Acylophorus setiger Lott

Lott, Derek A., 2010, The species of Acylophorus Nordmann (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae) in continental sub-Saharan Africa, Zootaxa 2402, pp. 1-51 : 30-31

Acylophorus setiger Lott , new species

(Figs 22, 71, 98, 136)

Description. Length 6mm. Body brown, head darker. Legs pale. Antennae pale with middle segments darker. Palpi all pale.

Head of average size (pronotum 1.7x wider than head), 1.1x wider than long with well developed temples behind large eyes (Fig. 22). Pigmented area of head extends in front of antennal insertion. Micro-punctures very sparse and concentrated toward front of head. Short pubescence behind eyes. Three pairs of interocular setae and a line of four postocular setae visible from above on each side. Maxillary palpi with two terminal segments pubescent, terminal segment very elongate, slightly asymmetric, longer than penultimate segment, which is also elongate ( Fig. 71 ). First segment of antenna as long as next five. Segments I to III elongate, VII to X transverse ( Fig. 98 ).

Pronotum slightly transverse (1.2x wider than long) with sides well rounded, widest in basal half. Shining with no micro-punctures. One pair of dorsal setae and one pair of lateral setae. Marginal setae long and more numerous than in A. orientalis . Elytra very transverse (1.9x wider than long) with sparse pubescence and coarse asperate punctures which are stronger than in A. orientalis . Apical bristles much longer than hairs on the rest of the elytra. Abdominal tergites also with long, sparse pubescence. Punctures much sparser on apical half of each tergite than on basal half. Apical fringe of bristles on each tergite of two distinct lengths, the shorter bristles more numerous than the longer bristles, as in A. trigonocephalus .

Male sternite IX with apex entire. Aedeagus with simple paramere, pegs arranged around margin with one or two scattered inside ( Fig. 136 ). Median lobe with apex barely expanded, only just surpassing paramere.

Type material. Holotype 3: “ Paratype / Mioko Fernando Poo 1700–2000m 8.XII.51 / De Keyser Lopdome et A. Villiers / PARATYPE / M. Cameron Bequest B.M. 1955-147 / Acylophorus brevipennis Cam. Cotype / HOLOTYPE Acylophorus setiger sp. n. 3 det. DA Lott, 2009” ( BMNH).

Note that Cameron gave this species a manuscript name brevipennis and labelled types accordingly, but he never published a description.

Distribution and bionomics. Only known so far from a single specimen taken on the island of Bioko (formerly known as Fernando Po) in Equatorial Guinea ( Fig. 147 ). There are no data on habitat.

Comparative notes. Similar to A. trigonocephalus , but with short, very transverse elytra and distinctive aedeagus with paramere that is not bilobed. The paler colour may also be diagnostic.

Etymology. The specific name is the masculine form of an adjective meaning “bristly” and refers to the long setae on the body.

Figures

FIGURE 147. Distribution of species in the Acylophorus trigonocephalus group = A. trigonocephalus Cameron, = A. setiger new species, = A. usambarae Bernhauer, = A. grandis Bernhauer; = A. bafutensis Levasseur).

FIGURES 51 – 76. Terminal segments of the maxilliary palpi of Acylophorus species. 51, A. orientalis Fauvel; 52, A. nitens new species; 53, A. rossii Bordoni, 54, A. bumbunae Bordoni; 55, A. capensis Cameron; 56, A. dankalensis Bordoni; 57, A. tshuapensis new species; 58, A. makhoreae new species; 59, A. densipennis Bernhauer; 60, A. antennalis Cameron; 61, A. collarti Cameron; 62. A. micans new species; 63, A. allardi Levasseur; 64, A. congoensis Cameron; 65, A. ziloensis Levasseur; 66, A. mareei Bernhauer; 67, A. salifi new species; 68, A. lomaensis Levasseur; 69. A. minor new species; 70, A. trigonocephalus Cameron; 71, A. setiger new species; 72, A. usambarae Bernhauer; 73, A. grandis Bernhauer; 74, A. bafutensis Levasseur; 75, A. kambuiensis Bordoni, 76. A. lualabaensis Levasseur.

FIGURES 97 – 103. Antennae of Acylophorus species. 97, A. trigonocephalus Cameron; 98, A. setiger new species; 99, A. usambarae Bernhauer; 100, A. grandis Bernhauer; 101, A. bafutensis Levasseur; 102, A. kambuiensis Bordoni, 103. A. lualabaensis Levasseur. FIGURES 104 – 107. Details of Acylophorus delphinus Fauvel. 104, forebody; 105, terminal segments of maxilliary palpi; 106, antenna; 107, aedeagus. FIGURE 108. Lateral view of head of Acylophorus salifi new species.

FIGURES 134 – 137. Aedeagi of species in the Acylophorus trigonocephalus group. 134, A. grandis Bernhauer; 135, A. trigonocephalus Cameron; 136, A. setiger new species; 137, A. bafutensis Levasseur (reproduced from Levasseur, 1968 and not drawn to scale). FIGURES 138 – 139. Aedeagi of species in the Acylophorus kambuiensis group. 138, A. kambuiensis Bordoni, 139. A. lualabaensis Levasseur.