Limulopteryx hintelmanni, Grebennikov, Vasily V., 2008

Grebennikov, Vasily V., 2008, A new species for Limulopteryx from Cameroon with the first record of termitophilous Ptiliidae (Coleoptera) outside the Neotropics, Zootaxa 1727, pp. 49-56 : 50-52

Limulopteryx hintelmanni sp. n.

( Figs 1–14 )

Description. Similar in all characters to L. loebli , except as noted below and in the diagnosis. Body length from clypeus to apex of tergite X 0.93–1.00mm (n=2; beetles slightly expanded in Euparal medium); head maximal width 0.25 mm (n=2); eye partly reduced in size, with some 20–28 facets; pronotal maximal width 0.45mm (n=2); abdominal glands not found; aedeagus elongate ( Fig. 5 ) with fine internal sclerotisation; eyes, wings, wing-folding patches in tergites II–V and hindwing cleaning (=toiletry) device (see Hall, 2003) on posterior margin of tergite VII present and fully developed.

Diagnosis. Limulopteryx hintelmanni can be distinguished from L. loebli , its only congener, using the following key:

1. Prosternal process absent; spatulate ventral process protruding between mesocoxae 2.3X times longer than wide ( Figs 7 , 14 ); meso-metaventral suture almost straight and transverse; mesoscutellum 2.4X wider than long; metascutellum short ( Fig. 13 ); tergite X without apical projections, evenly rounded apically ( Fig. 5 ); metacoxae almost contiguous ( Fig. 3 ); basal stalk of metendosternite narrow ( Fig. 14 ); metacoxae posteriorly angulate, not serrate ( Figs 7, 11 ) ..............................Limulopteyx hintelmanni sp.n.

- Prosternal process present; spatulate ventral process protruding between mesocoxae 1.7X times longer than wide; meso-metaventral suture bent anteriorly; mesoscutellum 2.0X wider than long; metascutellum long ( Hall 2003, fig. 11); tergite X with apical tooth; metacoxae separated by about ¼ of metaventral width ( Hall, 2003, fig. 3); basal stalk of metendosternite about as wide as distance between metacoxae ( Hall, 2003, fig. 3); metacoxae posteriorly rounded and serrate ( Hall, 2003, fig. 14d) ................................ ..................................................................................................................... Limulopteryx loebli Hall, 2003

Material Examined. Holotype: male, “ Cameroon, S.-West Province, Bakingili, N04°03.35’ E009°03.823’, 24–26.V. 2006, 250m, under bark of dry dead standing tree together with termites, V. Grebennikov” (Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids, and Nematodes, Ottawa, Canada). Paratype: male, same data as holotype (Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium).

Distribution and Bionomics. Limulopteryx hintelmanni is known from the single locality on the south slope of Mt. Cameroon at about sea level. The type locality of this species is about one kilometre North-East from the point where a 1999 lava flow crossed the Limbe-Bakingili highway. Both known specimens were collected under loose dry bark from a dead standing tree. Termites were the most abundant insects in the sample with well over a thousand specimens; they were identified as Nasutitermes incurvus (Sjöstedt) by Timothy G. Myles (personal communication). About one hundred beetle specimens that were collected included mainly rove beetles (subfamily Aleocharinae and Pselaphinae ) and featherwing beetles (presumably termitophilous Limulopteryx hintelmanni sp. n. and Bambara sp.). The latter species markedly outnumbered specimens of Limulopteryx hintelmanni sp. n. under bark of the termite-infested tree.

Etymology. Patronymic, to commemorate the memory of the late Robert J. H. Hintelmann (Munich, Germany).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Limulopteryx hintelmanni sp. n. (Coleoptera: Ptiliidae) from Cameroon. 1 — Habitus view of two beetles together with three associated Nasutitermitinae termites; 2 — dorsal (left, body contracted) and ventral (right, body expanded) habitus view; 3 — habitus, ventral view; 4 — abdomen with elytra opened, dorsal view; roman numbers indicate tergites; 5 — the same as 4, but focusing at the aedeagus and the shape of tergite X (pygidium).

FIGURES 6 – 11. Limulopteryx hintelmanni sp. n. (Coleoptera: Ptiliidae) from Cameroon. 6 — habitus, dorsal view; 7 — habitus, ventral view; 8 — habitus, anterior view; 9 — habitus, posterior view; 10 — head, pro- and mesothorax, ventral view; 11 — habitus, right ventro-posterio-lateral view.

FIGURES 12 – 14. Limulopteryx hintelmanni sp. n. (Coleoptera: Ptiliidae) from Cameroon. 12 — right antenna and eye, with the base of antenna partly hidden in the antennal groove, ventral view; 13 — meso- and metascutelum, dorsal view; 14 — meso- and metaventrum showing spatulate process, transverse meso-metaventral sutures and metendosternite, ventral view.