Microlia machadoi Bortoluzzi, Caron & Silveira

Bortoluzzi, Sidnei, Caron, Edilson & Silveira, Denise, 2016, Two new species of Microlia Casey (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) with comments on obligatory pollen-feeders and the first record from South America, Zootaxa 4078 (1), pp. 197-208 : 203-205

Microlia machadoi Bortoluzzi, Caron & Silveira , sp. nov.

( Figures 17–28 )

Material examined. Holotype. Male deposited in DZUP; labels: (1) “ BRA [ Brazil], RS [Rio Grande do Sul], Riozinho/ M. schottiana ♀ / XI-2012 /D. Silveira, col.” [white label, printed in black]; (2) “ Holotype / Microlia machadoi / Bortoluzzi, Caron & Silveira, 2015” [red label, printed in black]. 10 Paratypes. Five males: one, deposited in DZUP, with the same first label as holotype; two, deposited in DZUP, with (1)“ BRA [ Brazil], RS [Rio Grande do Sul], Morrinhos/ M. schottiana ♂/ 25-XI-2012 /D. Silveira, col.”[white label, printed in black]; one, deposited in FMNH, with (1)“ BRA [ Brazil], RS [Rio Grande do Sul], Riozinho/ M. schottiana ♂ / 10-XI-2012 /D. Silveira, col.”[white label, printed in black]; and one, deposited in FMNH, with (1)“ BRA, RS, São Leopoldo/ M. schottiana ♂/ 16-XI-2012 /D. Silveira, col.”[white label, printed in black]. Five females: three, deposited in DZUP, with the same first label as holotype; two, deposited in FMNH, with (1)“ BRA [ Brazil], RS [Rio Grande do Sul], Riozinho/ M. schottiana ♂/ 10-XI-2012 /D. Silveira, col.”[white label, printed in black]. Additional material. 43 specimens deposited in DZUP, sex undetermined: 21with the same first label as holotype; ten with “ BRA [ Brazil], RS [Rio Grande do Sul], Morrinhos/ M. schottiana ♂/ 25-XI-2012 /D. Silveira, col.”; six with “ BRA [ Brazil], RS [Rio Grande do Sul], Riozinho/ M. schottiana ♂/ 10-XI-2012 /D. Silveira, col.”; and six with “ BRA [ Brazil], RS [Rio Grande do Sul], São Leopoldo/ M. schottiana ♂/ 16-XI-2012 /D. Silveira, col.”.

Diagnosis. Microlia machadoi sp. nov. differs from M. pentamera and M. tetramera by curved spine-like in the posterior margin of tergum III ( Fig. 20 ). In addition M. machadoi sp. nov. differs from other species of Microlia by the shape of aedeagus, mainly the apical process of the median lobe in ventral view, which it is not constricted at the base, i.e. not abruptly tapered near the apex ( Figs 24–25 ) and spermatheca with two coils ( Fig. 28 ).

Description. Male. Maximum body length: 2.0 mm; maximum elytra width: 0.6 mm. Body broad; head and elytra somewhat red-brown; pronotum uniformly light-brown; abdomen dark-brown, but some specimens with abdominal apex light-brown; and appendices light-brown, except antennal apex with articles 7 – 11 or 8 – 11 darker. Dorsal surface glossy; setigerous pores sparse and more densely on pronotum and elytra; pronotum with pubescence directed laterally on apical half and latero-posteriad on basal half; elytra and abdomen with pubescence straight and direct posteriad.

Head as long as wide; eyes 2 times as long as temples; infraorbital carina complete. Antennal articles 1 and 2 subequal in length; 2 slightly longer than 3; articles 4 – 5 subquadrate, articles 6 – 10 transverse and gradually increasing in width toward antennal apex; article 10 twice as wide as long; article 11 as long as article 9 – 10 combined; with two coeloconic sensilla. Labrum transverse, anterior margin with four shallow emarginations. Mandibles broad and curved at apex; right mandible with small medial tooth, directed anteriorly; prostheca with isolated mace-like projection with acute griding cones ( Fig. 19 ). Maxilla with galea extending slightly beyond apex of lacinia, galea narrower than lacinia; apical lobe of galea covered with innumerable fine and short setae; apical half of lacinia with a row of spaced spines, and basal half covered with numerous long setae; maxillary palpus with 4 articles and pseudoarticle, 2nd slightly shorter than 3rd and 4th about half length of preceeding. Labium with ligula split into two lobes; labial palpus with 3 articles and pseudoarticle. Hypopharinx with filamentous projections. Mentum with protruding anterior angles, and slightly emarginated anterior margin; gular plate broad. Pronotum transverse, 1.5 times as wide as long, broadest at basal half, anterior margin straight, lateral and posterior margin convex; hypomera invisible in lateral view. Prosternum transverse. Elytra slightly broader than pronotum; posterior outer corners slightly emarginated. Hind wings fully developed. Mesoventrite process about half length of mesocoxae, acute and rounded at apex, mesocoxae slightly separated, mesocoxal cavities margined posteriorly; metaventrite process almost not existent; isthmus about 2/3 as long as mesoventrite process. Tarsal formula 4 – 5 – 5; tarsomere 5 the longest, as long as 3 and 4 combined. Abdomen gradually narrowing apically; first three visible terga deeply impressed basally; tergum III at posterior margin with medial curved spine-like projected dorsalposteriorly ( Fig. 20 ); segment VII the longest; tergum VII and VIII with small tubercles in front of posterior margin ( Figs. 21 – 22 ); sternum VIII with posterior margin projected on median as pointed triangular lobe, rounded at apex ( Fig. 23 ); tergum IX separated by tergum X and with ventral struts; sternum IX three times as long as wide and two evident short setae at apex; tergum X slightly emarginated at apex, with four long setae each side and weakly pigmented on median of posterior margin. Median lobe of aedeagus with long and narrow apical process ( Figs. 24 – 25 ).

Female. Similar to male, except tergum III without medial curved spine-like; tergum VII and VIII without small tubercles in front of posterior margin ( Fig. 26 ); sternum VIII with slightly posterior margin projected medially, not forming as pointed triangular lobe in males ( Fig. 27 ); tergum IX separated without ventral struts; sternum IX as ovipositor consisting of pair of very weakly pigmented ventral sclerites, each 3 times as long as wide; tergum X with four long setae each side; spermatheca forming two coils and subspherical capsule ( Fig. 28 ).

Distribution. South Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul).

Biological notes. The specimens were collected in male flowers of Mollinedia schottiana .

Etymology. The specific name “ machadoi ” formed from a personal name and treated as noun in the genitive case (ICZN 1999, art. 31.1). The name “ machadoi ” is an allusion to the Brazilian professor and researcher Angelo Barbosa Monteiro Machado, who is completing his 80th year, and who worked for many years in the field of general neurology and entomology, studying mainly Odonata. He is also famous for writing children’s books with biology theme, and has been rewarded with an important Brazilian Award in the Children’s Literature category (Jabuti Award 1993).

Figures

FIGURES 17 – 18. Microlia machadoi sp. nov. Holotype. 17. dorsal view; 18. lateral view.

FIGURES 19 – 25. Male, details of Microlia machadoi sp. nov. Paratype. 19. mandibles, dorsal view; 20. tergum III, dorsal view, detail of spine in lateral view, setae removed; 21. tergum VII, dorsal view, setae removed; 22. tergum VIII, dorsal view; 23. sternum VIII, ventral view; 24. median lobe, ventral view; 25. median lobe, lateral view. Scale bars = 0.125 mm

FIGURES 26 – 28. Female, details of Microlia machadoi sp. nov. Paratype. 26. tergum VIII, dorsal view; 27. sternum VIII, ventral view; 28. spermatheca. Scale bars = 0.125 mm.