Cissidium Motschulsky, sp. n.
Creators: name: Darby, Michael
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2013
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Ptiliidae
Cissidium

description: Cissidium Motschulsky
Motschulsky (1855), Johnson (1982: 358), Grebennikov (2009:126), Sawada (2008:102)
Pantropical genus with 18 described species and numerous undescribed species. Johnson (1982) records that some 70 mostly undescribed species were known to him from tropical and subtropical parts of the world and that ‘apart from a few distinctive species, the identification of most is difficult.’ Six unpublished names attached to species determined by him from Nepal, Tonkin and the Solomon Islands are in the BMNH. Grebennikov records further undescribed species from Kenya, Cameroon and Bolivia, and I have collected undescribed species in India, Sri Lanka and the Philippines.
The generic descriptions reveal several contradictions and inconsistencies, and it seems likely, given the notable convergences shown by certain groups of geographically related species, that future research will split it into several genera. In the meantime Cissidium is accepted here in the widest sense, with features regarded as both inclusive and exclusive by the above authors.
Grebennikov includes Cissidium in the Discheramocephalini on the basis of a perforation in the mesoventral keel which is not well developed in the genus and not visible in ventral view. Cissidium species, together with those of Dacrysoma, may be distinquished from all other Ptiliidae by the possession of a dumb-bell shaped antennomere 11.
Cissidium banari sp. n.
(Figs. 3, 4, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
Length 0.80–0.83 mm. Colour yellow brown, very shining, antennae and legs dusky yellow. Antennae sexually dimorphic, see below. Head impunctate, vertex with a shallow median fovea of approximately the same size in both males and females. Pronotum 0.18 mm long, 0.26 mm wide, broadest slightly in front of middle, impunctate, lateral margins with two sensory setae, parallel before hind angles, hind margin longer than front margin with a pair of fovea on each side, the outer ones longer than the smaller, inner ones and converging anteriorly (Fig. 29), hind margin with a shallow recession in front of scutellum formed of two joined curves. Elytra 0.52–54 mm long, 0.37– 0.40 mm wide (females average 0.10 mm wider than males), impunctate but with shallow depressions particularly along sides of scutellum and suture, broadest in front of middle, humeri with a short carina (Fig.29). Mesoventrite with strongly toothed front angles, hind margin with +/- 5 crenulations, mesoventral process not extending onto humeri and reaching below mesocoxae as a narrow plate with toothed profile and lightly chitinised central area appearing in some horizontal views as a perforation (Fig.30). Metaventrum: hind coxae separated by approximately one third of the meteventral width, coxal plates small.
Male: Length 0.80–0.81 mm, width 0.37 mm. Eyes larger; antennomere 10 shorter, and both 10 and 11 with more hairs than female Fig. 34; fully winged; aedeagus Fig. 31.
Female: Length 0.82–0.83 mm, width 0.40 mm. Eyes smaller; antennomere 10 longer, and both 10 and 11 with fewer hairs than male Fig. 33; micropterous/apterous; spermatheca Fig. 32.
Etymology. Named in honour of Dr. Petr Baňař who organised the expeditions and collected many of the specimens.
Remarks. Comes closest to C. foveolatum Johnson from New Zealand but differs from that species in ventral view in the absence of long elytral pubescence and a smaller depression on the forehead.
Type data. Holotype: ♂ Ambohitantely Spec. Res., ABT/ Nov 2011/01, forest litter under big Pandanus, sifting, Winkler app. extr., S.18˚11’52.7’’ E.47˚17’0.4’’, 1603 m, 16.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina & P.Banar (BMNH). Paratypes: all records by Winkler extraction of sieved samples collected in the AMBOHITANTELY SPEC. RES. unless otherwise stated. 36 exs, ABT/ Nov. 2011/02, forest litter, S. 18o11’ 49.1’’ E.47o 17’ 05.6’’, 1547 m, 16– 17.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina & P. Banar (BMNH); 23 exs, ABT/ Nov. 2011/02, forest litter under big Pandanus, S. 18o11’ 52.7’’ E.47o 17’ 0.4’’, 1603 m, 16.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina & P. Banar (BMNH); 6 exs, ABT/ Nov. 2011 / 0 1, forest litter, S. 18o11’49.1’’ E.47o17’05.6’’, 1547 m, 16.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina (BMNH); 1 ex, ABT/18/ 2011, forest litter, S. 18o11’43.9’’ E.47o17’16.1’’, 1613 m, 20.iv.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina & R.Raveloson (BMNH); 3exs, ABT/17/2011, forest litter, S. 18o11’43.1’’ E.47o17’19.3’’, 1636 m, 20.iv.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina & R.Raveloson (BMNH); ABT/ Nov/2011/4, sifting forest litter under Pandanus, S. 18o11’22.7’’ E.47o17’07.8’’, 1623 m, 21.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina (BMNH); ABT/ Nov/2011/01, forest litter under big Pandanus ,, S. 18o11’52.7’’ E.47o17’0.4’’, 1603 m, 16.. xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina & P. Banar (BMNH); 1 ex, ABT/ Nov/2011/08, forest litter, S. 18o11’48.5’’ E.47o 17’09.3’’, 1595 m, 18.xi.2011, P. Banar (BMNH); 2 exs, ABT/ Nov/2011/11, forest litter, S. 18o10’52.6’’ E.47o 17’ 22.5’’, 1497 m, 18.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina (BMNH); 1 ex, ABT/08/2011, forest litter at forest edge, S. 18o11’51.8’’ E.47o17’03.5’’, 1523 m, 19.xi.2011, P. Banar & R. Raveloson (BMNH); 6 exs, ABT/ Nov/ 2011/04, forest litter under palm tree and big rotten trunk, S. 18o11’56.5’’ E.47o17’26.1’’, 1561 m, 17.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina (BMNH); 9 exs, ABT/ Nov/2011/16, forest litter under Pandanus; S. 18o11’42.6’’ E.47o17’10.8’’, 1620 m, 21.xi.2010, L.S.Rahanitriniaina (BMNH); 3 exs, ABT/ Nov/2011/10, forest litter under palm tree, 1600 m, 18.xi.2011, P. Banar, (BMNH); 1 ex, ABT/05/2011, forest litter by waterfall, S. 18o10’53.6’’ E.47o17’22.4’’, 1503 m, 19.iv.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina (lost); 4 ♀ 2♂, ABT/ Nov.2011/09, forest litter, 1610 m, 18.xi.2011, P. Banar (BMNH); 5 exs, ABT/ Nov.2011/21, forest litter under Pandanus, S. 18o11’48.5’’ E.47o17’06.1’’, 1656 m, 25.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina (BMNH); ABT/ Sep/2011/29, sifting forest litter under Pandanus, S. 18o11’54.2’’ E.47o17’05.5’’, 1613 m, 6.ix.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina (BMNH); 18 exs, ABT/ Sept.2011/08, forest litter (bamboo, Pandanus), S.18˚10’52.3’’ E.47˚17’21.3’’, 1493 m, 2.ix.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina (BMNH); 2 exs, ABT/ Sep/2011/08, sifting forest litter under Pandanus, S. 18o11’02.2’’ E.47o17’13.4’’, 1565 m, 4.ix.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina (BMNH); 20 exs, ABT/ Sept.2011/08, forest litter, S.18˚11’42.9’’ E.47˚17’20.3’’, 1640 m, 17.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina (BMNH); 1 ♂ 8 ♀, ABT/ Nov.2011/03, forest litter, S.18˚11’42.9’’ E.47˚17’20.3’’, 1640 m, 17.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina (BMNH); 2 ♂ 4 ♀ ABT/ Sept.2011/11, forest litter under palm tree close by waterfall, S.18˚10’58.3’’ E.47˚17’22.2’’, 1518 m, 3.ix.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina (BMNH); 13 exs, ABT/ Sept.2011/13, forest litter under Pandanus and by big tree, S.18˚10’58.4’’ E.47˚17’22.6’’, 1525 m, 3.ix.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina (BMNH); 1 ex, ABT/01/2011, forest litter under Pandanus very dry material, S.18˚10’51.7’’ E.47˚17’21.6’’, 1593 m, 19.iv.2011, P. Banar & R. Raveloson (BMNH); 3 ♂ 1 ♀, ABT/ Sept.2011/27, forest litter under palm trees, S.18˚11’53.3’’ E.47˚17’11.2’’, 1602 m, 6.ix.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina (BMNH); 15 exs, ABT/ Nov.2011/17, forest litter wet material close to stream, S.18˚11’48.6’’ E.47˚17’05.7’’, 21.xi.2011, P. Banar (BMNH); 5 exs, ABT/ Sept.2011/04, forest litter under Pandanus, S.18˚11’46.4’’ E.47˚17’09.9’’, 1570 m, 1.ix.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina (BMNH); 8 exs, ABT/ Nov.2011/12, forest litter, S.18˚10’53.3’’ E.47˚17’22.4’’, 1482 m, 18.xi.2011, L.S.Rahanitriniaina (BMNH); 3 exs, Montagne d’Ambre N.P., sifting, 1100 m, 30.x.2010, P. Banar (BMNH).
Note. A further 3 species were detected in the material, but each was represented by a single specimen only and all were in poor condition lacking one or more parts. Naming and descriptions are not being attempted until further specimens are available.
1 ♂, Ranomafana N.P., sifting, S.21˚ 14’ 51’’ E. 47˚ 24’ 13’’, 1079 m, 16–18.xi.2010, P. Banar (BMNH)
1 ♀, Andasibe N.P., Circuit Indri 2, sifting, 20.xi.2010, S. Rahanitriniaina (BMNH)
1 ♂, Montagne d’Ambre N.P., sifting, 1100 m, 30.x.2010, P.Banar (BMNH)
description: Published as part of Darby, Michael, 2013, Studies of Madagascan Ptiliidae (Coleoptera) 1: The Tribe Discheramocephalini including eighteen new species, pp. 239-266 in Zootaxa 3718 (3) on pages 246-247, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3718.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/247941