Bambara verecunda

Darby, Michael, 2014, Studies of Madagascan Ptiliidae (Coleoptera) 4: The genus Bambara including eight new species and the first account of blindness and aptery in the genus, Zootaxa 3895 (2), pp. 151-169 : 169

Bambara verecunda sp. n

(Figs. 6, 14, 23, 31, 49a–b, 53–56)

Habitus Fig 6. Length +/- 743µ. Colour brown, pronotum darker than elytra. Distance across forehead 230µ min, 233µ max, 231µ mean. Head showing absence of eyes Fig. 52. Mentum and submentum Fig. 14 . Pronotum length 225µ min, 231µ max, 228µ mean; width 399µ min, 401µ max, 400µ mean; ratio length/breadth 1.76. Detached elytron length 447µ min, 475µ max, 457µ mean; width 260µ min, 268µ max, 263µ mean; ratio length/width 1.74, Fig 23. Ratio elytra length/ pronotum length 2.00. Metanotum and abdmoninal tergites Fig. 53. Mesoventrum Fig. 55. Metacoxal plates Fig. 56.

Male: aedeagus Figs. 49a–b.

Female: spermatheca Fig. 31.

Etymology. From the Latin verecundus meaning modest, shy, diffident, and referring to the species unassuming appearance and apparent range restriction presumably resulting from blindness and aptery.

Diagnosis. The form of the spermatheca which will quickly it from all other species. The shape of the elytra which are widest at the humeral angle (viewed detached) will also separate it from all other Madagascan species except lanquidula from which it may be distinquished by its darker colour and smaller size. Additionally verecunda is the only Bambara described to date lacking both wings and eyes (but possibly a polymorphic species, see above).

Type data: Holotype: ♀, Andasibe N.P. border, ASB/ Nov 2011/01, sifting leaf litter, 29.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH). Paratypes: 8 exs [14] (some fragmentary), same data as holotype.

Figures

FIGURES 10 – 16. Skeletal features, mentum and prementum, antenna and eye. 10, B. secubita pronotum and elytron, x 2240; 11, B. problematica mesoventrum including collar and keel, x 1200; 12, B. edwardi metaventrum and coxal plates, x 945; 13, B. secubita mesoventrum profile, x 910; 14, B. verecunda mentum and prementum, x 990; 15, B. merina antenna showing sensillae on antennomere 10, x 1560; 16, B. edwardi eye showing emargination to allow for front angle of pronotum, x 1620.