Mentophilonthus equus, Hromádka, 2009

Hromádka, Lubomír, 2009, Revision of the Afrotropical species of the genus Mentophilonthus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Philonthina), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (suppl.) 49 (1), pp. 119-160 : 132-134

Mentophilonthus equus sp. nov.

( Figs. 41–42 )

Type locality. Malawi, S Masenjere, 80 km S of Blantyse.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: ♀,‘ Malawi, S Masenjere, 80km S of Blantyse , 21.–22.xii.2001, J. Bezděk, lgt. // Mentophilonthus equus sp.nov. Hromádka, det. 2006 [red oblong printed label]’ ( NMPC).

Description. Length: 11.0 mm, length of fore body (to end of elytra) 4.9 mm.

Colouration. Head black, antennal sockets and clypeus along anterior margin very narrowly reddish-yellow, labrum yellow-red, mandibles black-brown, pronotum brown-red, elytra dark brown, with suture narrowly yellow-brown, posterior angles of elytra and epipleura wider dark yellow, abdomen dark brown, posterior margins of all tergites and paratergites yellow-brown, maxillary and labial palpi brown, antennae dark yellow; legs yellow-brown.

Head orbicular, weakly transverse (ratio 29: 25). Eyes flat, twice as long as temples (ratio 14: 7). Posterior margin of each eye with two coarse punctures. Dorsal surface with fine, very dense microsculpture consisting of transverse and oblique waves, in places intermixed with numerous microscopic dots.

Antennae reaching mid-length of pronotum when reclined. Antennomere 1 somewhat longer than antennomeres 2–3 combined, antennomere 11 shorter than antennomeres 9–10 combined. Relative lengths of antennometres: 1 =10; 2 = 4.5; 3 = 5; 4–5 = 3.5; 6–8 = 3; 9–10 = 2.5; 11 = 4.

Pronotum slightly longer than wide (ratio 43: 40.5), hardly narrowed anteriad. Posterior angles markedly rounded. Each dorsal row with one puncture, situated on posterior half of pronotum, each sublateral row with one puncture, situated exactly at midlength of pronotum. Microsculpture similar to that on head, without microscopic dots.

Entire scutellum exceedingly finely punctate, punctures slightly smaller than eye-facets, separated by two puncture diameters in transverse direction. Surface with microsculpture consisting of transverse and oblique waves, much finer than that on head and pronotum.

Elytra combined wider than long (ratio 53: 49), slightly widened posteriad. Very finely and densely punctate, punctures slightly smaller than eye-facets, separated mostly by two puncture diameters in transverse direction. Surface without microsculpture; setation yellow-brown.

Abdomen parallel-sided, first four visible tergites with two basal lines, elevated area between basal lines impunctate. Punctation of tergites somewhat sparser and coarser than that on elytra; setation of same colour as that on elytra.

Legs. Metatibia longer than metatarsus (ratio 30:23). Metatarsomere 1 as long as metatarsomere 5. Relative lengths of metatarsomeres: 1 = 8; 2–3 = 4; 4 = 2.5; 5 = 8.

Male. Unknown.

Female. Protarsomeres 1–3 slightly dilated, densely covered with modified pale setae ventrally, protarsomere 4 narrower than preceding ones, triangular. Tergite X ( Fig. 41 ), gonocoxite of female genital segment ( Fig. 42 ).

Differintal diagnosis. Menthophilonthus equus sp. nov. is similar to M. triseriatus from which it may be distinguished by the shorter eyes, more slender head and finer punctation of the scutellum.

Etymology. The name of this species, a noun in apposition, is the Latin generic name of the African Nubian wild ass Equus africanus asinus (Fitzinger, 1857).

Bionomics. Unknown.

Distribution. Malawi.

Figures

Figs. 39–48. 39–40 – Mentophilonthus dilutior (Bernhauer, 1928): 39 – female tergite X, dorsal view; 40 – gonocoxites of female genital segment. 41–42 – Mentophilonthus equus sp. nov.: 41 – female tergite X, dorsal view; 42 – gonocoxites of female genital segment. 43–48 – Mentophilonthus hystrix sp. nov.: 43–45 aedeagus (43 – ventral view, 44 – lateral view, 45 – underside of paramere with sensory peg setae); 46 – apical portion of male sternite VIII, ventral view; 47 – male sternite IX, ventral view; 48 – female tergite X, dorsal view.