Ptinella alisonae, Darby, Michael, 2019

Darby, Michael, 2019, New Ptiliidae (Coleoptera) from Sarawak in the spirit collection of the Natural History Museum, London, European Journal of Taxonomy 512, pp. 1-50 : 27-28

Ptinella alisonae sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4BDD6A5D-9D57-4879-98CD-670F69CF33E5

Fig. 13

Diagnosis

Separated from all other Ptinella spp. by the form of the spermatheca and the presence of the projecting setae on the pronotum. Differs from the indeterminate species below in lacking sinuate hind angles to the pronotum.

Etymology

Named after Miss Alison Michie, a lifelong family friend and fond of botanical knowledge.

Type material

Holotype MALAYSIA-BORNEO • ♂; Sarawak, 4 th division, Gunung Mulu National Park ; May–Aug. 1978; P.M. Hammond and J.E. Marshall leg., BM 19078-49 ; base comp logs near laboratory; BMNH.

Paratypes

MALAYSIA-BORNEO • 4 specs; same data as for holotype; BMNH.

Note A 6 th specimen without genitalia and with a damaged head, from MDF pitfalls in the Gunung Mulu National Park, 16 Mar. 1978, N.M. Collins leg., BMNH, may be this species.

Description

SIZE. Habitus ( Fig. 13A ), length 0.78 mm.

COLOUR. Body shallowly convex, pubescent and shining; dusky yellow, antennae and legs paler.

HEAD. Without a transverse fossa behind and with no obvious reticulation, antennomeres III–XI, length 0.25 mm. distance across eyes 0.20 mm, mentum and submentum chaetotaxy ( Fig. 13D ).

PRONOTUM. Almost as wide as the elytral base, without obvious reticulation, lateral margins with three projecting setae and without a sinuation before the hind angles, posterior margin slightly sinuate the central portion projecting posteriad, length 0.13 mm, width 0.23 mm ( Fig. 13E ).

ELYTRA. Without obvious reticulation, length 0.26 mm, width 0.25 mm.

VENTRUM. Proventrum broad anterior to procoxae, pubescent,reticulate.Mesoventrum without pubescence, reticulate, humeri angled and with only a very tiny tooth, lateral/posterior margins broadly rounded, collar not distinguished by a posterior margin, keel shallow before terminating in a point between the adjacent mesocoxae ( Fig. 13G ). Metaventrum pubescent, reticulate, metacoxae widely separated.

ABDOMEN. Pygidium with an apical tooth. Dimorphic.

Figures

Fig. 13. Ptinella alisonae sp. nov. A. Habitus. B. Spermatheca. C. Aedeagus. D. Mentum and submentum ×1340. E. Pronotum ×620. F. Pronotal hind angle ×1380. G. Meso- and metaventra ×555.