Acrotrichis africana Johnson 1969

Darby, Michael, 2014, Studies of Madagascan Ptiliidae (Coleoptera) 3: The genus Acrotrichis including twenty seven new species, Zootaxa 3866 (2), pp. 151-201 : 158-159

Acrotrichis africana Johnson 1969

( Figs. 4A –G)

Habitus Fig. 4A . Length 0.89 mm (specimens from other areas larger). Colour reddish brown, antennae pale brown antennomeres 1–2 appearing darker. Antennomeres 3–11 0.33 mm long Fig. 4 C. Width across eyes 0.34 mm. Mentum and submentum chaetotaxy Fig. 4 G. Pronotum 0.57 mm wide, 0.30 mm long, sides moderately curved, not sinuate at hind angles Fig. 4 B. Elytra 0.47 mm long, 0.55 mm wide. Mesoventral collar with shoulders sloped Fig. 4 F. Metaventral posterior margin between metacoxae wide Fig. 4 G.

Male: not known from Madagascar.

Female: spermatheca Fig. 4 D.

Remarks. Described by Johnson in 1969 on the basis of a large number of specimens from various localities in Africa including the Congo, Kenya, Ghana and Tanzania. In 1984/5 he added further localities including South Africa, Zimbabwe and Reunion noting that he had also seen it from Madagascar and that all the Mascarene specimens were females: ‘it is probable that males do not occur in these areas... Rhodesian material on the other hand consists of both males and females in the proportion of 1:3 approximately. These males are most interesting, as their front femora exhibit polymorphism. Typical male africana have the front femora pubescent underneath in much the same way as the other femora, but in many of the Zimbabwe males the front femora have rather longer and denser pubescence in the distal half. Other males have the front femora similar to this form, but with the addition of several very long antero-ventrally orientated hairs close to the rear margin, some of these hairs being as long as a front femur. Yet others are quite typical. Whether specimens with longer and denser hairs are abraded examples of the very long haired form cannot be ascertained at present. None of these different males, nor females associated with them, appear to differ in any other way, genitalia included, thus suggesting that all represent a single polymorphic species rather than two or more closely allied ones’ (Johnson 1984).

Distributional data. 2♀, Mt. d’Ambre, x.1970, forest litter, leg. P. Hammond (BMNH). The following further localities are listed in Johnson’s notes: 11♀, between Tananarive and Manankazo, 11.iv.1969, bush on riverside, leg. H. Franz (MM); 11♀, Forêt de Sakahara, 23.iv.1969, leg. H. Franz (MM); 1♀ forest nr. road from Sambave to Andape, 18.v.1969. leg. H. Franz (MM); 1♀, Marojezy Mts., nr. Andape, 18.v.1969, tropical forest, leg. H. Franz (MM). There is a single female in the Czech collections which I am unable to determine with certainty but which may be this species: Ambohitantely Spec. Res., ABT/12/2011, sifting plant residues under palm tree, Winkler app. extr., S.18˚11’48.9” E.47˚17’10.5”, 1602 m, 19.iv.2011, L.S.Rhanitriniaina & R. Raveloson (BMNH).

Figures

FIGURE 4. A. africana. A, habitus; B, side of pronotum viewed at 45 ˚; C, antennomeres 3 – 11; D, spermatheca; E, mentum and submentum showing chaetotaxy; F, mesoventral collar x 490; G, metaventral posterior margin and metacoxal plates x 490.