Acylophorus salifi Lott

Lott, Derek A., 2010, The species of Acylophorus Nordmann (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae) in continental sub-Saharan Africa, Zootaxa 2402, pp. 1-51 : 25-26

Acylophorus salifi Lott , new species

( Figs 18 , 46 , 67 , 94 , 108, 126–128)

Description. Length 6 –7mm. Head black. Pronotum dark brown to black. Scutellum black. Elytra red-brown to black. Abdomen black, iridescent to varying degrees. Sometimes the body is all brown. Legs red. Antennae pale or dark with segment I pale. Maxillary palpi usually all pale.

Head much smaller than in A. orientalis (pronotum 2x wider than head), more or less as long as wide with temples barely suggested ( Fig. 18 ). Antennae inserted right on front margin with no pigmented area in front. No micro-punctures visible at 80x magnification. Short pubescence behind eyes localised and much sparser than in A. orientalis . Two pairs of interocular setae arising from foveate punctures much closer to eyes than each other and five postocular setae visible from above on each side. No extra seta by hind margin of eye. Underside of head with sparse pubescence, weakly depressed at base (Fig. 108). Gular sutures continued to base of head, converging toward base but well separated throughout their length. Mandibles short with no medial teeth in front of a wide flange ( Fig. 46 ). Maxillary palpi with terminal segment densely pubescent, markedly asymmetric, longer than short, triangular, glabrous penultimate segment ( Fig. 67 ). First segment of antenna as long as next four ( Fig. 94 ). Segments I to V elongate, VIII to XI transverse.

Pronotum transverse (1.4x wider than long) with rounded sides and widest in basal half. Shining with no micro-punctures. One pair of dorsal setae. One pair of lateral setae. Marginal setae long. Elytra strongly transverse (1.65x wider than long) with relatively short pubescence arising from fine, asperate punctures. Fringe of bristles on hind margin longer than the hairs on the rest of the elytra. Asperate punctures on abdominal tergites stronger than on elytra, denser toward base.

Paramere bilobed, each lobe weakly arched and well separated, pegs confusedly arranged in apical half of each lobe ( Figs 126–128 ). Median lobe longer than paramere, barely expanded at apex which is rounded. There is considerable variation in the form of the aedeagus. The lobes of the paramere can be very slightly curving inward toward apex or slightly diverging. The apex of the median lobe can broadly rounded, sometimes with a central point, or more produced.

Type material. Holotype 3: “ BURKINA Naouri Nazinga, Bge d’Akouzina 11 O 9’N 1 O 36’W tussock DA Lott, 29.x.2003 / HOLOTYPE Acylophorus salifi sp. n. 3 det. DA Lott, 2009”. Paratypes 13 same data as holotype; 1Ƥ: “ BURKINA Naouri Nazinga, Bge de Barka, 11 O 8’N 1 O 37’W tussock DA Lott, 29.x.2003 / PARATYPE Acylophorus salifi sp. n. Ƥ det. DA Lott, 2009”; 1Ƥ: BURKINA Naouri Bge de Kouzougou, mud 11 O 9’N 1 O 32’W, DA Lott, 11.x.2004 / PARATYPE Acylophorus salifi sp. n. Ƥ det. DA Lott, 2009”; 332Ƥ: BURKINA Comoe Bge de Bounouna, 10 O 39’N 4 O 44’W, DA Lott, 20.x.2004 / PARATYPE Acylophorus salifi sp. n. det. DA Lott, 2009”. The holotype and paratypes have been placed in the collections of the BMNH.

This species was given the manuscript name, A. rufipennis by Bernhauer and a type was labelled accordingly, but he never published a description of the species. The name is now unavailable.

Further material examined. ANGOLA: Kundueje, R. Sanga, xi.1948, 13 ( BMNH); no data, 1Ƥ ( BMNH). BURKINA FASO: Comoe: Bge de Bounouna, 10 O 39’N 4 O 44’W, DA Lott, 20. x.2004, 14 (cBord, cJanak & cLott). R.D. CONGO: Ituri: Bunia, Mt. Hoyo, 1200m, N Leleup, iii.1952 2 Ƥ ( ISRNB); Katanga: Kundelungu, 1680m – 1750m, N Leleup, 8.iii.1950 – 25.x.1951, 432Ƥ ( ISRNB); Kinshasa: cataracts, N Leleup, xii.1952 23 ( ISRNB); Kivu: Masisi, Lac Ndalaga, 1800m, N Leleup, vi.1959 1 Ƥ ( ISRNB); Masisi, Walikali, 700m, N Leleup, ix.1953 13 ( ISRNB); Masisi, Mutakato, 800m, N Leleup, ix.1953 231Ƥ ( ISRNB); Uvira, rives basses, Sanghe, 980m, N Leleup, 13.ix.1951 13 ( ISRNB). CÔTE D’IVOIRE: Bingerville, J Decelle, ix.1961, 13 ( IRSNB). ZAMBIA: R. Zambezi, Victoria Falls, N Leleup, vii.1960 13 ( ISRNB); Abercorn, F. de la Mwengo, 1800m, N Leleup, vii.1960, 2 Ƥ ( ISRNB). ZIMBABWE: Salisbury, GAK Marshall, vii.1896, 4 ( BMNH).

Distribution and bionomics. A widespread species ranging from Burkina Faso to Angola, but not yet known from East Africa ( Fig. 145 ). One of the more frequently collected species from the Congo catchment, where it has been found in “humus” in gallery forests as well as “roseaux morts” on a riverbank. Nearly all the specimens from Burkina Faso were collected by dissecting tussocks in well vegetated margins of large reservoirs constructed for irrigation or as waterholes for wildlife in the Nazinga Game Reserve.

Discussion. There are variations in both coloration and the form of the aedeagus ( Figs 126–128 ). Most of this variation occurs between specimens taken from localities in the Congo catchment. Outside this area, most specimens are black with reddish elytra, sometimes with black front and side margins. The variations in the aedeagus occur both between different localities and to some extent within series taken from the same locality. Intermediate forms occur between the extremes of each type of variation, but some populations may be referable to distinct taxa once sufficient material from further localities becomes available for study.

Etymology. This species is named after Salif Mohammed Ouedraogo of Ouagadougou, driver extraordinaire, who accompanied me on my expeditions in Burkina Faso. The species name is the genitive case of a Latinised version of his name.

Figures

FIGURE 145. Distribution of Acylophorus salifi new species.

FIGURES 18 – 20. Forebodies of species in the Acylophorus salifi group. 18, A. salifi new species; 19, A. lomaensis Levasseur; 20. A. minor new species. FIGURES 21 – 25. Forebodies of species in the Acylophorus trigonocephalus group. 21, A. trigonocephalus Cameron; 22, A. setiger new species; 23, A. usambarae Bernhauer; 24, A. grandis Bernhauer; 25, A. bafutensis Levasseur.

FIGURES 42 – 50. Mandibles of Acylophorus species. 42, A. congoensis Cameron; 43, A. ziloensis Levasseur (Katanga); 44, A. ziloensis Levasseur (Kivu); 45, A. allardi Levasseur; 46, A. salifi new species; 47, A. lomaensis Levasseur; 48, A. mareei Bernhauer; 49, A. bafutensis Levasseur; 50, A. lualabaensis Levasseur.

FIGURES 51 – 76. Terminal segments of the maxilliary palpi of Acylophorus species. 51, A. orientalis Fauvel; 52, A. nitens new species; 53, A. rossii Bordoni, 54, A. bumbunae Bordoni; 55, A. capensis Cameron; 56, A. dankalensis Bordoni; 57, A. tshuapensis new species; 58, A. makhoreae new species; 59, A. densipennis Bernhauer; 60, A. antennalis Cameron; 61, A. collarti Cameron; 62. A. micans new species; 63, A. allardi Levasseur; 64, A. congoensis Cameron; 65, A. ziloensis Levasseur; 66, A. mareei Bernhauer; 67, A. salifi new species; 68, A. lomaensis Levasseur; 69. A. minor new species; 70, A. trigonocephalus Cameron; 71, A. setiger new species; 72, A. usambarae Bernhauer; 73, A. grandis Bernhauer; 74, A. bafutensis Levasseur; 75, A. kambuiensis Bordoni, 76. A. lualabaensis Levasseur.

FIGURES 77 – 96. Antennae of Acylophorus species. 77, A. orientalis Fauvel; 78, A. nitens new species; 79, A. rossii Bordoni, 80, A. bumbunae Bordoni; 81, A. capensis Cameron; 82, A. dankalensis Bordoni; 83, A. tshuapensis new species; 84, A. makhoreae new species; 85, A. densipennis Bernhauer; 86, A. antennalis Cameron; 87, A. collarti Cameron; 88. A. micans new species; 89, A. allardi Levasseur; 90, A. congoensis Cameron; 91, A. ziloensis Levasseur; 92, A. mareei Bernhauer; 93, A. methneri Bernhauer; 94, A. salifi new species; 95, A. lomaensis Levasseur; 96. A. minor new species.

FIGURES 126 – 131. Aedeagi of species in the Acylophorus salifi group. 126, A. salifi new species (Burkina Faso); 127, A. salifi new species (Zimbabwe); 128, A. salifi new species (RD Congo); 129, A. lomaensis Levasseur (Lac Tumba, RD Congo); 130, A. lomaensis Levasseur (R. Lukendu, RD Congo); 131. A. minor new species. FIGURES 132 – 133. Male sternite IX and styles of tergite IX of Acylophorus species. 132, A. densipennis Bernhauer; 133, A. kambuiensis Bordoni.