Cissidium amieuense sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 556E5FC9-A322-4C73-B37B-AF9BF5D923AF

Fig. 14

Etymology

Johnson ms name. Named after the Col d’Amieu, New Caledonia, where the insects were captured.

Material examined

Holotype NEW CALEDONIA • ♂; Table de Union, Col d’Amieu [no further data recorded]; MM; MMUE.

Paratype NEW CALEDONIA • ♀; same collection data as for holotype; MMUE .

Description

SIZE. Habitus (Fig. 14A), length 0.67 mm.

COLOUR. Dark brown, elytra dusky yellow where translucent, head almost black, pubescence, legs and antennae yellow.

HEAD. Without a clearly marked linear depression behind the eyes, width across eyes 0.21 mm; mentum and submentum as Fig. 4A; antennomeres III–XI length 0.44 mm, III–IX length 0.26 mm, X–XI length 0.18 mm.

PRONOTUM. Length 0.17 mm, width 0.29 mm, sparsely pubescent, with a row of six basal foveae, the median two placed slightly anterior to the lateral four, side margins rounded almost straight in basal half, border not extending onto posterior margin, hind angles rectangular, posterior border with a sinuous emargination before the scutellum (Fig. 14B).

ELYTRA. Length 0.42 mm, width 0.37 mm, sparsely pubescent and shallowly foveolate, length of setae as pronotum.

MESOVENTRITE. Medial extension of collar onto mid-keel tapering, posterior margin of mid-keel not reaching mesocoxae; keel sharply raised anteriorly with two long setae then flat and tapering posteriorly to a rounded termination between the mesocoxae; mesoventral lateral margins serrate posteriorly (Fig. 14C).

METAVENTRITE. Length 0.13 mm, width across spines 0.12 mm, with scattered setae, disc plain.

WINGS. Apterous.

GENITALIA. Male aedeagus as Fig. 6 Fa–b. Female spermatheca globular.

Remarks

Seven species of Cissidium, all that have been recorded from New Caledonia, belong in this group and are difficult to separate on pronotal characters, the mesoventral characters providing a better guide. The concave sides of the mid-keel together with the flat tapering keel and pair of anterior setae distinguish this species.