A peculiar new genus and species of pollen beetles of the Anthystrix-complex of genera from South Africa (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae, Meligethinae)

Abstract

A peculiar new species of pollen beetles of the Anthystrix complex of genera, Austroborovecia anthystrixina gen. nov., sp. nov., is described from northern South Africa (Limpopo Province). This new species, although it appears very similar in external aspect to members of the genus Anthystrix Kirejtshuk, 1981 (including half a dozen species, all from South Africa), exhibits a series of peculiar  morphological characters representing obvious autapomorphies (e.g., the male antennomeres III to V flatly depressed, larger and markedly wider than antennomeres II and VI, a large semi-circular tomentose and blackish area on the orange male last abdominal ventrite, more developed teeth on the outer edge of front tibiae, occipital sulci bordering the dorsal surface of the eyes indistinct, virtual absence of distinct hairs along the outer elytral borders, and peculiarly shaped male genitalia); this series of morphological traits is combined instead with the absence of several of the most important and diagnostic characters of all true Anthystrix species (such as the strongly modified and enlarged antennal club in males, the unique "violin-shaped" median lobe of the aedeagus, and the very deep and narrow longitudinal median incision of the proximal part of the tegmen). Despite the evident outer similarity with most species of Anthystrix, due to some other shared external characters (such as the long, dense and thick golden pubescence covering the whole body, the strongly sinuated and modified male hind tibiae, and the male metaventrite with a large and deep pentagonal impression), the new species cannot be placed in this clade, and requires the institution of a new genus, which maybe represents the sister-group of Anthystrix. The larval hostplant of the new species is thus far unknown, although almost certainly it is included among members of the tribe Tarchonantheae (Asteraceae), as for all other known members of the so-called Anthystrix-complex of genera.