Atrocrates galbasi

G. galbasi -group

Diagnostic characters. Mid part of mentum narrowed anteriad; pronotal sides rounded; elytral humeri rectangular; male mid tibiae with denticle (Figs 34–36, 43–45, 49–50, 52–53, 65–68).

Species composition. A. galbasi sp. nov.; A. matthewsi sp. nov. Distribution (Fig. 80).

Atrocrates galbasi sp. nov. (Figs 31–46, 71, 73, 80)

Locus typicus. Toorberg (East Cape, Republic of Souh Africa) (Fig. 73).

Etymology. The species is named in honour of my friend Dr. Krzysztof Galbas, an outstanding Polish surgeon.

Diagnosis. A. galbasi is close to A. matthewsi due to elytral humeri shape (distinct, not protruding outwards, as in Figs 36 and 53), narrowed anterior part of mentum (Figs 34 and 50), and male legs (fore tibia simple, with longitudinal depression on inner side, as in Figs 42 and 64; mid tibia with small apical denticle, as in Figs 43 and 65).

The species differ in the shape of pronotum—anterior angles sharp in galbasi, obtuse in matthewsi, cf Fig. 35 and 52.

Description. Measurements. Body length 9.2–10.5 mm (holotype, male— 10.3 mm), pl/pb—0.7, el/eb—1.3, el/pl—2.0, eb/pb—1.0 (male), 1.1 (female).

Body dark brown to black (Fig. 71). Upperside of body moderately shiny; head, pronotum and elytral intervals sparsely and delicately punctate. Underside of body slightly shiny; prosternum smooth, episternum with shallow longitudinal wrinkles.

Head as in Fig. 31. Clypeus with shallow emargination (ew/ed—7.0). Genal canthus equal to eyes. Eye between tempus and genal canthus narrow (3–4 ommatidia visible), circumocular depression shallow (Fig. 32). Antenna moderately long (al/apl—0.8) and wide (al/was3—15), 3rd antennomere short (as3/as2—2.0), distal segments (antennomere 7–11) evenly widened (Fig. 33). Mentum and submentum as in Fig. 34. Last segment of maxillary palp moderately wide (mp/as3—1.3). Hipostoma near maxillary articulation simple.

Pronotum as in Fig. 35, sides rounded, widest at 1/3 from base; pronotal disc evenly convex, depressed near lateral border, with extremely fine puncturation, punctures 2–3 diameters apart; anterior angles sharp and moderately protruding anteriorly (pl/lapa—0.9); posterior angles right, not protruding beyond the level of the middle of base; pronotal base almost straight.

Scutellum wide at base (pkp/st—3.0).

Elytron composed of 9 distinct rows, striae punctato-sulcate with well visible punctures; intervals moderately flat with fine punctures, 3–4 diameters apart; basal margin almost straight; elytral humeri not protruding outwards (Fig. 36).

Prosternal process protruding posteriad, rounded at apex (Fig. 37).

Metaventrite (Fig. 38) between the insertions of mid and hind coxae very short (metl/cavl—6.0); metepisternum rectangle and short (ml/mw—3.5).

Legs, all tarsi in both sexes narrow; male fore tibia with longitudinal depression on inner side (Figs 40–42); male mid tibia widened, with small apical denticle (Figs 43–45); male hind tibia simple (Fig. 46).

Abdominal ventrites with delicate puncturation; bordering of the last abdominal ventrite distinct (Fig. 39); process of 1st abdominal ventrite narrow (pav/pm—1.6).

Female and male genitalia as in other species of Atrocrates.

Types. Holotype: male, deposited in DNMNH; “ S. Afr; E Cape; Toorberg E: 1522 m; 32.10. S—24.02. E”, 22.11.2007; E-T: 3764; under stones; leg. Ruth Müller”. Paratypes: 3 males, 1 females (DNMNH), 2 male and 1 female (MIZPAN); “ S. Afr; E Cape; Toorberg E: 1522 m; 32.10. S—24.02. E”, 22.11.2007; E-T: 3759; under stones; leg. Ruth Müller ”; 1 male (DNMNH) “ S. Afr; E Cape; Toorberg E: 1185 m; 32.10. S—24.05. E”, 25.11.2007; E-T: 3764; under stones; leg. Ruth Müller”;