Acylophorus janaki Lott

Lott, Derek A., 2012, Further studies of African Acylophorus Nordmann (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae), Zootaxa 3168, pp. 39-52 : 43-44

Acylophorus janaki Lott , new species

( Figs 4–10 )

Description. Length 6.5–7.5 mm. Body black. Abdominal tergites with transverse microsculpture, but not iridescent. Antennae dark brown except for paler base of segment I. Segment XI also usually pale brown. Maxillary palpi pale brown with slightly darker terminal segment. Femora pale brown. Tibiae contrastingly dark brown. Tarsi pale brown.

Head rounded, large (pronotum 1.6x wider than head), as wide as long with temples rounded behind somewhat large eyes ( Fig. 4 ). Head produced in front of antennal insertion, covered with micro-punctures. Short dense pubescence behind eyes. Two pairs of short and pale interocular setae arising from foveate punctures much closer to eyes than each other. A line of four postocular setae visible from above on each side. No additional seta on hind margin of eye. Right mandible with large medial tooth in front of flange, no teeth on left mandible ( Fig. 5 ). Maxillary palpi with terminal segment pubescent, more rounded on outer margin than inner margin and asymmetric, longer than glabrous penultimate segment which is triangular ( Fig. 6 ). First segment of antenna as long as next four. Segments I to VII elongate, IX to X transverse ( Fig. 7 ).

Pronotum relatively narrow with sides less rounded, almost quadrate (1.1x wider than long) and widest toward basal half ( Fig. 4 ), covered with micro-punctures, but more sparsely than on head. Dorsal, lateral and marginal setae relatively short. Elytra only slightly transverse (1.2x wider than long) ( Fig. 4 ) with short pale pubescence that is not shining, arising from fine dense asperate punctures. Apical fringe of bristles rather short, not much longer than hairs on rest of elytra. Abdominal tergites with short, sparse pubescence, barely overlapping in centre of tergite III, though longer on apical tergites. Punctures evenly distributed across each tergite ( Fig. 8 ).

Male with apex of sternite IX entire. Paramere bilobed and divergent, twisted round side margin of median lobe, which is flattened and broadly incised at apex ( Fig. 9 ). Pegs confusedly arranged at apex of each lobe ( Fig 10 ).

Type material. Holotype 3: “ South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal Pietermaritzburg, Queen Elizabeth Park, 29 O34.157 ’S 30 O19.299 ’E, 22.xi.2006, J Janák leg / stream banks stepping on / Acylophorus ? allardi Levasseur 3 det DA Lott, 2009 / HOLOTYPE Acylophorus janaki sp. n. 3 det DA Lott, 2010 ” ( TMP). Paratypes 4313Ƥ same data as holotype (cJanák, cLott).

Comparative notes. This species was confused with A. allardi Levasseur by Lott (2010), but is distinct from that species in several characters. A. janaki has pale, dull straw-coloured pubescence on the elytra unlike the bright yellow pubescence on the elytra and abdomen of A. allardi . The punctures on each abdominal tergite of A. janaki are evenly distributed, while in A. allardi they are denser at the base of each tergite. In external characters, A. janaki resembles more closely A. congoensis Cameron , but can be distinguished by the less transverse elytra and the longer, more slender aedeagus (see Figs 9 and 11).

Etymology. This species is named after Jiří Janák, who collected the type series. The species name is the genitive case of a Latinised version of his name.

Figures

FIGURES 4 – 10. Acylophorus janaki sp. n. group. 4, fore body; 5, mandibles; 6. maxillary palp; 7, antenna; 8, punctation on abdominal tergite IV; 9, aedeagus (ventral and lateral views); 10, internal face of apex of right lobe of paramere. FIGURE 11. Acylophorus congoensis Cameron, aedeagus (ventral and lateral views).