Bryaxis cialanciaensis, Kahlen & Eckelt & C & C, 2024

Bryaxis cialanciaensis nov.sp. ( Figs 1-2 View Figs 1-4 )

Holotype ♁: Piemonte / Torino, Parco Naturale Conca Cialancia, Punta Freidour W-Side, 2350 m, 44.875°N, 7.1217°E, 28.6.202 1, leg. Kahlen / Bryaxis cialanciaensis spec. nov. ♁ det. Kahlen / vid. Brachat GoogleMaps / Holotype ( TLMF) . Paratypes: 1♁, 4♀♀, Piemonte / Torino, Parco Naturale Conca Cialancia, Punta Freidour W-Side, 2350 m, 44.875°N, 7.1217°E, 28.6.202 1, leg. Kahlen ( TLMF) GoogleMaps ; 1♁ Piemonte / Torino, Parco Naturale Conca Cialancia, Punta Lausarot N-Rücken, 2250 m, 44.8835°N, 7.1216°E, 28.6.202 1, leg. Kahlen ( TLMF) GoogleMaps ; 1♁, 1♀ Piemonte / Torino, Parco Naturale Conca Cialancia , Lago Lauson Umg., 2030-2050 m, 44.8872°N, 7.1266°E, 17.7.202 2, leg. Kahlen ( TLMF) GoogleMaps .

E t y m o l o g y: The specific epithet is derived from the name of the collection area "Conca Cialancia".

D e s c r i p t i o n: Habitus as in Fig. 1 View Figs 1-4 . Body length 1.5-1.6 mm. Body, including appendages, uniformly reddish-brown and glossy. Setae sparse, moderately long, and nearly appressed. Head length (from antennal insertion to neck) 0.25 mm, head width (across eyes) 0.32 mm, frons slightly depressed, dull and granular punctate, vertex glossy with widely and finely punctured surface. Pronotum wider than long (W 0.42-0.45 mm, L 0.35-0.37 mm), glossy with very widely spaced punctures, with a sharply marked transverse groove in the last quarter before the base, strongly arched, widest before the middle, slightly heart-shaped. Elytra barely wider than long together (W 0.69-0.70 mm, L 0.67- 0.68 mm), glossy and with loose but strong punctation. Abdominal tergites glossy with very widely spaced fine punctation. ♁: Antennal segment 1 exactly square (0.075 mm), only moderately glossy, slightly asymmetrically humped on the upper side, this elevation towards the center or more towards the inner edge; antennal segment 2 strongly spherical (0.07-0.075 mm) slightly longer than wide; segments 3-8 narrower, also spherical, 3 and 4 barely wider than the following ones, broadening from segment 9 towards the club ( Fig. 1 View Figs 1-4 ). Only males with normal leg development are present. Aedeagus ♁: Fig. 2. View Figs 1-4

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: Based on morphology Bryaxis cialanciaensis nov.sp. and Bryaxis gallicus are clearly distinguishable in the shape of antennal segments and the aedeagi. Other features (head, pronotum, elytra, abdomen) do not offer consistent distinguishing characteristics. The ♀♀ of the species are distinguishable by measuring the length-width ratio of the 1st antennal segment.

Bryaxis cialanciaensis nov.sp. Bryaxis gallicus

Antenna ♁: Antennal segment 1 exactly Antenna ♁: Antennal segment 1 almost square (0.075 mm), only moderately square, appearing shorter due to a glossy, slightly asymmetrically humped stronger approach to the antennal pit, on the upper side, this elevation towards distinctly glossy, slightly asymmetrically the center or more towards the inner humped on the upper side, but this edge; Antennal segment 2 almost exactly elevation is more clearly towards the spherical (0.07‐0.075 mm), slightly longer outer edge; Antennal segment 2 longer than wide ( Fig. 1 View Figs 1-4 ). Antenna ♀: Antennal than wide segment 1 about half longer than wide (L (L 0.08‐0.087 mm, W 0.065 ‐0.070 mm), 0.080 ‐0.087 mm, W 0.055 ‐0.057 mm; strongly asymmetrical (the outer edge 1.53:1.00) curved, the inner edge almost straight Habitus: Fig. 1 View Figs 1-4 and drawn out in a narrow bulge towards the rear ( Fig. 3 View Figs 1-4 , 5 View Figs 5-6 ). Antenna ♀: Antennal

Aedeagus ♁: Fig. 2 View Figs 1-4

segment 1 about one‐third longer than wide (L 0.075 ‐0.077 mm, W 0.055 ‐0.057

mm; 1.35:1:00)

Habitus: Fig. 3 View Figs 1-4

Aedeagus ♁: Fig. 4 View Figs 1-4 , 6 View Figs 5-6

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d h a b i t a t: The new species has been found exclusively in the northern Cottian Alps, specifically in the Conca Cialancia Nature Park ( Fig 7 View Fig ). The holotype and paratypes were collected by sifting Salix and Rhododendron litter between rock crevices ( Figs 8-9 View Figs 8-9 ). The species is currently known to be a local endemic of this area.