulate and denticulate aedeagus and very convex body. It is larger than any known Namaphilus species with which it could otherwise be confused.

Distribution, conservation status and potential threats. Because of flightlessness and probable low vagility, this species may be restricted to the isolated Aus Mountains just southwest of Aus in Namibia, an area that is used primarily for grazing of livestock and recreation. Although it may be dependent on the middens of hyrax colonies, a number remain in the area of collection. Therefore, A. jacobsi new species is probably not facing any current threats. However, it should be assessed as Data Deficient (DD) as the EOO is unknown. It could be as small as 120 km 2 (area of the Aus Mountains).