Bambara merina, Darby, Michael, 2014

Darby, Michael, 2014, Studies of Madagascan Ptiliidae (Coleoptera) 4: The genus Bambara including eight new species and the first account of blindness and aptery in the genus, Zootaxa 3895 (2), pp. 151-169 : 160-163

Bambara merina sp. n.

(Figs. 8, 15, 19, 44–46, 48a–b, 51, 52)

Habitus Fig. 8. Length +/- 750µ. Colour brownish yellow, the pronotum darker than the elytra. Antenna length +/- 270µ, Fig. 15 . Pronotum length 217µ min, 232µ max, 223µ mean; width 385µ min, 403µ max, 393µ mean; ratio width/length 1.76. Detached elytron length 455µ min, 480µ max, 468µ mean; width 248µ min, 273µ max, 263µ mean, ratio length/width 1.78; Fig. 19. Ratio mean elytra length/mean pronotum length 2.10.

Male: aedeagus without any features to reliably distinguish it from other Bambara Figs 48a–b.; tail section of a spermatazoon showing coils Fig. 51. Abdominal ventrite 7 Fig. 52.

Female: spermathecae Figs. 44–46 .

Etymology. Refers to the Merina Kingdom, established in Madagascar in 1787, when the burning of forests was forbidden and irrigation canals built.

Diagnosis. The U-shape of the spermatheca clearly places this species in the group which comprises B. invisibilis , B. testacea , B. frosti and B. sublutea . From the last three merina may be separated by the proximity of the gland insertion point to the end of the lower arm of the lumen coupled with the greater length of the upper arm (the same as or slightly longer than the lower arm). These will also separate it from from invisibilis in which the gland insertion and pump are aligned above each other. Confirmation of the separation from invisibilis is also provided by the number of coils in the tail section of the spermatazoa which are much fewer than those illustrated by L.& H. Dybas for that species ( Dybas & Dybas, 1981).

Type data. Holotype: ♀, Ambohitantely Special Reserve, ABT/ Nov 2011/18, sifting litter under group of palm trees, S.18°11'48.7", E.47°17'11.3", 1614 m, 22.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH). Paratypes (all specimens from the Ambohitantely Special Reserve extracted using Winkler Apparatus): ♂ 3♀ [19], ABT/10/2011, sifting plant residues under Pandanus , S.18°11'39.2", E.47°17'12.6", 1674 m, 19.iv.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina & R. Raveloson ( BMNH); ♀ [50], ABT/ Nov/2011/02, sifting forest litter, S.18°11'49.1", E. 47°17'05.6", 1547 m, 16–17.xi.2011, L.S. Rahanitriniaina & P. Banar ( BMNH); 5♀ [231], ABT/ Nov/2011/01, sifting forest litter under big Pandanus , S.18°11'52.7", E. 47°17'.04", 1603 m, 16.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina & R. Raveloson ( BMNH); ♀ [13], ABT/ Nov/2011/18, sifting litter under group of palm trees, S.18°11'48.7", E. 47°17'11.3", 1614 m, 22.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH); 4♀ [40], ABT/18/2011, sifting forest litter, S.18°11'43.9", E. 47°16.1", 1613 m, 20.iv.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina & R. Raveloson ( BMNH); ♂ 3♀ [933], ABT/ Nov/2011/4, sifting forest litter under Pandanus , S.18°11'22.7", E. 47°17'07.8", 1623 m, 21.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH); ♂, ABT/ 10/2011, sifting plant residues under Pandanus , S.18°11'39.2", E.47°17'0.4", 1603 m, 16.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina & P. Banar ( BMNH); ♂, 2♀ [167], ABT/ Nov/2011/01, sifting forest litter under big Pandanus , S.18°11'52.7", E.47°17'0.4", 1603 m, 16.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina & P.Banar ( BMNH); ♀, ABT/ Nov/2011/19, sifting forest litter, S.18°10'56.9", E.47°21'17.9", 1497 m, 23.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH); 4 exs [84], ABT/ Nov/2011/18, sifting litter under group of palm trees, S.18°11'48.7", E.47°17'11.3", 1614 m, 22.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH); 7 exs, ABT/08/2011, sifting forest litter forest edge, S.18°11'51.8", E. 47°17'0.3.5", 1523 m, 19.iv.2011, P.Banar & R. Raveloson ( BMNH); ♀ [66], ABT/ Nov/2011/04, sifting forest litter under palm trees and big rotten trunk, S.18°11'56.5", E.47°17'26.1", 1561 m, 17.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH); 6 exs, ABT/14/2011, sifting litter secondary forest, S.18°11'25.2", E.47°17'36.1", 1632 m, 16.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina & R. Raveloson ( BMNH); 3 exs, ABT/ Nov/2011/13, sifting forest litter, S.18°10'56.9", E.47°17'21.9", 1497 m, 18.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH); 1♂ 3♀ [c.150], ABT/ Nov/2011/16, sifting forest litter under Pandanus , S.18°11'42.6", E.47°17'10.8", 1620 m, 21.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH); ♀ [194], ABT/ Nov/2011/10, sifting forest litter under palm tree, 1600 m, 18.xi.2011, P. Banar ( BMNH); 1 ex, ABT/05/2011, sifting forest litter by waterfall, S.18°10'53.6", E.47°17'22.4", 1600 m, 19.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH); ♀, ABT/ Nov.2011/09, sifting forest litter, 1610 m, 18.xi.2011, P. Banar ( BMNH); 6 exs [76], ABT/ Nov 2011/18, sifting litter under group of palm trees, S.18°11'48.7", E.47°17'11.3", 1614 m, 22.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH); ♂ 5♀ [156], ABT/ Nov.2011/15, sifting forest litter under Pandanus , S.18°11'32.0", E.47°17'0.4", 1603 m, 16.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina & P.Banar ( BMNH); 3♀ [30], ABT/ Nov.2011/21, sifting forest litter under Pandanus , S.18°11'48.5", E.47°17'06.1", 1656 m, 25.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH); 7 exs, ABT/ Sep.2011/ 29, sifting forest litter under Pandanus , S.18°11'54.2", E.47°17'05.5", 1613 m, 16.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH); 4 exs [128], ABT/ Sep.2011/03, sifting forest litter under Pandanus , S.18°11'46.4", E.47°17'09.9", 1570 m, 1.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH); 4 exs, ABT/ Sep.2011/08, sifting forest litter (bamboo, Pandanus ), S.18°10'52.3", E.47°17'21.3", 1493 m, 2.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH); 1 ex [85], ABT/ Sep.2011/08, sifting forest litter, S.18°11'42.9", E.47°17'20.3", 1603 m, 16.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH); 2♀ [19], ABT/ Nov.2011/03, sifting forest litter, S.18°11'42.9", E.47°17'20.3", 1640 m, 17.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH); 8 exs, ABT/ Sep.2011/13, sifting forest litter under Pandanus and by big tree, S.18°10'58.4", E.47°17'22.6", 1525 m, 3.ix.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH); 2♀ [212], ABT/ Nov.2011/07, sifting forest litter very dry material, S.18°11'48.5", E. 47°17'09.3", 1595 m, 17.xi.2011, P.Banar ( BMNH); ♀, ABT/ Sept.2011/27, sifting forest litter under palm trees, S.18°11'52.7", E.47°17'0.4", 1603 m, 16.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH); ♀ [52], ABT/ Sept.2011/04, sifting forest litter under Pandanus , S.18°11'46.4", E.47°17'09.9", 1570 m, 1.1 x.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH); 2 exs, ABT/ Sept.2011/04, sifting litter by stream, S.18°10'52.3", E.47°17'21.3", 1500 m, 2.ix.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH); ♀ [17], ABT/ Nov.2011/12, sifting forest litter, S.18°10'53.3", E.47°17'224", 1482 m, 18.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH); 2 exs, ABT/ Sept.2011/06, sifting forest litter under big rock by stream, S.18°10'52.5", E.47°17'21.2", 1476 m, 2.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH).

FIGURES 27–35. S permathecae. 27–29, B. edwardi ; 30, B. lanquidula ; 31, B. verecunda ; 32–33, B. secubita ; 34–35, B. thomasi .

Figures

FIGURES 10 – 16. Skeletal features, mentum and prementum, antenna and eye. 10, B. secubita pronotum and elytron, x 2240; 11, B. problematica mesoventrum including collar and keel, x 1200; 12, B. edwardi metaventrum and coxal plates, x 945; 13, B. secubita mesoventrum profile, x 910; 14, B. verecunda mentum and prementum, x 990; 15, B. merina antenna showing sensillae on antennomere 10, x 1560; 16, B. edwardi eye showing emargination to allow for front angle of pronotum, x 1620.

FIGURES 36 – 46. Spermathecae. 36 – 40, B. opaca; 41, B. dybasi; 42, B. testacea (after Dybas 1966); 43, B. frosti (after Dybas 1966); 44 – 46, B. merina.