Phylogenetic placement of a new paleoendemic pill scarab from the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania, triggers biogeographic interpretations (Coleoptera: Hybosoridae, Ceratocanthinae) Author Grebennikov, Vasily V. text Fragmenta entomologica 2021 2021-11-30 53 2 283 298 http://dx.doi.org/10.13133/2284-4880/547 journal article 10.13133/2284-4880/547 2284-4880 12762398 DF5C4463-4C32-4C56-95F1-C7378EAD5869 Balleriodes sphaera sp. nov. Figs 1B–F , 2A–S , 3 , 4 , 5 ) Type locality. Tanzania , the Udzungwa Mountains , 7.8419º S 36.8546º E , 1083 m . Description. The morphological description is the same as that given above for the genus. Holotype maximal body length (in enrolled position, Fig. 1B ): 3.2 mm (variation: 3.2 – 3.4, n = 3), maximal body width 3.0 (variation: 3.0 – 3.2 mm , n = 3), maximal body height in lateral view ( Fig. 1D ): 2.6 mm . DNA of holotype : MW393776 (COI); DNA data of paratypes : MW340075, MW340084, MW393773–5, MW393777–9 (COI), MW340105 (ITS2) and MW340120, MW340129 (28S). Material examined. Holotype (deposited in the Canadi- an National Collection of Insects , Arachnids and Nematodes , Ottawa , Canada ), not sexed, “ TANZANIA , Udzungwa Mts., -7.8419 36.8546 , 1083m , 7.x.2014 , sift03, V .Grebennikov”, “CNCCOLVG00008750” . Paratypes (deposited together with the holotype ), eight specimens 8751–55 and 8968–70, same data as holotype (of them specimen 8968 is in the collection of Alberto Ballerio; see Acknowledgements) . Distribution. This species is known only from the type locality. Biology. All specimens were taken in a single sifting sample in the montane rainforest, although a total of 13 sifting samples was taken in the Udzungwa Mountains (sample list in Table 1 in Grebennikov 2017 ). Phoretic mites were detected under the elytra of both dissected paratypes ( Figs 2I, J ). Etymology. The species epithet is the Latin noun meaning “ball, globe, sphere”, with reference to the peculiarly globular shape of conglobate specimens of the new species, likely most closely approaching a perfect sphere among all Ceratocanthinae (and, therefore, of all Coleoptera ); in apposition.