Acrotrichis obscura, Darby, Michael, 2014

Darby, Michael, 2014, Studies of Madagascan Ptiliidae (Coleoptera) 3: The genus Acrotrichis including twenty seven new species, Zootaxa 3866 (2), pp. 151-201 : 188

Acrotrichis obscura sp.n.

( Figs. 26A –H)

Habitus Fig. 26A . Length 0.67 mm. Colour dark blackish/brown species, antennae and legs yellowish brown. Antennomeres 3–11 0.27 mm long Fig. 26 C. Chaetotaxy of mentum and submentum Fig. 26 H. Breadth across eyes 0.26 mm. Pronotum 0.36 mm wide, 0.19 mm long, lateral margins with short sinuation before the hind angle Fig. 26 B. Elytra 0.37 mm long, 0.39 mm wide. Posterior margin of mesoventral collar slightly sloped at shoulders and with a slight median excision Fig. 26 F. Posterior margin of metaventrum and metacoxal plates Fig. 26 G. Pygidium without an apical tooth.

Male: ventrite six with +/- 8 rather small and thin spines arranged in two rows; aedeagus Fig. 26 E.

Female: spermatheca Fig. 26 D.

Etymology. Johnson ms name.

Remarks. The characters of the genitalia will quickly distinguish this species from all other small species.

Type data. Holotype: ♀, Perinet, 12.x.1970, forest litter, leg. P.M.Hammond ( BMNH). Paratypes: 3 examples, same data as holotype ( BMNH); 1♂ 1♀ same data as holotype but under conifer bark; 7 examples, Mt d’Ambre, x.1970, forest litter, leg. P.M.Hammond ( BMNH), 1♀, Montagne dAmbre N.P., sifting, 30.x.2010, P. Banar ( BMNH).

Figures

FIGURE 26. A. obscura. A, habitus; B, side of pronotum viewed at 45 ˚; C, antennomeres 3 – 11; D, spermatheca; E, aedeagus; F, mesoventral collar x 540; G, metaventral posterior margin and metacoxal plates x 505; H, mentum and submentum showing chaetotaxy.