Micrambe modesta (Grouvelle, 1906)

Otero, Jose Carlos & Pereira, Jose Manuel, 2017, Records of the genus Micrambe Thomson, 1863 (Coleoptera, Cryptophagidae) from Madagascar and Reunion Island, African Invertebrates 58 (1), pp. 49-64 : 57-58

Micrambe modesta (Grouvelle, 1906) Figures 24-28

Micrambe modestus Grouvelle, 1906; Ann. Soc. entomol. Fr., 75: 141

Material examined.

Madagascar. Fover Panda / Type (red card)/ Museum Paris; coll. A. Grouvelle, 1915 (white card)/ Micrambe modestus Grouv.; Micrambe modesta (MNHN)

Additional material examined.

Madagascar. Andasibe (Perinet); 18°56'S; 48°25'E (DDM); 7.XI.1998, 2 ♂♂ and 2 ♀♀ (leg. R. Muller) (TMSA). Madagascar C. 4 km N. Ambohimahamasoa (forest Fianaratsoa) 1200-1300 m; 22. III. 1996, 1 ♂ (leg. J. Janak and P. Moravec) (MHNG). Nr. Anjiro, 21. X. 1970, 1 ex (coll. P. Hammond) (BMNH).

Redescription.

Length: 1.75 mm. Body oblong and convex. Yellowish grey-brown; in some specimens, darker head and pronotum. Simple pubescence, slightly lifted and greyish (L = 0.057-0.070 mm). Metathoracic wings fully developed.

Very transverse head (WL = 2.4-2.5). Pronounced and thick punctation; distance between punctures shorter than puncture diameter ( Ø = 0.016-0.020 mm). Eyes conical, asymmetrical and protruding (E = 1.15). Eye facets smaller ( Ø = 0.08-0.010 mm) than head punctures. Long antennae (Fig. 25) (L = 0.601 mm). 1st antennomere thick; as long as 2nd, which is ovoid; 4th and 6th identical and 0.7 times as short as 2nd.

Pronotum (Figs 24, 26) slightly transverse (WL = 1.7). Anterior margin slightly rounded. Lateral margins almost parallel until middle area and from there on, converging to the base. Large callosity (1/3 of side length); clearly visible dorsally. Gland pore visible; forming an obtuse angle rearwards and a 30°-32°angle with the body axis. Posterior angles obtuse. Basal groove and foveae present. Punctures pronounced and dense, distance between punctures less than puncture diameter ( Ø = 0.012-0.015 mm).

Elytra 3.0 times as long and 1.5 times as wide as the pronotum. Punctation finer and more scattered than that on the pronotum; distance between punctures greater than puncture diameter ( Ø = 0.012-0.015 mm).

Aedeagus (Fig. 28) (L = 0.126 mm; A = 0.098 mm) apically extended. Visible endophallic orifice and membranous preputial groove. Protuberance present on the basal third of the lateral margins. Endophallic armour made up of small spines. Triangular parameres (Fig. 27) (L = 0.067-0.068 mm). Numerous pores without setae; bearing two long apical setae (L = 0.040-0.070 mm).

Biology.

On Lobelia sp.

Distribution.

Madagascar ( Grouvelle 1906); Congo ( Bruce 1959).