Acylophorus micans Lott

Lott, Derek A., 2010, The species of Acylophorus Nordmann (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae) in continental sub-Saharan Africa, Zootaxa 2402, pp. 1-51 : 19-20

Acylophorus micans Lott , new species

( Figs 12 , 62 , 88 , 120 )

Description. Length 4.5– 5mm. Head and elytra black. Pronotum dark brown. Abdominal tergites dark brown and iridescent. Appendages all pale, last segment of maxillary palpi sometimes darker.

Head of average size (pronotum 1.7x wider than head), 1.1x wider than long with rounded well developed temples and pigmented area produced well in front of antennal insertion ( Fig. 12 ). Eyes relatively small. Dorsal surface of head covered with dense micro-punctures. Dense pale pubescence behind eyes. Two pairs of interocular setae arising from foveate punctures much closer to eyes than each other. Four postocular setae visible on each side, additional seta on hind margin of eye absent. Maxillary palpi with terminal segment pubescent, markedly asymmetric, longer than glabrous penultimate segment which is broadly triangular ( Fig. 62 ). First segment of antenna as long as next six. Segments I to II elongate, IV to X transverse ( Fig. 88 ).

Pronotum slightly transverse (1.2x wider than long) with sides well rounded, widest in basal half, covered with dense micro-punctures. One pair of dorsal setae and one pair of lateral setae. Marginal setae long. Elytra transverse (1.7x wider than long) with close, bright yellow pubescence arising from asperate punctures finer. Apical fringe of bristles longer than pubescence on other parts of the elytra. Pubescence on abdominal tergites long arising from asperate punctures that are stronger and sparser than on elytra. Abdomen appears wide because of overall small body size.

Apex of sternite IX broadly rounded. Paramere bilobed, each lobe twisted round side margin of median lobe, pegs confusedly arranged along inner half, basal lip absent ( Fig. 120 ). Median lobe of aedeagus not much longer than paramere.

Type material. Holotype 3: “ Ivory Coast 7–17km. W. Abidjan I-63 / Coll. W.L. Brown Jr. leg. / HOLOTYPE Acylophorus micans sp. n. 3 det. DA Lott, 2009” ( FMNH). Paratypes 1Ƥ: same data as holotype; 131Ƥ (mounted on same card): “Mts. De Cristal Gabon / gabonensis Fvl. / R.I.Sc.N.B. 17.479 Coll. et det. A. Fauvel / PARATYPE Acylophorus micans sp. n. 3 det. DA Lott, 2009” ( IRSNB); 2: “Loango Gabon / Coll. et det. A. Fauvel A cylophorus gabonensis Fauv. R.I.Sc.N.B. 17.479 / PARATYPE Acylophorus micans sp. n. det. DA Lott, 2009” ( IRSNB). Note that Fauvel gave this species the name gabonensis on his specimen labels, but he never published a description.

Further material examined. CAMEROON: Missellele near Mt Cameroon, F Zumpt, 1936, 1Ƥ ( FMNH).

Distribution and bionomics. Known so far from Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon and Gabon ( Fig. 143 ). There are no data on habitat.

Comparative notes. Somewhat similar to A. densipennis by virtue of the bright yellow pubescence on the elytra, but smaller in overall size and with relatively small eyes and long apical bristles on the elytra. The aedeagus is also completely different. Much smaller than other species in the group with small eyes. Etymology. The specific name is a present participle meaning “glittering” and refers to the iridescent abdomen.

Figures

FIGURE 143. Distribution of species in the Acylophorus densipennis group = A. densipennis Bernhauer, = A. micans new species, = A. allardi Levasseur, = A. congoensis Cameron, = A. methneri Bernhauer).

FIGURES 9 – 17. Forebodies of species in the Acylophorus densipennis group. 9, A. densipennis Bernhauer; 10, A. antennalis Cameron; 11, A. collarti Cameron; 12. A. micans new species; 13, A. allardi Levasseur; 14, A. congoensis Cameron; 15, A. ziloensis Levasseur; 16, A. mareei Bernhauer; 17 A. methneri Bernhauer.

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 117 – 125. Aedeagi of species in the Acylophorus densipennis group. 117, A. densipennis Bernhauer; 118, A. antennalis Cameron; 119, A. collarti Cameron; 120. A. micans new species; 121, A. allardi Levasseur (RD Congo); 122, A. allardi Levasseur (South Africa); 123, A. congoensis Cameron; 124, A. ziloensis Levasseur; 125, A. mareei Bernhauer.