Cissidium fraternum, 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 : 174-175

Cissidium fraternum sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:619FAB89-D53D-4C06-A2B0-3023099107E3

Figs 6H , 109

Etymology

Johnson ms name, derivation unclear but presumably from the Latin adjective ‘ fraternus ’, meaning ‘brotherly’ and possibly referring to the similarity of this species to C. brachypterm sp. nov. and C. greensladei sp. nov., both also from the Solomon Islands.

Material examined

Holotype

SOLOMON ISLANDS • ♂; Guadalcanal, Monitor Creek, Umosani River ; 8 Jul. 1965; thicket litter, matted roots; no. 85; P.N. Lawrence leg.; BMNH.

Paratypes

SOLOMON ISLANDS • 1 ♀; Nuhu ; 1000 ft a.s.l.; 31 May 1965; gully bottom litter; P. Naturaga leg.; MMUE • 1 ♀; Guadalcanal, Mt. Austen ; Mar. 1966; no. 21336; P. Greenslade leg.; BMNH .

Description

SIZE. Habitus ( Fig. 109A ), length 0.60 mm.

COLOUR. Dusky yellow brown, antennae, legs and pubescence lighter.

HEAD. Width across eyes 0.20 mm; antennomeres III–XI 0.30 mm long, III–IX 0.16 mm long, X–XI 0.14 mm long; mentum as Fig 4A.

PRONOTUM. Length 0.15 mm, width 0.26 mm; base with a series of four or five foveae on each side separated by distinct space opposite scutellum and a few scattered smaller foveae anterior to these; lateral margins sharply angled, concave to slightly acute hind angles, sinuous to obtuse front angles, bordered, the border along the posterior margin interrupted between the hind angles and the median emargination in front of the scutellum ( Fig. 109B ).

ELYTRA. Width 0.36 mm; length. 0.4 mm, basal half rather sparsely covered with large foveolae.

MESOVENTRITE. Collar barely extended medially onto mid-keel; mid-keel wider anteriorly than posteriorly, the posterior angles clearly joining the mesocoxal anterior border as two carinae, sharply raised medially to junction with keel; keel with ± two setae, parallel-sided to blunt termination posterior to the interruption point of the mesocoxal margins; mesoventral lateral margins serrate in posterior half ( Fig. 109C ).

METAVENTRITE. Sparsely pubescent, length 0.13 mm, width across spines 0.13 mm, with a triangularly impressed area medially and a small medial fovea posterior to the mesocoxae.

WINGS. Macropterous.

GENITALIA. Female spermatheca globular. Male aedeagus distinctive ( Fig. 6H ).

Remarks

Compared with the other five Solomon Islands species in this group, C. fraternum sp. nov. is very similar in size to C. brachypterum sp. nov., but with longer antennae. Compared to C. greensladei sp. nov., which it also much resembles, it is smaller and with shorter antennae. The aedeagus of the male provides decisive characters.

Figures

Fig. 6. Figures to show genitalia types. – Spermathecae. A. Cissidium bilineatum sp. nov. B. Cissidium amboroense Darby, 2015. C. Cissidium sawadai Darby, 2015. D. Cissidium arcuatum sp. nov. E. Cissidium murphyi sp. nov. – Aedeagi. F. Cissidium petri Darby, 2015. G. Cissidium clareae sp. nov. H. Cissidium fraternum sp. nov. I. Cissidium tigrum Darby, 2015. J. Cissidium apterum sp. nov. K. Cissidium brachypterum sp. nov. L. Cissidium greensladei sp. nov. M. Cissidium kolombangaricum sp. nov. N. Cissidium mindanao sp. nov.

Fig. 109. Cissidium fraternum sp. nov. A. Habitus. B. Pronotum, × 415. C. Mesoventrite showing median process of collar, mid-keel and keel, × 590.

Fig. 4. Menta and submenta. A. Cissidium petri Darby, 2015, × 1380. B. Cissidium tigrum Darby, 2015, × 1220. C. Cissidium amboroense Darby, 2015, × 1260. D. Cissidium losbanos sp. nov., × 1100. E. Cissidium triangulum Darby, 2019, × 650. F. Cissidium pilosellum sp. nov., × 1420.