Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 93. (Budapest 2001)

Kirejtshuk, A. G.: Notes on the systematics of the African Nitidulidae (Coleoptera)

Head and pronotum with distinct punctures, somewhat smaller than eye facets, interspaces between them somewhat narrower than a puncture diameter, with fine and regular, rather contrasting cellular microreticulation. Elytra with obsolete punctation, less regular and somewhat smoothed microreticulation. Metasternum with small, distinct and sparse punctures, and with almost smooth interspaces between them. Pygidium, prosternum and ventrites with very small, partly shallow and rather sparse punctures, interspaces between them markedly broader than a puncture diameter, with dense and more or less smoothed microreticulation. Prosternai process smooth, without punctation. Head about 5/6 as long as distance between eyes, its anterior edge almost straight and narrowly bordered, with rounded lateral corners. Antennae about as long as head width, with 3-segmentcd club, comprising about 2/7 of total antenna! length, antennomere 3 slightly shorter than antennomere 2 and slightly longer than antennomere 4, antennomere 3 scarcely more than twice as long as thick. Pronotum moderately convex, with convex anterior and shallowly emarginate posterior edges, widest and subparallclsidcd at basal third and with extremely narrowly explanate sides. Elytra 1 and 1/15 as long as combined width, moderately steeply sloping at extremely narrowly explanate sides, somewhat suboblique at apex and with suturai lines almost reaching scutellum. Pygidium subangular at apex. Mentum subtrapezoid, widest at base and about 2.5 times as wide as long. Last labial palpomere subcylindrical and somewhat longer than wide. Prosternai process flat along median and subparallclsidcd part, and rather widened before subrhomboid apex, but with arcuate posterior edge, widest part of it more than 1.5 times as wide as antennái club. Distance between mesocoxae about 1.5 times and that between metacoxae nearly 2.5 times as great as that between procoxae. Mesosternum without raised median carina. Metasternum with almost straight anterior edge between mesocoxae and slightly convex in the middle. Hypopygium with subtruncate apex. Protibia considerably narrower than antennái club and finely crenulate; meso- and metatibiae markedly wider than antennái club; outer edge of meso- and metatibiae with a dense row of moderately short and moderately thin setae. Femora of usual shape, pro- and mesofemora about twice and metafemur about 2.5 times as wide as antennái club. Protarsus 2/5 as wide as protibia, but meso- and metatarsi much narrower, claws simple. Aedeagus weakly sclerotizcd, without distinctly sclerotized armature of inner sac of penis. Female - Differs from male only in widely rounded apices of pygidium and hypopygidium. Ovipositor slightly to moderately sclerotized. Variability- Length 1.6-1.9 mm. Coloration shows a certain variability: some paratypes with more darkened prescutellar, suturai and apical parts of elytra. The most paratypes are with convex anterior edge of head. A small variation is also observed in punctation and sculpture. Diagnosis -This new species is very distinct due to its structure of ovipositor. Among the described species P. transvaalensis sp. n. is rather similar to P. abbreviata COOPER, 1982 (recorded from Kenya and remains unknown to the author of this paper), differing from it only in paler coloration, straight to convex anterior edge of head, sparser dorsal punctation and particularly different shape of ovipositor sclerites. Both species have some undescribed relatives, which are very similar in many external characters, but different in ovipositor. Coloration, character of punctation and sculpture of this new species are very similar to those in P. oblita GROUVELLE, 1908 (wide spread in East Africa)and in less degree to those in P.