Acylophorus ziloensis Levasseur

Lott, Derek A., 2010, The species of Acylophorus Nordmann (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae) in continental sub-Saharan Africa, Zootaxa 2402, pp. 1-51 : 21-22

Acylophorus ziloensis Levasseur

( Figs 15 , 43, 44 , 65 , 91 , 124 )

Acylophorus ziloensis Levasseur, 1968: 1403 ; Herman, 2001: 3038.

Diagnostic characters. Levasseur’s description contains illustrations of the aedeagus and antenna in addition to a textual description of morphological features. The following section contains additional diagnostic features.

Length 6–7mm. Black with margins of pronotum and abdominal tergites sometimes vaguely dark brown. Abdominal tergites very weakly iridescent. Appendages reddish brown.

Head of average size (pronotum 1.7x wider than head), 1.1x wider than long with rounded, but pronounced temples, with pigmented area produced well in front of antennal insertion ( Fig. 15 ). Dorsal surface of head covered with dense micro-punctures. Dense pale pubescence behind eyes. Two pairs of interocular setae arising from foveate punctures much closer to eyes than each other. Four postocular setae visible on each side, additional seta on hind margin of eye absent. Mandibles with well developed medial tooth on right and untoothed on left ( Figs 43 & 44 ). Maxillary palpi with terminal segment pubescent, very elongate, almost symmetric, longer than glabrous penultimate segment which is broadly triangular ( Fig. 65 ). First segment of antenna nearly as long as next five. Segments I to V elongate, IX to X transverse ( Fig. 91 ).

Pronotum slightly transverse (1.1x wider than long) with sides well rounded, widest in basal half, covered with dense micro-punctures. One pair of dorsal setae and one pair of lateral setae. Marginal setae short. Elytra transverse (1.5x wider than long) with short, pale, but not shining pubescence arising from dense asperate punctures. Apical fringe of bristles much longer than pubescence on other parts of the elytra. Pubescence on abdominal tergites short but overlapping in centre of tergite III, arising from asperate punctures that are fairly evenly distributed across each tergite and stronger and denser than on elytra.

Apex of sternite IX entire. Paramere bilobed, lobes widely separated, pegs confusedly arranged right at apex, base lipped ( Fig. 124 ). Median lobe of aedeagus slightly longer than paramere.

Type material. Holotype 3: “KOLWEZI H. KATANGA COLL. LEVASSEUR / Zilo Walaba / CONGO BELGE 4.1959 D.V. ALLARD / Acylophorus ziloensis sp. n. LEVASSEUR DET 1967 HOLOTYPE ” ( MNHN).

Further material examined. R. D. CONGO: Ituri: Djugu, Mt. Aboro 2200 m. N Leleup i.1954, 131Ƥ ( IRSNB); Kivu: Kabare, affl. de la Lwiro, 1700 m, N Leleup xi.1951, 3 ( IRSNB); Kabare, Lwiro, 2000 / 2200m, N Leleup xi.1953, 1 ( IRSNB); Kalehe, Kahuzi, 2200 m, N Leleup 9.viii.1951, 232Ƥ ( IRSNB); Kalehe, Kahuzi, 1800 m, P Basilewsky 25. iii.1953, 1 Ƥ ( IRSNB); Kalehe, Kahuzi, 2200 m, P Basilewsky 27. iii.1953, 4 Ƥ ( IRSNB); Lubero, 2200 m. N. Leleup xii.1951, 2 ( IRSNB); Lubero, Katondi, 2200 m. N. Leleup xii.1951, 13 ( IRSNB); Lubero, Lubero-Wangi, 2350 m. RPMJ Celis 16. xi.1954, 13 ( IRSNB); Lubero, Katondi, 2200 m. N. Leleup 12.xii.1951, 132Ƥ ( IRSNB); Mwenga, Luiko, 1900 m. N. Leleup 19. i.1952, 2 Ƥ ( IRSNB); Uvira, Bassin Ulindi, 2650 m. N. Leleup 28. ix.1950, 1 Ƥ ( IRSNB); Uvira, Mulenge, 2500 m. N. Leleup, viii.1959, 1 Ƥ ( IRSNB). RWANDA: Forêt Rugege, 2200m, N. Leleup, iii. 1951, 2350m, P Basilewsky, 20/23.v. 1953132Ƥ ( IRSNB).

Distribution and bionomics. Relatively frequently found in montane forest in eastern Congo and Rwanda ( Fig. 144 ), where it is usually recorded in litter.

Comparative notes. Similar to A. congoensis in lacking bright yellow pubescence on the elytra. Most easily recognised by the narrow terminal segment of the maxillary palpi and the form of the aedeagus, in particular the incurving tips of the lobes of the paramere.

Figures

FIGURE 144. Distribution of species in the Acylophorus densipennis group (= A. ziloensis Levasseur, = A. antennalis Cameron, = A. collarti Cameron, = A. mareei Bernhauer).

FIGURES 9 – 17. Forebodies of species in the Acylophorus densipennis group. 9, A. densipennis Bernhauer; 10, A. antennalis Cameron; 11, A. collarti Cameron; 12. A. micans new species; 13, A. allardi Levasseur; 14, A. congoensis Cameron; 15, A. ziloensis Levasseur; 16, A. mareei Bernhauer; 17 A. methneri Bernhauer.

FIGURES 42 – 50. Mandibles of Acylophorus species. 42, A. congoensis Cameron; 43, A. ziloensis Levasseur (Katanga); 44, A. ziloensis Levasseur (Kivu); 45, A. allardi Levasseur; 46, A. salifi new species; 47, A. lomaensis Levasseur; 48, A. mareei Bernhauer; 49, A. bafutensis Levasseur; 50, A. lualabaensis 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 77 – 96. Antennae of Acylophorus species. 77, A. orientalis Fauvel; 78, A. nitens new species; 79, A. rossii Bordoni, 80, A. bumbunae Bordoni; 81, A. capensis Cameron; 82, A. dankalensis Bordoni; 83, A. tshuapensis new species; 84, A. makhoreae new species; 85, A. densipennis Bernhauer; 86, A. antennalis Cameron; 87, A. collarti Cameron; 88. A. micans new species; 89, A. allardi Levasseur; 90, A. congoensis Cameron; 91, A. ziloensis Levasseur; 92, A. mareei Bernhauer; 93, A. methneri Bernhauer; 94, A. salifi new species; 95, A. lomaensis Levasseur; 96. A. minor new species.

FIGURES 117 – 125. Aedeagi of species in the Acylophorus densipennis group. 117, A. densipennis Bernhauer; 118, A. antennalis Cameron; 119, A. collarti Cameron; 120. A. micans new species; 121, A. allardi Levasseur (RD Congo); 122, A. allardi Levasseur (South Africa); 123, A. congoensis Cameron; 124, A. ziloensis Levasseur; 125, A. mareei Bernhauer.