Apatenia kuntei Trýzna & Rakotonirina, 2024

Trýzna, Miloš & Rakotonirina, Jean Claude, 2024, A new species of Apatenia Pascoe (Coleoptera: Anthribidae) from central Madagascar, with a key to species, additions to the distribution of rare species of the genus, and general notes about threats to anthribid diversity, Zootaxa 5537 (3), pp. 325-347 : 327-332

Apatenia kuntei Trýzna & Rakotonirina sp. nov.

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C195BCA1-8229-42AE-905D-76FE66D6CB51

( Figs 1–18 , 32 )

Type locality. Central Madagascar, Ambohitantely Special Reserve, S 18°11´44´´, E 47°17´15´´, 1623 m a.s.l.

Type material. Holotype (male): Central MADAGASCAR, ANTANANARIvO PROvINCE: ‘C MADAGASCAR, 29.–31.i.2016, / AMBOHITANTELY Spec. Res., / circuit botanique, / S 18°11´44´´, E 47°17´15´´, / 1623 m, M. Trýzna leg. [p]’ ( MMBC) . Allotype (female): the same data as holotype ( MTDC) . Paratypes (8 males, 10 females). 2 males, 3 females: ditto ( MTDC, one female in ZSMC) ; 4 males, 3 females: the same data as holotype but: S 18°11´44´´, E 47°17´16´´, 1633 m, 4.–6.i.2017 ( MTDC, 1 male each in BMNH, CMNC) ; 1 male: the same but: circuit ecological, S 18°11´51´´, E 47°17´20´´, 1615 m, 6.–7.i.2017 ( MTDC) ; 2 females: the same but: S 18°11´44´´, E 47°17´16´´, 1623 m, 19.–25.xii.2019 ( MTDC, 1 female in MNHN) ; 2 females: the same but: S. Goodman circuit, S 18°12´36´´, E 47°16´40´´, 1596 m, 19.–22.i.2024 [one specimen for DNA analysis stored in 5 ml vial in 96% ethanol] ( MTDC) ; 1 male: East MADAGASCAR, TOAMASINA PROvINCE: ‘Madagascar Est , 18.–20.I. / 5 km S of Ampamoho [ca. S 17°00´–04´, E 48°33´–34´] pr. / Andilamena, / J. Janák lgt. 1995 // 950–1000 m / forêt humide / arbres, arbustes [p]’ ( MTDC) .

Red label [h]: ‘ HOLOTYPE / ALLOTYPE / PARATYPE / Apatenia / kuntei sp. nov. / M. Trýzna det., 2024’.

Diagnosis. Smaller species, size of the body 4.25–5.50 mm. Inconspicuous brownish to blackish coloured species. Dorsal transverse carina of pronotum sub-basal, but very close to posterior margin of pronotum and seemingly looking like basal. Upper side of head and pronotum with coarse punctation. Elytra with only one pair of very small whitish dots in median part. Sexual dimorphism is noticeable in this species; male has head and lateral sides of pronotum covered with conspicuous whitish setae, female lacks this white pubescence ( Figs 1– 5 male, 6– 10 female).

Description. Holotype male (Allotype female). Measurements (in mm): total body length – 5.50 (5.10). Head: total length – 0.90 (0.75); length of rostrum – 0.40 (0.35); maximum width of rostrum – 0,75 (0.78); length of eye – 0.63 (0.50); maximum width across eyes – 1.18 (1.13); minimum distance between eyes – 0.25 (0.38). Antenna: length of segments: II – 0.14 (0.14), III – 0.17 (0.16), IV – 0.19 (0.16), V – 0.14 (0.14), VI – 0.13 (0.10), VII – 0.10 (0.09), VIII – 0.10 (0.10), IX – 0.21 (0.19), X – 0.14 (0.14), XI – 0.20 (0.20), width of segment IX – 0.16 (0.17). Pronotum: maximum length – 1.58 (1.43); width at carina (= maximal width in this case) – 1.90 (1.80); minimum width – 1.00 (0.88). Elytra: maximum length – 3.05 (2.90); maximum width – 1.95 (1.90). Pygidium: maximum length – 0.54 (0.50); maximus width – 0.71 (0.57).

Coloration of the cuticle generally black, femora dark brown to blackish, apex of femora, tibiae and tarsomeres brown. Scape, pedicel and antennomere XI dark brown, rest of antennae black.

Vestiture. Holotype male ( Figs 1–5 ): head on dorsal and lateral sides with distinct dense whitish appressed setae, the same pubescence continues to lateral sides of pronotum. Vestiture on antennae sparse, individual suberect black setae only in distal part of each antennomere. Setae on upper side of pronotum long and sparse. Setae on disc of pronotum and elytra generally brown, short. Median part of second elytral interval with small tuft of distinct white setae. Each elytron also with small tufts of brown setae: one on second elytral interval in sub-basal part; four on second, two on fourth and two on sixth elytral interval in post-median and preapical part. Tufts of setae near apex of elytra smaller and less prominent. All legs covered with dense setae, dorsum of all femora covered with distinct light-coloured setae, tibiae and all tarsomeres with brownish setae. All tibiae with narrow ring of light-coloured setae in proximal part. Pygidium covered with light brown appressed setae.

Allotype female ( Figs 6–10 ): similar to male, but whitish pubescence on dorsal and lateral parts of head, and on lateral parts of pronotum missing.

Structure. Head ( Figs 2 , 7 ) short, rostrum with shallow median depression, lacking longitudinal carina, ratio of rostrum length to maximum width 0.53 in male, 0.45 in female. Whole upper side of head with coarse sculptures, lower side slightly wrinkled. Scrobes not visible dorsally, scape partly hidden in scrobe in dorsal view. Eyes relatively large, bulging to the sides, prominently protruding from the outline of the head, strongly converging anteriad. Ocular index 0.54 in male, 1.00 in female. Ratio of maximum width across eyes to maximum width of rostrum 1.57 in male, 1.45 in female. Antennae ( Figs 4 , 9 ) shorter, when bent backwards not reaching posterior margin of pronotum. Funicle thin, antennal club well-developed, antennomere IX slightly longer than wide, X slightly transverse, XI oval.

Pronotum ( Figs 3 , 8 ) slightly transverse, widest at location of dorsal transverse carina, ratio of length to width at carina 0.83 in male, 0.79 in female. Dorsal transverse carina of pronotum sub-basal, straight to slightly sinuate, lateral margins of carina in obtuse arch directed anteriorly, here strongly angulate, lateral carinae short, not reaching half of length of pronotum. Upper side of pronotum with conspicuous coarse sculpture, sculpture on lower side fine.

Elytra ( Figs 1 , 6 ) oval, widest at about half of their length, ratio of the maximum length of elytra to maximum width 1.56 in male, 1.53 in female. Elytra with pair of wide bumps in sub-basal part. Elytral striae with distinct punctures, elytral interval wider than foveae, space between foveae wider than diameter of individual fovea. Scutellum small.

Claws with teeth. Pygidium with fine sculptures, transverse, ratio of maximum width to maximum length 1.42 in male, 1.06 in female.

Genitalia and associated structures. Male ( Figs 11–15 ). Aedeagus ( Figs 11–12 ) bent, relatively short, widest in basal part. Pedon ( Fig. 13 ) short and wide, apex of pedon with wide base, forming only short obtuse rounded projection. Tectum ( Fig. 13 ) with wide base, apex of tectum markedly narrow, projecting to tip. Apodemes of aedeagus moderately long, longer than the part from bridge to apex of aedeagus (better visible in lateral view), almost parallel. Bridge of aedeagus inconspicuously developed. Tegmen ( Fig. 15 ) robust, moderately wide, with strongly sclerotized basal piece, tegminal plate relatively wide, ratio of length to width 1.23. Apodeme of tegmen slightly shorter than tegminal plate. Apex of tegmen broad with several distinct strong setae. Segment VIII ( Fig. 14 ) moderately sclerotized, wider than long, gradually convergent apically. Sternite IX (= spiculum gastrale) ( Fig. 14 ) with symmetrical divergent arms, apodeme straight, about twice longer than length of segment VIII.

Female ( Figs 16–18 ). Hemisternites ( Figs 17–18 ) well-developed but relatively small, apex of each with sclerotized toothed plate. Toothed plate with longer setae on outside and inside part. Lateral stylus present, well-developed, with several short setae on apex. Ventral lobes narrow. Outer pair of apodemes (= lateral rod) divergent proximally, inner pair of apodemes (median rod) slender, apodemes are very close to each other. Bursa copulatrix ( Fig. 17 ) simple, not lobed. Spermatheca strongly sclerotized, sickle-shaped, spermathecal gland almost spherical ( Fig. 16 ).

Etymology. Patronym, dedicated to Libor Kunte (Markvartice, Czech Republic), eminent botanist of the world’s succulent fauna, also focusing on the thornbush flora of southern Madagascar.

Distribution and ecology. Apatenia kuntei is known from two localities: (1) the Ambohitantely Special Reserve situated in central part of Madagascar (Antananarivo prov.) and (2) Andilamena (Toamasina prov.), approximately 200 km by air northeast of the type locality. The Ambohitantely Special Reserve is situated on the north-eastern edge of the Central Highlands in the district of Ankazobe, ca. 140 km northwest of Antananarivo. It is a small remnant of primary forest surrounded by savannas and agricultural landscape. The reserve was established in 1982 (IUCN category IV, special reserve) and is highly important for its unique ecosystem with amazing biodiversity (for references see Introduction). The species has been found in a medium altitude moist evergreen low forest with canopy of 6 to 12 (max. 20) metres, with dense copses of small diameter trees (mostly up to 40 cm in diameter). The majority of specimens was collected in the central part of Ambohitantely reserve. It was also found in the southern part of the reserve in 2024. This new species was observed exclusively on dead wood at least partly still covered with bark, i.e. not in a very advanced stage of wood decay ( Fig. 21 from January 2016; compare it with Fig. 22 from January 2024). The species was collected in all the years when the reserve was visited by the first author, i.e. in 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2024. We assume that it is a stable but not very numerous species here.

Additionally, one male was collected 5 km S of Ampamoho [ca. S 17°00´–04´, E 48°33´–34´], at elevation 950–1000 m a.s.l. This different locality is situated about 200 km by air northeast of the type locality Ambohitantely. It belongs to the district of Andilamena, which is a part of Alaotra-Mangoro Region .

Differential diagnosis. Apatenia kuntei cannot be confused with any other known species of this genus from Madagascar (dorsal transverse carina of pronotum sub-basal; disc of pronotum convex, without any tubercles; elytra dark brown, odd- and even-numbered interstriae uniform in colour, with only one pair of very small light-coloured dots on interstria II in median area). See key below and Figs 23–29 .

Figures

FIGURE 32. Distribution of selected rare Apatenia species. Triangle–type locality, circle–other distribution.

FIGURES 1–5. Apatenia kuntei, male holotype, 1, habitus in dorsal view; 2, head; 3, pronotum; 4, right antenna; 5, habitus in lateral view. Scale bars in mm.

FIGURES 6–10. Apatenia kuntei, female allotype, 6, habitus in dorsal view; 7, head; 8, pronotum; 9, left antenna; 10, habitus in lateral view. Scale bars in mm.

FIGURES 11–18. Apatenia kuntei, genitalia. 11–15, paratype male: 11, aedeagus in dorsal view; 12, aedeagus in lateral view; 13, apex of aedeagus with detail of tectum (upper) and pedon (lower) in dorsal view; 14, segment VIII and sternite IX (= spiculum gastrale) in ventral view; 15, tegmen in ventral view. 16–18, paratype female: 16, spermatheca and spermathecal gland; 17, ovipositor with bursa copulatrix in ventral view; 18, detail of hemisternites in ventral view. Scale bars in mm.

FIGURES 21–22. Ambohitantely Special Reserve. Microhabitat of type locality of Apatenia kuntei. Illustration of rate of degradation of dead wood in intact forest at altitude of 1623 m. 21, picture from January 2016, when first specimens of type series were collected here; 22, the same from January 2024, advanced stage of wood decomposition with unsuitable conditions for occurrence of anthribids.

FIGURES 23–26. Malagasy Apatenia species, habitus in dorsal view. 23, A. quadristigma Frieser, 1981 (female); 24, A. oculifera Frieser 2000 (male); 25, A. stysi Trýzna & Baňař, 2013 (paratype, female); 26, A. sulcicollis Frieser, 2000 (male).

FIGURES 27–31. Malagasy Apatenia species, habitus in dorsal view. 27, A. longiclava Wolfrum, 1955 (male); 28, A. fallax Frieser, 2010 (female); 29–31, A. mesostigma Wolfrum, 1961 (female): 29, habitus in dorsal view; 30 and 31, colour of elytral spot in different viewing angles.