Acrotrichis cursitans (Nietner 1856)

Darby, Michael, 2014, Studies of Madagascan Ptiliidae (Coleoptera) 3: The genus Acrotrichis including twenty seven new species, Zootaxa 3866 (2), pp. 151-201 : 168

Acrotrichis cursitans (Nietner 1856)

( Figs. 11A –I)

Habitus Fig. 11A . Length 0.85 mm. Colour dark reddish brown, antennae and legs yellow. Antennomeres 3–11 0. 33 mm long Fig. 11 C. Mentum and submentum chaetotaxy Fig. 11 F. Width across eyes 0.32 mm. Pronotum 0.54 mm wide, 0.31 mm long, domed, the sides only moderately curved and without a sinuation before the hind angle Fig. 11 B. Elytra 0.48 mm long, 0.53 mm wide. Mesoventral collar strongly sloping at shoulders and posterior margin with a clear medial excision Fig. 11 G. Posterior margin of metaventrum and metacoxal plates Fig. 11 H.

Male: ventrite six with a long fringe of 45+ setae Fig. 11 I; aedeagus Fig. 11 E.

Female: spermatheca Fig. 11 D.

Remarks. Widespread and common tropical to temperate, mainly anthropophilic, species but also occurring in natural habitats. The male sexual characteristics will immediately distinguish it.

Distributional data. 11 examples, Tananarive, 11.x.1970, grass litter, P.M.Hammond (BMNH); 1 example, Fampanambo, Baie d’Antongil, v.1959 ‘humus’, leg. J. Vadon (MRAC).

Figures

FIGURE 11. A. cursitans. A, habitus; B, side of pronotum viewed at 45 ˚; C, antennomeres 3 – 11; D, spermatheca; E, aedeagus; F, mentum and submentum showing chaetotaxy; G, mesoventral collar x 430; H, metaventral posterior margin and metacoxal plates x 455; I, ventrite six x 1420.