Abstract
Pseudorphnus carinatus new species is described from northern Madagascar (Antsiranana Province). Males of the new species differ from other species of the genus in having a long (about 8/10 the width of clypeus) transverse ridge near anterior margin of the clypeus. Pseudorphnus Benderitter, 1913, is a small genus of orphnine scarab beetles endemic to Madagascar. The members of the genus, both males and females, can immediately be recognized among other orphnines by the peculiar shape of their protibiae, which have two robust outer teeth and a third much smaller tooth located at the very basal part of the protibia (Benderitter 1913, Paulian 1977). The genus previously included three species: P. coquereli (Fairmaire, 1868), P. hiboni Paulian, 1959, and P. olsoufieffi Paulian, 1977. The first species is known from a reasonable number of specimens collected throughout the island but mainly in the northern part. The second species was original described from a single female specimen, but extensive sampling in the Ranomafana National Park in recent years has yielded a few additional specimens of both sexes (Frolov & Montreuil 2006). The third species is known only from the two male type specimens and a female, collected in central Madagascar and deposited in the Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris (MNFfN).