Zyras (Ctenodonia) torosus, Pace, 2012

Pace, R., 2012, New data and new species of Aleocharinae from Tropical Africa in the Natural History Museum of the Humboldt University, Berlin (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 44 (2), pp. 1331-1362 : 1345-1346

Zyras (Ctenodonia) torosus nov.sp. ( Figs 73-74 )

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype, O. Afrika, Gomba, lux, leg. Inst. Amani ( MNHUB).

D e s c r i p t i o n: Length 6 mm. Pronotum opaque, elytra superficially opaque, abdomen shiny. Body yellowish-red, head brown, area of the external posterior angles of the elytra reddish-brown, antennae reddish, legs yellowish-red. Reticulation of head and elytra evident, that of the elytra strong, that of the abdomen very superficial. Puncturation of head and abdomen very superficial, that of the pronotum indistinct, that of the elytra evanescent. Antennae laterally compressed. Disc of the head flattened. Pronotum with brief posterior median sulcus. Spermatheca Fig. 74.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: The spermatheca of the new species is similar to that of Z. malindicus PACE 1991 from Kenya. The new species differs the distal portion of the spermatheca being a little long, while that of Z. malindicus is so prolonged by to form a semi-circle. The brief median sulcus of the pronotum of the new species is absent in Z. malindicus , in which it is replaced by a median fossa in front of the scutellum.

E t y m o l o g y: From the Latin torosus, meaning muscular, an adjective suggested by the presence of numerous striated muscles adherent to the spermatheca of the holotype.

Figures

Figs 71-76: Aedeagus in lateral and ventral views, habitus, spermatheca. (71-72) Zyras (Ctenodonia) sericeicollis nov.sp.; (73-74) Zyras (Ctenodonia) torosus nov.sp.; (75-76) Zyras (Ctenodonia) gombanus nov.sp. Habitus scale bar Fig. 73: 6 mm, Fig. 75; 9 mm, other scale bars: 0.1 mm.