Cissidium obsoletum, Darby, 2020

Darby, Michael, 2020, A revision of Cissidium Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Ptiliidae) with seventy seven new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 622, pp. 1-188 : 155-156

Cissidium obsoletum sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3D695B00-2863-4F4B-BDCA-C24906A26BBB

Fig. 98

Etymology

Johnson ms name, from the Latin adjective ‘ obsoletus ’, meaning ‘worn out’ or ‘shabby’ and probably referring to the poor condition of the insect.

Material examined

Holotype

ZIMBABWE • ♀; “N. RHODESIA ”, Mwinilunga District , Helenga , nr. Kalene, Zambesi Rapids; 3 May 1963; MV light trap; E. Pinhey leg.; BM 1963-742; BMNH. The specimen was found damaged, with one antenna and one elytron missing, and mesoventrite broken.

Description

SIZE. Habitus ( Fig. 98A ), length 0.65 mm.

COLOUR. Yellow brown, shining, antennae, legs and pubescence yellow.

HEAD. Without an impressed line behind the eyes, width across eyes 0.21 mm; antennomeres III–XI length 0.31 mm, III–IX length 0.16 mm, X–XI length 0.17 mm, antennomere XI without a median constriction; mentum obscured.

PRONOTUM. Length 0.20 mm, width 0.29 mm, sparsely pubescent; sides evenly rounded anteriorly, slightly sinuate posteriorly before the rectangular hind angles, sides bordered, the borders continuing along the posterior margin where they are enlarged with convex anterior margins before terminating at the median emargination opposite the scutellum ( Fig. 98B ).

ELYTRA. Length 0.45 mm, width 0.34 mm, sparsely pubescent, barely foveolate.

MESOVENTRITE. Anteriorly too damaged to make out clearly; keel wide, parallel-sided, termination unclear; mesoventral lateral margins strongly angled, without serrations; humeri with small tooth ( Fig. 98C ).

METAVENTRITE. Length 0.18 mm, scattered sparse pubescence, disc simple, width between spines 0.10 mm; margins of mesocoxal borders not serrate.

WINGS. Macropterous.

GENITALIA. Female spermatheca globular. Males not known.

Remarks

The only species of Cissidium to have been described from Zimbabwe (given as Northern Rhodesia).

Figures

Fig. 98. Cissidium obsoletum sp. nov. A. Habitus. B. Pronotum, × 435. C. Mesoventrite showing median process of collar, mid-keel and keel, × 610.