Laximicracis-a new genus of Afrotropical Micracidini beetles (Coleoptera Scolytinae)
Author
Jordal, Bjarte
text
Zootaxa
2021
2021-04-30
4966
1
91
96
journal article
6487
10.11646/zootaxa.4966.1.10
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1175-5326
4729346
9B79CD8B-B339-410C-8E2A-7807E25ED64D
Laximicracis dubia
(Schedl, 1950)
(
Figs 5, 8, 11
)
Miocryphalus dubius
Schedl, 1950
(original spelling)
Afromicracis dubia
(Schedl, 1950)
Afromicracis angolensis
Schedl, 1962
(synonym by
Jordal, 2021
)
Type material examined.
Holotype
, male?
D. O.Afrika
,
Schinjanya P.N.
[leg.] (
NHMW
)
.
Holotype
of
A. angolensis
:
Angola
,
Lunda
,
Nova Chavez
, 1949 (
NHMW
).
Diagnosis, male?
Length 2.0–
2.5 mm
, 2.6–2.7 × as long as wide, colour black. Frons concave, with coarse short erect setae in most of the impressed area; antennal funicle 5-segmented, club elongated, drop-shaped, suturefree, about 1.4–1.6 × long as wide; eyes separated above by 1.6 × their width. Pronotum descending from posterior fourth, asperities small, increasing in size towards anterior margin, with two pronounced and closely set small tubercles along anterior margin; vestiture of short spatulate setae. Elytral interstriae with uniseriate rows of spatulate setae; strial setae fine, short, erect. Protibiae with three or four denticles in oblique row along apical margin.
Distribution.
Angola
,
Tanzania
,
Zambia
(new country).
New record:
Zambia
,
Ndole Bay
,
Lake Tanganyika
[GIS:
-8.483
,
30.452
],
23.11.
2012
, 800 m alt.,
light trap
,
R. Smith
,
H. Takano
, BMNH€2013-71 1432737 (1,
NHMUK
)
;
Angola
, Senis.,
NE Negola
[
1500 m
alt., GIS: -14.13, 14.50],
25.iii.1972
,
Southern African
exp. B.M.
1972-I
(1,
NMNUK
).
Remarks.
This species has the same main structure of the antennae and frons compared to male
L. latipes
. The
two types
are therefore inferred to be male with some uncertainty. Although the protibiae are narrower and intermediate between this genus and
Afromicracis
, it has long spatulate setae on the legs, and a gradually curved pronotum with small asperities, further supporting inclusion in
Laximicracis
.
Only
four specimens
have been collected, from four different localities across the green dry belt from
Angola
to
Tanzania
.
This
species and
L.
latipes
were both collected by light trap, in dry forest and thicket patches.