Microlia amici Bortoluzzi & Caron

Bortoluzzi, Sidnei, Caron, Edilson & Silveira, Denise, 2016, Two new species of Microlia Casey (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) with comments on obligatory pollen-feeders and the first record from South America, Zootaxa 4078 (1), pp. 197-208 : 198-199

Microlia amici Bortoluzzi & Caron , sp. nov.

( Figures 1–16)

Material examined. Holotype. Male deposited in DZUP, labels: (1) “ BRASIL, PR[Paraná], Balsa Nova,/Rio dos Papagaios 23-II- /2008 (manual)/P.C. Grossi col./Em flor de Asteraceae ” [white label, printed in black]; (2) “ Holotype / Microlia amici / Bortoluzzi & Caron, 2015” [red label, printed in black]. 11 Paratypes. Two males, deposited in DZUP, dissected and mounted on plastic slide imbedded in Canada Balsam; labels (1) “♂” [white label, printed in black]; (2) “ BRASIL, PR[Paraná], Balsa Nova,/Rio dos Papagaios 23-II- /2008 (manual)/P.C. Grossi col./Em flor de Asteraceae ” [white label, printed in black]. Four females, deposited in DZUP, dissected and mounted on plastic slide imbedded in Canada Balsam; labels (1) “♂” [white label, printed in black]; (2) “ BRASIL, PR[Paraná], Balsa Nova,/Rio dos Papagaios 23-II- /2008 (manual)/P.C. Grossi col./Em flor de Asteraceae ” [white label, printed in black]. Five males, three deposited in DZUP and two in FMNH, and two females, deposited in FMNH, with the same labels as paratypes. Additional material. 73 specimens deposited in DZUP, sex undetermined, all with the same first label as holotype.

Diagnosis. Microlia amici sp. nov. differs from M. meticola by abdominal segments darker, mesotarsus with 5 segments, tergum VII of male without tubercles, tergum VIII of male emarginated in posterior margin. In addition M. amici sp. nov. differs from other species of Microlia by the shape of median lobe, mainly the apical process ( Figs 12 – 13 ) and spermatheca forming a sinuously in shape, with female accessory sclerite ( Fig. 16 ).

Decription. Male. Maximum body length: 1.5 mm; maximum elytra width: 0.5 mm. Body broad; head, elytra and abdomen somewhat red-brown to dark-brown, always abdomen darker; pronotum and appendices uniformly light-brown, except antennal apex with articles 7 – 11 or 8 – 11 darker. Dorsal surface glossy; setigerous pores sparse and more densely on pronotum and elytra; pronotum with pubescence directed posteriorly in midline and lateroposteriad in lateral areas; elytra and abdomen with pubescence straight and direct posteriad.

Head as long as wide; eyes 2 times as long as temples; infraorbital carina complete. Antennal articles 1 and 2 subequal in length; 2 slightly longer than 3; articles 4 – 5 subquadrate, articles 6 – 10 transverse and gradually increasing in width toward antennal apex; article 10 twice as wide as long; article 11 as long as article 9 – 10 combined; with two coeloconic sensilla. Labrum transverse, anterior margin with four shallow emarginations ( Fig. 3 ). Mandibles broad and curved at apex ( Fig. 4 ); right mandible with small medial tooth, directed anteriorly; Maxilla with galea extending slightly beyond apex of lacinia, galea narrower than lacinia ( Fig. 5 ); apical lobe of galea covered with innumerable fine and short setae; apical half of lacinia with row of spaced spines, and basal half covered with numerous long setae; maxillary palpus with 4 articles and pseudoarticle, 2nd slightly shorter than 3rd and 4th about half length of preceeding. Labium with ligula split into two lobes ( Fig. 6 a); labial palpus with 3 articles and pseudoarticle. Hypopharyngeal lobes well developed ( Fig. 6 b). Mentum with protruding anterior angles; gular plate broad. Elytra slightly broader than pronotum; posterior outer corners slightly emarginated. Hind wings fully developed. Mesoventrite process about half length of mesocoxae, acute and rounded at apex, mesocoxae slightly separated, mesocoxal cavities margined posteriorly ( Fig. 7 ); metaventrite process almost not existent; isthmus about 2/3 as long as mesoventrite process. Tarsal formula 4 – 5 – 5; tarsomere 5 the longest, as long as 3 and 4 combined. Abdomen gradually narrowing apically; first three visible terga deeply impressed basally; tergum III at posterior margin without projection ( Fig. 8 ); tergum VII the longest, devoid of projection ( Fig. 9 ); tergum VIII with small tubercles on front of posterior margin and posterior margin emarginated ( Fig. 10 ); sternum VIII with posterior margin projected on median as pointed triangular lobe, pointed at the apex, and series of bifurcate setae ( Fig. 11 ); tergum IX separated by tergum X and with symmetrical ventral struts; sternum IX three times as long as wide and two conspicuous short setae at apex; tergum X slightly emarginated at apex, with four long setae on each side and very weakly pigmented on median of posterior margin. Median lobe of aedeagus as Figs. 12 – 13 .

Female. Similar to male, except tergum VIII without small tubercles in front of posterior margin and almost truncate at posterior margin ( Fig. 14 ); sternum VIII with slightly posterior margin projected medially, not forming as pointed triangular lobe as male; without bifurcate setae ( Fig. 15 ); tergum IX without ventral struts; sternum IX as ovipositor consisting of pair of ventral sclerites, each 3 times as long as wide; tergum X with three long setae each side; spermatheca forming a sinuously in shape, with accessory sclerite near at base of subspherical capsule ( Fig. 16 ).

Distribution. Southern Brazil (Paraná: Balsa Nova, Rio dos Papagaios).

Biological notes. The specimens were collected in Asteraceae flowers.

Etymology. The specific name “ amici ” is a Latin masculine noun in genitive, that mean “friend” and it is an allusion to the dear friend and entomologist Paschoal Coelho Grossi that collected the holotype.

Figures

FIGURES 8 – 13. Male, details of Microlia amici sp. nov. Paratype. 8. tergum III, dorsal view, setae removed; 9. tergum VII, dorsal view, setae removed; 10. tergum VIII, dorsal view; 11. sternum VIII, ventral view; 12. median lobe, ventral view; 13. median lobe, lateral view. Scale bars = 0.125 mm.

FIGURES 14 – 16. Female, Details of Microlia amici sp. nov. Paratype. 14. tergum VIII, dorsal view; 15. sternum VIII, ventral view; 16. spermatheca. Scale bars = 0.125 mm.

FIGURES 3 – 7. Details of Microlia amici sp. nov. paratype. 3. labrum, dorsal view; 4. mandibles, dorsal view; 5. right maxilla, dorsal view; 6. labium (6 a) and hypopharinx (6 b), ventral view; 7. mesometathorax, ventral view. Scale bar = 0.125 mm.