Pocapharaptinus acanthos Akotsen and Philips

Akotsen-Mensah, Clement & Philips, Keith, 2009, Description of a new genus of spider beetle (Coleoptera: Ptinidae) from South Africa, Zootaxa 2160, pp. 51-67 : 64-65

Pocapharaptinus acanthos Akotsen and Philips , new species

Figs. 23, 24 , 32 & 39

Type material. Holotype: S. Afr., S. W. Cape, Klippe Rugt farm 34.42S- 20.12E / 28.8.1983; E-Y: 1993, groundtraps, 60 days, leg. Endrödy-Younga and Penrith. Groundtraps with banana bait. Paratypes: same as Holotype (2); faeces bait (8); meat bait (1). S. Africa S. W. Cape Pro., Haweqwas mt. 1350m; 33.40S- 19.05E / 4.12.1978 E-Y: 1520, groundtraps 92 days. Leg. Endrödy-Younga / groundtraps with banana (1); meat bait (2). Haweqwas, 33.34S- 19.08E / 5.11.1973; E-Y: 200, sifted humus, leg. Endrödy-Younga (1). S. Afr., S. W. Cape Arniston, inland, 34.39S- 20.13E / 29.8.1983; E-Y: 1995, groundtraps 59 days, leg. Endrödy, Penrith / groundtrap with faeces bait (3). S. Afr., S. W. Cape, Struisbaai, 34.46S- 20.03E / 28.8.1983; E-Y: 1989, groundtraps, 60 days, leg. Endrödy-Younga, Penrith / groundtraps with meat bait (1).

Diagnosis. This species can be characterized by the presence of elongate fine thin setae on the elytra ( Figs 23 & 24 ).

Description. Color reddish brown to brown; body slightly oval, convex. Length 2.0– 2.6 mm. Head dorsally mainly smooth but with scattered setose tubercles in a band between eyes, tubercles slightly pronounced; setae dense, short, recumbent and erect, setal tufts on either side of midline between eyes present; carina posterior to antennal fossae present. Pronotum with visible surface not extending posteriorly between setal tufts, smoothly rounded posteriorly; base of setal tufts arising from slightly above anterior cuticle surface on curved carinae, carinae angled ~20º from surface, anterior margin distinctly swollen; lateral spines distinct but blending into tufts, distinctly thicker than erect elytral setae. Elytra moderately convex, apex rounded, not projecting; erect setae yellow, relatively long both posteriorly and anteriorly, very fine, not straight; six large elongate patches of similarly thin recumbent white setae located anteriorly within puncture rows 5–8 and posteriorly approximately within rows 4–5 and 8–9. Male genitalia with parameres thinnest near apical 1/3, strongly curved inwards near apex, apices distinctly expanded; median lobe at middle with sides gradually converging towards apex, total length 94% of that of parameres measured from base (Fig. 39).

Etymology. The specific epithet derived from the Greek ' acanthos ', meaning “thorn", in reference to the distinct spine-like setae on the pronotum.

Figures

FIGURES 21 – 24. Dorsal and ventral habitus views; 21 – 22. P. aboakyer; 23 – 24. P. acanthos. Scale bar = 1.0 mm