Tazarcus aeaea sp. n.

Figs 1, 4, 5

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 3EA886A2-BA5C-4F0A-AA07-49558CD9A936

Type locality. Tanzania, West Usambara Mts., Mkusu Forest, S4.76585° E38.36022°, 1576 m.

Description. Length of pronotum and elytra in dorsal view 2.0– 2.5 mm (n=7); lateral body contour in dorsal view not constricted between pronotum and elytra; lateral sides of posterior half of pronotum and elytra at middle evenly curved; disc of pronotum completely covered by dense whitish pilosity; procoxae separated by distance greater than half their length; elytral punctures on striae small, their diameter not greater than 0.2 of width of interstriae; elytral interstriae with row of prominent appressed scales as long as width of interstriae; male genitalia: Figs 5 E–F; DNA: Table 2.

Geographic variability. Adults of the new species from South Pare and West Usambara populations appear morphologically indistinguishable, even though genetically distinct (Fig. 4).

Material examined. Holotype (CNC), male, “ TANZANIA, W. Usambara Mts., Mkusu For., S4.76585° E38.36022°, 1576m, 14.i.2013, sift47, V.Grebennikov”, “CNCCOLVG00005480” . Paratypes (CNC), 3: same data as holotype, specimens 5479, 9337, 9338. Additional material: 4 (CNC): in ethanol, same data as holotype; 1 (in collection of D. McKenna): same data as holotype; 1 (CNC): “ TANZANIA, South Pare Mts., Chome For., S4.26865° E37.92944°, 2318m, 3.i.2013, sift36, V.Grebennikov”, 2 (CNC): “ TANZANIA, South Pare Mts., Chome For., S4.26945° E37.92814°, 2239m, 3.i.2013, sift37, V.Grebennikov”.

Distribution. This species is known from two nearby EAM localities in Tanzania, South Pare and West Usambara.

Etymology. The species epithet is a Latinized Greek mythical name of Aeaea, an island of the goddess Circe, who is known for transforming her offenders into animals, and it is a noun in apposition.