Acrotrichis cuspida, 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 : 168

Acrotrichis cuspida sp. n.

( Figs. 2 K, 2L, 12A–I)

Habitus Fig. 12A . Length 0.77 mm. Colour dark reddish brown, antennae and legs yellow. Antennomeres 3–11 0.34 mm long Fig. 12 C. Mentum chaetotaxy Fig. 12 F, submentum with +/- 20 spinous setae Fig. 12 F. Width across eyes 0.32 mm. Pronotum 0.52 mm wide, 0.24 mm long, much wider than the elytra, sides strongly curved such that the posterior angle is almost completely rounded Fig. 12 B. Elytra 0.38 mm long, 0.48 mm wide. Mesoventral collar sloping at shoulders and posterior margin with a medial excision Fig. 12 G. Posterior margin of the metaventrum between the coxae concave Fig. 12 H.

Male: ventrite six with 7/8 spines Fig. 12 I; aedeagus Fig. 12 G.

Female: spermatheca Fig. 12 D.

Etymology. From the Latin cuspis meaning spike and referring to the setae on the submentum.

Remarks. The width of the pronotum and the strongly tapering elytra, together with the setae on the submentum immediately identify this species. The spermatheca is easily confused with heissi but is straighter.

Type data. Holotype: ♂, Ranomafana N.P., Vatoharanana RNF Sept 2012/09 GPS 209, sifting litter, Winkler app. extraction, S.21˚16’59.7” E.47˚25’30.3”, 1126 m, 5.x.2012, L.S.Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH). Paratypes: 39 examples, same data as holotype.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Skeletal features. A, A. barclayi, pronotum and scutellum / elytra x 465; B, A. exigua pronotum x 2480; C, A. truncata pronotum x 2220; D, A. exigua elytra x 4550; E, A. hammondi elytra x 2020; F, A. subafricana elytra x 2460; G, A. strenua metaventrum x 840; H, A. strenua mesoventrum x 840; I, A. barclayi, microtrichia on abdominal sclerites x 1640; J, A. subafricana, abdominal ventrites x 735; K, A. cuspida palisade fringe on abdominal sclerite x 1620; L, A. cuspida, spines on abdominalventrite 6 x 550.

FIGURE 12. A. cuspida. A, habitus; B, side of pronotum viewed at 45 ˚; C, antennomeres 3 – 11; D, spermatheca; E, aedeagus; F, mentum and submentum; G, mesoventral collar x 550; H, metaventral posterior margin and plates of metacoxae x 550; I, ventrite six.