Afromicracis densisetosa Jordal, 2021

Jordal, Bjarte, 2021, Small, uniform, and rarely collected-an integrated taxonomic revision of Afromicracis bark beetles (Coleoptera, Scolytinae), Zootaxa 4981 (1), pp. 70-88 : 79-81

Afromicracis densisetosa Jordal , sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4331B51B-01DE-483D-BBA2-6A1A83B3D547

( Figs 29, 32, 35, 36 , 55, 56 )

Type material. Holotype, female: Tanzania, Morogoro prov., Sanje [GIS -7.775, 36.882], ex Parinari excelsa , 3. July 2010, B. Jordal, leg. Allotype and paratypes (8): same data as HT . Holotype and six paratypes in ZMUB, two paratypes in NHMW .

Diagnosis. Pronotal asperities broad and subcontiguous, almost in concentric rows; elytral setae on interstriae long and spatulate, separated by less than their length; strial setae as long as or longer than distance between setae; female frons narrowly concave on central one-third below upper level of eyes.

Description, female. Length 1.2–1.5 mm, 2.4–2.5 × as long as wide. Colour brown. Frons finely granulated, narrowly concave on central one-third below a fine transverse carina at upper level of eyes; vestiture consisting of short fine setae, longer on epistoma. Antennal scapus apically as broad as pedicel, with about 20 short setae; club with one procurved suture near apical margin. Eyes separated above by 2.9–3.1 × their width. Pronotum with broad subcontiguous asperities on anterior half, lightly rugose and shiny on posterior half; vestiture consisting of mixed hair- and bristle-like setae. Elytral striae not impressed, recumbent strial setae as long or longer than distance between them; interstrial setae spatulate, separated by less than their length. Legs. Protibiae with one lateral and two apical denticles. Ventrites. Vestiture consisting of very long, soft setae.

Male. Similar to females in all external aspects except fewer setae on the scapus, and the convex frons has a small median tubercle near epistoma.

Etymology. The species epithet is composed by the stem of the Latin nominative adjective densus, meaning dense or close, the connecting vowel -i, and the Latin nominative feminine adjective setosa, meaning hairy, referring to the densely set, coarse interstrial setae.

Distribution and biology. Only known from the type locality where specimens were dissected from the bark of Parinari branches 5 cm in diameter ( Chrysobalanaceae ).

Figures

FIGURES 28–37. Dorsal lateral and front view of Afromicracis ghanaensis holotype (28, 31, 34), Afromicracis densisetosa male allotype (29, 32, 36) and female holotype (35), and Afromicracis kenyaensis holotype (30, 33, 37).

FIGURES 55–57. Internal body structures in Afromicracis. Proventriculus (55) and male aedeagus (56) of A. densisetosa and male aedeagus of A. concava (57).