Acrotrichis africanoides Johnson 1969

Darby, Michael, 2014, Studies of Madagascan Ptiliidae (Coleoptera) 3: The genus Acrotrichis including twenty seven new species, Zootaxa 3866 (2), pp. 151-201 : 163-164

Acrotrichis africanoides Johnson 1969

( Figs. 5A –I)

Habitus Fig. 5A . Length 0.84 mm. Colour reddish brown, antennae and legs yellow. Antennomeres 3–11 0.34 mm long Fig. 5 C. Width across eyes 0.33 mm. Mentum with a group of 12+ basal setae, submentum with 15+ setae Fig. 5 I. Pronotum 0.57 mm wide, 0.31 mm long, lateral borders more strongly curved in posterior half, not sinuate at hind angles Fig. 5 B. Elytra 0.43 mm long, 0.53 mm wide. Mesoventral keel with rounded shoulders and a shallow median excision Fig. 5 G. Metaventral posterior margin between metacoxe Fig. 5 H.

Male: ventrite six with spines Fig. 5 F; aedeagus Fig. 5 E.

Female: spermatheca Fig. 5 D.

Remarks. Very similar to africana but distinguishable by the longer antennae, the shorter and broader form, the more robust spermatheca and the shape of the metacoxal plates.

Distributional data. Described on the basis of a single female from Baie d’Antongil, Fampanambo, leg. J.Vadon, May 1959, in ‘humus’ (MM). Johnson’s ms notes add the following records: 2♂ 3♀, Maroantsetra, 8.v.1969, tropical forest, leg. H. Franz (MM); 3♂ 1♀, Marojezy mts, near Andape, 18.v.1969, tropical forest, leg. H. Franz (MM). One female only in the Czech material: Andasibe N.P., ASB/09/2011, sifting forest litter, Winkler app.extr., S.18˚14’50.6” E.48˚25’22.2”, 944 m, 12.iv.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina (BMNH)

Figures

FIGURE 5. A. africanoides. A, habitus; B, side of pronotum viewed at 45 ˚; C, antennomeres 3 – 11; D, spermatheca; E, aedeagus; F, ventrite six; G, mesoventral collar x 375; H, metaventral posterior margin and metacoxal plates x 375; I, mentum and submentum showing chaetotaxy.