Cissidium aristophanousi, Darby, 2020

Darby, Michael, 2020, A revision of Cissidium Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Ptiliidae) with seventy seven new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 622, pp. 1-188 : 24-26

Cissidium aristophanousi sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:32172E7B-8DEA-411B-93F6-CCC304DD98FC

Fig. 15

Etymology

Named after the collector, Dr Marios Aristophanous.

Material examined

Holotype

IVORY COAST • ♀; Mt. Tonkoui Peak ; 07°27′15.2″ N, 07°38′12.5″ W; 1171m a.s.l.; 1–8 Nov. 2015; Winkler soil; M. Aristophanous, P. Moretto and E. Ruzzier leg.; BMNH (E) 2015 -177; BMNH.

Paratype

IVORY COAST • ♀; same collection data as for holotype; missing elytra; BMNH.

Description

SIZE. Habitus ( Fig. 15A ), length 0.83 mm.

COLOUR. Yellow brown shining, pubescence, legs and antennae slightly paler. HEAD. Without a linear depression behind the eyes, width across eyes 0.21 mm; antennomeres III–XI length 0.41 mm, III–IX length 0.23 mm, X–XI length 0.18 mm, mentum and submentum as Fig 4A.

PRONOTUM. Length 0.20 mm, width 0.28 mm, with two groups of four foveae in basal third; side margins angular then straight to rectangular hind angles, bordered, the borders not continued along the sinuate posterior margin which has an emargination before the scutellum ( Fig. 15B ).

ELYTRA. Length 0.49 mm, width 0.39 mm, foveolate in basal third, length of setae as pronotum.

MESOVENTRITE. Medial extension of collar onto mid-keel short, tapering; posterior margin of midkeel slightly narrower than anterior, posterior corners barely reaching anterior margin of mesocoxal cavities; keel with a series of ± six setae, hooked (as Fig. 5D ) parallel-sided to a rounded tip between the mesocoxae; mesoventral lateral margins serrate; humeri toothed ( Fig. 15C ).

METAVENTRITE. Length 0.17 mm, scattered setae on disc and posterior margin, spines long, tapering to a fine point, width across spines 0.15 mm; posterior margins of mesocoxal cavities serrate.

WINGS. Macropterous.

GENITALIA. Female spermatheca globular. Males not known.

Remarks

Distinguished from C. arcuatum sp. nov. by the groups of foveae on the pronotum and by the more pronounced foveolae on the elytra.

Figures

Fig. 15. Cissidium aristophanousi sp. nov. A. Habitus. B. Pronotum, × 370. C. Mesoventrite showing median process of collar, mid-keel, keel and serrate lateral margin, × 640.

Fig. 4. Menta and submenta. A. Cissidium petri Darby, 2015, × 1380. B. Cissidium tigrum Darby, 2015, × 1220. C. Cissidium amboroense Darby, 2015, × 1260. D. Cissidium losbanos sp. nov., × 1100. E. Cissidium triangulum Darby, 2019, × 650. F. Cissidium pilosellum sp. nov., × 1420.

Fig. 5. Figures to show keel shapes. A. Cissidium bifoveolatum sp. nov., × 515. B. Cissidium lucidulum sp. nov., × 780. C. Cissidium scutellaris (Deane, 1931), × 1480. D. Cissidium tigrum Darby, 2015, × 840. E. Cissidium sawadai Darby, 2015, × 680. F. Cissidium lisae Darby, 2015, × 823.