Tachyusa testacea Pa, 2006

Pa ṡnik, Grzegorz, 2006, A revision of the World species of the genus Tachyusa Erichson, 1837 (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Zootaxa 1146, pp. 1-152 : 87-89

Tachyusa testacea Pa ś nik, sp. n. ( Figs. 85–87)

Type material. Holotype: ♂: Namibia, Kunene, Epupa Falls, Kunene River banks, 20– 21.II.1994, M. Uhlig ( ZMHB) . Paratypes: 4♂♂ and 5♀♀: same data as the holotype ( ZMHB) ; 2♂♂ and ♀: same data as the holotype ( ISEA) ; ♀: Namibia, Namib Naukluft Park, Kuiseb River banks, Kuiseb Canyon bridge, 15.III.1999, M. Uhlig ( ZMHB) ; ♂ and 2♀♀: Namibia, Swakop R., 3 mls S. Okahandja, 7.IV.1972, floating refuse ( BMNH) ; ♂: Namibia, Swakop R., 3 mls S. Okahandja, 7.IV.1972, floating refuse ( ISEA) ; 2♀♀: Namibia, Goanikontes, 21 mls. E. Swakopmund, 30.I.1972, on mud by reservoir ( BMNH) .

Description. Body. Length 2.3–2.6 mm, convex, parallel­sided, glossy; head black, pronotum and elytra red, elytra blackened at middle, abdomen black with two basal tergites red, legs red, antennae brown with antennomeres 1–3 red.

Head circular in outline; convex, eyes moderately protruding from lateral contours of head, length of each seen from above subequal to that of postocular region; surface of head with obsolete isodiametric mesh microsculpture; puncturation relatively coarse and moderately dense. Antennae short, clearly increasing in width apically, antennomeres 2 and 3 subequal in length, antennomeres 4–6 longer than wide, antennomeres 7–10 quadrate, antennomere 11 nearly conical.

Pronotum quadrate, lateral sides concavely narrowed to obtuse hind angles; before base with small and shallow transverse impression; surface without microsculpture; puncturation relatively coarse, dense and asperate; pubescence at midline directed posteriorly.

Elytra subquadrate, at suture as long as pronotal length at midline; surface lacking microsculpture; puncturation fine and moderately dense.

Abdomen parallel­sided, bases of tergites 3–5 each with deep transverse impression, impressions with 7–8 longitudinal ridges, tergal puncturation fine and relatively sparse, punctures small and weakly visible, surface without microsculpture.

Male. Aedeagus as in Figs. 85–86.

Female. Spermatheca as in Fig. 87.

Remarks. Tachyusa testacea is very similar to T. krugeri , from which it can be distinguished by its smaller size, the paler coloured pronotum, the head with distinct microsculpture and by the shape of the genitalia.

Etymology. The name testacea refers to the body colour.

Distribution. The new species is known so far only from Namibia.