Apatenia oculifera Frieser 2000

Trýzna, Miloš & Rakotonirina, Jean Claude, 2024, A new species of Apatenia Pascoe (Coleoptera: Anthribidae) from central Madagascar, with a key to species, additions to the distribution of rare species of the genus, and general notes about threats to anthribid diversity, Zootaxa 5537 (3), pp. 325-347 : 338

Apatenia oculifera Frieser 2000

( Figs 24 , 32 )

Apatenia oculifera Frieser 2000: 39 , 51, fig. 4 (black-and-white dorsal habitus)

Type material. Holotype (male): East MADAGASCAR, TOAMASINA PROvINCE: ‘Madagascar / Analamazaotra [incorrectly in Frieser´s work as Analamarzaotra] / E Moramanga / 5.–11.xii.1996 / J. Stolarczyk leg. [incorrectly in Frieser´s work as Stolarczik] [p] // HOLOTYPE [p, red label] // Apatenia / oculifera sp. n. / Holotypus [mark for male] [h] / det. R. Frieser [p] 2000 [h]’ ( ZSMC); Allotype (female): ‘ Madagascar / Tamatave distr. / Moramanga env. / 13.–17.xii.1995 / J. Stolarczyk leg. [incorrectly in Frieser´s work as Stolarczik] [p] // ALLOTYPE [p, red label] // Apatenia / oculifera sp. n. / Allotypus [mark for female] [h] / det. R. Frieser [p] 2000 [h]’ ( ZSMC); 1 paratype (female): ‘ MADAGASCAR c. / MORAMANGA env. / 10.–18.XII.1997 / P. Pacholátko lgt. [p] // PARATYPE [p, red label] // Apatenia / oculifera sp. n. / Paratypus [mark for female] [h] / det. R. Frieser [p] 2000 [h]’ ( MTDC);

Other material. 2 males: the same data as paratype, but not included in the type series , TOPOTYPE [p, red label] ( Fig. 24 ) ( MTCD); 1 female : 135 km E Antananarivo, Andasibe env., 900 m, xi.–xii.2000, S. Murzin leg. ( MTDC); 1 male : 5 km E of Moramanga , 12.-16.1996, 800 m, R. Veigler leg. ( MTDC); 1 male : Madagascar, Fénerive, E. Perrot // Museum Paris, ex Coll. R. Oberthür, 1952 [typical blue acquisition label of MNHN] ( MNHN); 1 female : the same data but: Perrot Fréres , 1 er Trim. 1896 // Museum Paris, ex Coll. R. Oberthür, 1952 [typical blue acquisition label of MNHN] ( MNHN); 1 male : Madagascar, Bezavona [ca. 6 km N of Fort Dauphin], Fort Dauphin // Muséum Paris, 1934, R. Catala [typical blue acquisition label of MNHN] ( MNHN) .

Diagnosis. The ground colour of the upper side of the body is grey, elytra with two distinct black spots on basal elevation surrounded by a rusty or light brown margin, transverse light brown stripe is also on apex of elytra. Basal part of rostrum and part under eyes is with brilliant white pubescence. The lateral parts of the underside of the body are whitish. Size of the body 5.2–7.5 mm.

Distribution and biology. This appears to be an uncommon to rarer species. Hitherto known only from the narrow strip of the remaining rainforests on the eastern part of Madagascar. Most findings come from the area surrounding Moramanga and nearby Andasibe.Although we collected repeatedly and very intensively for many years around Andasibe, specifically in the areas Analamazaotra N. P., Mantadia N. P. and Maromizaha Natural Resources Reserve, we could not find other specimens there. We also know of two specimens from Fénerive (= Fenoarivo) located on the east coast of Madagascar, and one specimen from Bezavona, a site 6 km north of Fort Dauphin (= Tolagnaro) in southeast Madagascar. The specific habitat requirement of this species remains unknown.

Figures

FIGURE 32. Distribution of selected rare Apatenia species. Triangle–type locality, circle–other distribution.

FIGURES 23–26. Malagasy Apatenia species, habitus in dorsal view. 23, A. quadristigma Frieser, 1981 (female); 24, A. oculifera Frieser 2000 (male); 25, A. stysi Trýzna & Baňař, 2013 (paratype, female); 26, A. sulcicollis Frieser, 2000 (male).