Mnioticus karisimbianus, Esser & R, 2019

Esser, Jens & R, Afrotropical, 2019, Revision of Mnioticus COOMBS & WOODROFFE, 1962 (Coleoptera, Cryptophagidae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 51 (2), pp. 915-928 : 918-919

Mnioticus karisimbianus nov.sp. ( fig. 10 )

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype ♂: 1 " Rukumi : Forêt de Hagenia, 3300/ 3500 m, 23.VII./1.VIII.70, hum. d´Hag. / Coll. Mus. Tervuren, Zaïre: P. N. V., Mission Karisimbi, R. P. M. Lejeune » [ RMCA] . Paratypes: 20 ex. « Rukumi : Forêt de Hagenia, 3300/ 3500 m, 23.VII./1.VIII.70, hum. d´Hag. / Coll. Mus. Tervuren, Zaïre: P. N. V., Mission Karisimbi, R. P. M. Lejeune » [ RMCA, cES] ; 3 ex. « Rukumi : Forêt de Séneçons, 3500/ 3700 m, VII.70, ds. feuilles mortes / Coll. Mus. Tervuren, Zaïre: P. N. V., Mission Karisimbi, R. P. M. Lejeune " [ RMCA] .

E t y m o l o g y: Named after the Mount Karisimbi as part of the Virunga Mountains. D e s c r i p t i o n: Male, 1.8 mm, pale yellow-brown, shiny. Covered with pale, short and slightly erected hairs. Membranous wings absent. Legs and antennae slender, tarsi 5- segmented, antennae 11-segmented with a 3-segmented club. Segments 1 and 2 somewhat longer than broad, 1 broader than 2. Segment 3 pear-shaped, segments 4 to 8 oviform or moderately elongated (particularly 5). Segments 9 and 10 moderately transverse, 11 fusiform. Eyes moderately large with coarse ommatidia, puncture on head fine and sparse. Pronotum moderately transverse (1.4 times broader than long), broadest behind the middle sides narrowed anteriorly and posteriorly, convex, before posterior angles abruptly concave. Anterior margin nearly straight, basal margin slightly rounded backwards in the medium half and sinuated behind the basal fovea. Basal furrow moderate, basal fovea short. Posterior angles acute, oriented backwards. Puncture on pronotum fine and sparse. Elytra with puncture strong and more dense, ovate and without any features.

C o m m e n t: Smallest species with elytra more stout than in other small species. Resembles to M. holmi nov.sp. from Ruwenzori Mountains. and M. scotti nom.nov. from Mt. Tshiaberimu. Both have elytra more elongated and are separated by their distribution. From Mnioticus brucei nov.sp. is separated by its more transverse pronotum.

Figures

Figs 9-12: (9) Mnioticus holmi nov.sp., dark specimen, paratype, female; (10) Mnioticus karisimbianus nov.sp., paratype, female; (11) Mnioticus gugheanus nov.sp. Gughe Mts., paratype, male; (12) Mnioticus kinangopianus nov.sp. Aberdare, paratype, female.