Sphrigodellus minutus Yunakov, 2012

Yunakov, Nikolai, 2012, 3535, Zootaxa 3535, pp. 1-104 : 25-26

Sphrigodellus minutus Yunakov , sp. n.

(figs 23, 24, 46–51, 176–189, 367, 375, 376)

Diagnosis. Similar to S. lepidus Marshall, 1940 and S. usambaricus sp. n. in general appearance but differs by small size; broader and shorter erect setae on elytra, tibiae, and antennae; strongly curved pro- and mesotibiae; frontal fovea concealed by scales; intervals 3 and 5 densely setose; occiput not constricted; rostrum as long as wide or weakly elongate [RL/RW average: 1.12]; subocular row sparse, consists of 2–4 setae; temples with longitudinal callosity; 1st funicular segment without scales; male elytral disc convex longitudinally; median lobe not constricted on the middle part; tegminal ring without parameres and process.

Description.

Measurements. BL: 1.94–2.81 (2.30) mm, BW: 0.80–1.20 (0.99) mm, BH: 0.76–1.20 (0.96) mm.

Vestiture. Body densely covered with overlapping, round scales, setose. Setae of head form rows along lateral edges of epifrons (recumbent or subrecumbent) and above the eyes (erect). Subocular row consists of 2–4 setae. Anterior setal fringe consists of 6 (1+2+2+1) erect setae; they distinctly differ from ones on pronotal disc. Posterior setal fringe consists of spatulate setae, partly hidden by posterior edge of pronotum. Elytral intervals 1–5 with distinct row of setae. Anterior half of elytra with short, subrecumbent setae (half as long as interval width), posterior declivity with long strongly erect spatulate setae (as long as interval width). Ventral side rather sparsely squamose. Ventrites with scattered scales, metapleura densely squamose but scales not overlapped; basisternum and mesobasisternum bare. Antennal scape densely squamose and setose, scales lanceolate, not overlapping; setae thick acute subrecumbent. Funicle setose; setae suberect 1.5 x as long as funicular segment 7. Femora and tibiae external surface covered with overlapping scales and subrecumbent setae, internal surface with sparse piliform scales and hairs, distal portion of tibiae internal surface without scales; setae on femora slender, acute, setae of tibiae broad truncate. Male metatibiae with vestigial grooming brush; hairs very short. Tarsi setose.

Coloration. Integument of body brown to deep-brown; limbs rather lighter. Background scaling deep-brown to brown; striped longitudinal pattern formed by white-rose scales. Dark and pale scales both with slightly pronounced pearl shine. Head with two longitudinal stripes passing obliquely through the epifrons and vertex; subgenae and genae with grey scales. Pronotum with grayish-rose median stripe and double light grey and green longitudinal stripes at sides. Elytra with alternate brown and grayish longitudinal stripes. Elytral intervals 3, 5, basal portion of interval 4, posterior portion of interval 2, and subsutural portion of interval 1 covered with grayishrose scales. Intervals 7–9, 11 covered with green scales. Ventral side with sparse green scales. Femora main surface with maculate pattern of brown and grey scales, proximal portion with green scales. Tibiae external surface with grey scales.

Head. Rostrum as long as wide or weakly elongate [RL/RW: 1.06–1.24 (1.12)], parallel-sided. Pterygia not extended beyond contour of rostrum. Antennal sockets dorsal. Antennifers half-visible. Epifrons narrow, almost parallel-sided, at the level of antennal articulation 1.3 x narrower than vertex, weakly convex longitudinally and transversally, with very narrow median carina almost entirely concealed by scales. Transverse sulcus deep, partly concealed by dense scaling, rather visible at the sides. Epistome transverse, vestigial, delimited by narrow carina, bears 8–9 epistomal setae. Eyes oval, sublateral, strongly convex, highest posteriorly [FW/ELD: 0.83–1.15 (1.01)]. Vertex flat, broad. Frontal fovea concealed by scales. Occiput convex, without constriction.

Antennae. Scape extended behind anterior edge of pronotum, weakly evenly curved and widened, swollen in distal portion. 1st funicular segment longer and wider than 2nd; funicular segments 3–4 oblong; 6th–7th segments as long as wide, moniliform. Club egg-shaped.

Thorax. Pronotum transverse [PL/PW: 0.81–0.96 (0.88)], evenly convex at sides, not constricted, widest anteriorly of the middle. Disc flat. Tergosternal suture complete. Metanepisternal suture complete.

Elytra. Oval to broadly oval [EL/EW: 1.40–1.52 (1.48)]; disc in male weakly, in female strongly convex [EL/ BH: 1.46–1.58 (1.52)]; anterior edge arcuate, vertical. Subscutellar callosity very short but distinct, with 2 tiny tubercles.

Legs. Protibiae and mesotibiae strongly curved, not widened at the apex; interior edge C-shaped. Meso- and metatibiae on interior edge with tooth in distal portion. Mucro well developed, thorn-shaped, acute. Setal comb of protibiae consists of 5–8 sparse, black setae, not extending beyond external edge of tibiae. Bevel of metatibiae narrowly enclosed; its surface bare. Tarsi robust; tarsomere 2 transverse, 1.5 x as wide as length; tarsomere 3 with two wide lobes; tarsomere 5 of metatarsus extending beyond apical lobes of 3rd by length of the last one.

Abdomen. Posterior margin of 1 st ventrite straight. 2 nd ventrite 1.5 x as long as 3 rd one, posterior margin of 2 nd ventrite straight. 5 th ventrite flat in both sexes, without depression near the apex, apical edge in male broadly rounded, in female acute.

Male genitalia. Median lobe parallel-sided and sharply narrowed apically; apex narrowly rounded, dorsoventrally slightly convex, 0.7 x as long as apodeme. Internal sac without spiculate fields, with large, long aggonoporium consisting of two stick-shaped lobes connected proximally by transverse bridge. Ostium spatulate moderately sclerotized. Ligulae membranous. Parameres absent, basal piece of tegmen broad, tegminal apodeme 0.5 x as long as apodemes of median lobe.

Female genitalia. Styli well developed, stick-shaped, bearing 3 setae. Spermatheca moderately sclerotized, with swollen ramus, collum slender 2 x as long as ramus. Corpus slightly swollen. cornus slender, extended beyond corpus. Tergite 8 subrounded with straight transverse row of 5–7 short setae at the apex. Sternite 8 thick. Lamella sharply narrowed and acute, without setae, knife-shaped, heavily sclerotized. Apodeme thick, straight, caput developed.

Distribution. Tanzania: South Pare Mountains ( Fig. 367).

Bionomics. Submontane rain forest; 1300–1600 m a.s.l. Trees and shrubs, canopy (figs 375, 376).

Material examined. Tanzania: 13♂, 4♀ including holotype male, dissected ( ZMUN) TZ-10-47, Kilimanjaro Reg., South Pare Mts., Chome Forest Reserve , S4 19.381 E37 59.454, h = 1352 m, rain forest, beaten, N.N. Yunakov leg., 09.xi.2010 ; 38♂, 17♀ ( ZMUN) TZ-10-48, Kilimanjaro Reg., South Pare Mts., Chome Forest Reserve , S4 19.400 E37 59.311, h = 1372 m, rain forest, beaten, N.N. Yunakov leg., 09.xi.2010 ; 2♂ ( ZMUN) TZ- 10-50, Kilimanjaro Reg., South Pare Mts., Chome Forest Reserve , S4 19.400 E37 59.311, h = 1372 m, rain forest, sifted leaf litter, N.N. Yunakov leg., 09.xi.2010 ; 9♂, 6♀ ( ZMUN) TZ-10-58, Kilimanjaro Reg., South Pare Mts., Chome Forest Reserve , S4 19.443 E37 59.199, h = 1405 m, rain forest, beaten, N.N. Yunakov leg., 10.xi.2010 ; 4♂, 6♀ ( ZMUN) TZ-10-62, Kilimanjaro Reg., South Pare Mts., Chome Forest Reserve , S4 19.400 E37 59.311, h = 1372 m, rain forest, beaten, N.N. Yunakov leg., 11.xi.2010 ; 19♂ ( ZMUN) TZ-10-63, Kilimanjaro Reg., South Pare Mts., Chome Forest Reserve , S4 19.850 E37 59.040, h = 1549 m, rain forest, beaten, N.N. Yunakov leg., 11.xi.2010 .

Etymology. The name is a Latin adjective meaning “small”.