Acrotrichis clareae, Darby, Michael, 2014

Darby, Michael, 2014, Studies of Madagascan Ptiliidae (Coleoptera) 3: The genus Acrotrichis including twenty seven new species, Zootaxa 3866 (2), pp. 151-201 : 165

Acrotrichis clareae sp. n.

( Figs. 9A –J)

Habitus Fig. 9A . Length 0.98 mm. Colour dark brownish black, antennae yellowish brown, the two basal segments lighter. Antennomeres 3–11 0.4 mm long Fig. 9 C. Mentum with unusually large number of setae arranged in +/- four rows rather than the usual three Fig. 9 H. Width across eyes 0.38 mm. Pronotum 0.62 mm wide, 0.34 mm long, sides only feebly curved and without a sinuation before the posterior angles Fig. 9 B. Elytra 0.51 mm long, 0.61 mm wide. Mesoventral collar with steeply sloping shoulders and a shallow medial excision in the posterior margin Fig. 9 I; lateral margins of mesoventrum widened anteriorly Fig. 9 G. Posterior margin of metaventrum and metacoxal plates Fig. 9 J.

Male: ventrite six with 12/14 short spines in +/- 2 rows and two prominent setae on either side Fig. 9 F; aedeagus Fig. 9 E.

Female: spermatheca Fig. 9 D.

Etymology. Johnson ms name, dedicated to his wife Clare.

Remarks. The feebly curved side margins of the pronotum and form of the genitalia will quickly distinguish this species.

Type data. Holotype: ♀, Perinet Forest, litter, 12.x.1970, P.M.Hammond ( BMNH). Paratypes: 10 examples, same data as holotype.

Figures

FIGURE 9. A. clareae. A, habitus; B, side of pronotum viewed at 45 ˚; C, antennomeres 3 – 11; D, spermatheca; E, aedeagus; F, ventrite six; G, mesosternal lateral margin; H, mentum and submentum showing chaetotaxy; I, mesosternal collar x 405; J, metaventral posterior margin and plates of metacoxae x 455.