Microborus brevisetosus Jordal

Jordal, Bjarte H., 2017, Ancient diversity of Afrotropical Microborus: three endemic species - not one widespread, ZooKeys 710, pp. 33-42 : 36-38

Microborus brevisetosus Jordal sp. n. Figs 5-6, 12-14

Type material examined.

Holotype: Madagascar, Boeny province, Ankarafantsika NP, 200 m alt. GIS [-16.264, 46.828], ex Stereospermum standing tree, 8.May.2015, B. Jordal leg. (ZMBN/ENT_Scol4929). Paratypes (2): same data as HT (ZMBN/ENT_Scol4930). Madagascar, Forêt de Tsimembo, 11.0 km 346° NNW Soatana, GIS [-18.995, 44.444], 21.Nov.2001, B. Fischer, BLF4508, (1). HT and one PT in ZMBN, 1 PT in CAS.

Diagnosis.

Distinguished from M. camerunus (Eggers) by the much more abundant short setae in the lower frons, nearly moustache-like on epistoma, ventrites 2-4 with regular transverse rows of fine recumbent setae, and posterior face of protibiae with 3-5 sharp granules. It is distinguished from M. boops by the short and bristle-like setae on elytral interstriae on declivity.

Description

(male and female).Length 1.4 mm, 2.6 × longer than wide. Colour reddish brown, pronotum darker.

Head. Eyes separated above by 0.6 × their width. Frons reticulated and lightly punctured, protruding slightly below eyes, vestiture consisting of>50 short setae, longer between eyes and some on epistoma.

Pronotum smooth, shiny, with densely placed puntures.

Elytra with striae impressed, punctures deep, spaced by distance equal to their diameter; interstriae about half as broad as striae, with very fine irregularly spaced punctures; postero-lateral interstrial rim slightly elevated with 2-3 blunt granules. Vestiture consisting of a few longer, erect, golden setae on discal interstriae, with densely placed, short, stiff setae on declivity.

Legs. Protibiae with three lateral teeth (embedded denticles), and one additional tooth just above the inner mucro; posterior face rough.

Ventral vestiture simple, on ventrites 1-4 consisting of fine, long recumbent setae forming transverse rows.

Etymology.

Latin adjectives brevis, meaning short, and setosus, meaning bristly, referring to the very short stiff interstrial setae on the elytral declivity.

Distribution and biology.

Madagascar: Boeny, Melaky, Diana and Analanjirofo provinces. Specimens were examined only from the western part of the island. It is presumed that Schedl’s reported specimens from the east and north of the island are conspecific. The collection from Ankarafantsika (Fig. 1) was taken from brood galleries under thick bark of a standing Stereospermum tree, iniated via the entrance holes of Euplatypus madagascariensis (Chapuis, 1865).