Acylophorus tshuapensis Lott

Lott, Derek A., 2010, The species of Acylophorus Nordmann (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae) in continental sub-Saharan Africa, Zootaxa 2402, pp. 1-51 : 14-15

Acylophorus tshuapensis Lott , new species

( Figs 7 , 57 , 83 , 115 )

Description. Length 8mm. Head black. Pronotum chestnut brown. Elytra brown. Abdomen dark and iridescent. Legs pale. Antennae pale with segments II to VIII slightly infuscated. The maxillary palpi are uniformly pale.

Head somewhat small (pronotum 1.8x wider than head), as long as wide with rounded, not very pronounced temples and antennal insertion close to front margin, but separated by narrow pigmented strip ( Fig. 7 ). Eyes relatively small. Micro-punctures very sparse. Dense short pubescence behind eyes. Two pairs of interocular setae arising from foveate punctures much closer to eyes than each other. A line of five postocular setae plus an additional short seta on hind margin of eye. Maxillary palpi with terminal segment very elongate, densely pubescent, and symmetric, longer than glabrous penultimate segment which is also elongate ( Fig. 57 ). First segment of antenna as long as next three. Segments I to IX elongate, X transverse ( Fig. 83 ).

Pronotum only slightly transverse (1.1x wider than long) with rounded sides and widest in basal half, front margins somewhat produced at sides. Shining with no micro-punctures. One pair of dorsal setae. One pair of lateral setae. Marginal setae long. Elytra transverse (1.6x wider than long) with pubescence arising from relatively fine asperate punctures. Apical fringe of thick bristles longer than the hairs on the rest of the elytra. Abdominal tergites with long semi-erect pubescence arising from asperate punctures that are denser at the base of each tergite. Hairs longer than marginal fringe of bristles.

Paramere entire with wide central groove at apex, suggesting two parallel lobes that have become fused together ( Fig. 115 ). Median lobe much longer than paramere and strongly expanded at apex.

Type material. Holotype 3: “ COLL. MUS. CONGO Tshuapa: Flandria 18-x-1946 Rév. P. Hulstaert / R. DET. UU 5694 / Acylophorus sp. n / HOLOTYPE Acylophorus tshuapensis sp. n. 3 det. DA Lott, 2009” ( IRSNB).

Distribution and bionomics. Known only from the holotype taken in the Democratic Republic of Congo ( Fig. 142 ).

Comparative notes. Fairly distinct within the A. orientalis species group by virtue of its small eyes, more sinuate front margin to the pronotum and the fused lobes of the paramere. The medial segments of the antennae and the terminal segment of the maxillary palpi are also more elongate than in the other species of the group.

Etymology. The specific name is the masculine form of an adjective meaning “from Tshuapa”.

Figures

FIGURE 142. Distribution of species in the Acylophorus orientalis group = A. bumbunae Bordoni, = A. tshuapensis new species, = A. makhoreae new species).

FIGURES 1 – 8. Forebodies of species in the Acylophorus orientalis group. 1, A. orientalis Fauvel; 2, A. nitens new species; 3, A. rossii Bordoni, 4. A. bumbunae Bordoni; 5, A. capensis Cameron; 6, A. dankalensis Bordoni; 7, A. tshuapensis new species; 8, A. makhoreae new species.

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 109 – 116. Aedeagi of species in the Acylophorus orientalis group. 109, A. orientalis Fauvel; 110, A. nitens new species; 111, A. rossii Bordoni, 112. A. bumbunae Bordoni; 113, A. capensis Cameron; 114, A. dankalensis Bordoni; 115, A. tshuapensis new species; 116, A. makhoreae new species.