Thinobius paramicros, Makranczy, 2014

Thinobius paramicros View in CoL sp. n.

( Figs 11–12 View Figs 7–12 , 19 View Figs 13–26 , 38–40 View Figs 34–40 , 45, 51–54)

Typematerial – Holotype (m): [ ALGERIA: Tamanrasset,] Hoggar , AguelmaneIm- errha [Imeghra, 23°26’57’’N, 5°47’06’’E], u. 2000 m [ 1850m], 23-25.III.1928, [leg. Peyerimhoff, danslesablehumideauborddelapoched’eau] MissionduHoggarFévrier- Mai 1928 ( MNHP) GoogleMaps ; Paratypes (5): samedataasholotype (2 MNHP, 1 m, HNHM, 1 f, collBernhauer, FMNH, 1 f, collBernhauerviaScheerpeltz, FMNH) .

Description – Measurements (in mm, n = 6): HW = 0.24 (0.23–0.24); TW = 0.23 ( 0.225 – 0.235); PW = 0.27 ( 0.255 –0.275); SW = 0.28 (0.26–0.29); AW = 0.31 (0.29–0.32); HL = 0.20 (0.19– 0.21); EL = 0.07 (0.07–0.08); TL = 0.06 (0.06–0.07); PL = 0.20 (0.19–0.21); SL = 0.35 (0.33–0.36); SC = 0.31 (0.29–0.33); FB = 0.73 (0.61–0.89); BL = 1.31 (1.25–1.37). Body ( Fig. 54 View Figs 54–55 ) very slightly bicoloured. Head, pronotumandabdomenslightlyreddishdarkbrown, elytrareddish mediumbrownwithadarkerareabehindscutellumextendingtoshoulders. Legsand mouthpartsmediumbrown, apicesoffemoraandbothendsoftibiaeoftenlighter, together withtarsi; basalpartofantennamuchlighter (yellowish) thanapicalarticles, latteroften significantlyblackish. Forebodywithveryfinecoriaceousmicroreticulation, ratherdull. Punctationonforebodyratherdenseandsofinethathardlydiscernible. Discsofabdominaltergiteswithaparticulartypeoftransversalmicrosculptureandlongitudinalmicrosetationarrangedintheminutetransversalridgesthatcausesaslightiridescenteffect. Pubescenceonforebodydepressedandveryshort, fineanddense (onelytrathemostdense), onabdomenapicesoftergiteswitharowoflonghairs, andasparsesetationcomposedof similarbutshorterhairs; abdominalsidesandapexwithafewdarkerandstrongerbristles. Strongdarkbristleonoutersideofsupraantennaltubercleatanteriorborderofeye (thosenearouterposterioredgeofvertexweaklydeveloped), similaronesrightbehind anteriorpronotalcornerandonsideat 3/5 length. Setationanteriorlydirectedonheadand pronotum, directionposterioronelytraandabdomen. Antennaewithlonger, darkerhairs onbasalarticles, legsandmouthpartswithveryshort, notconspicuoussetation, exceptfor thestiff, darkermid-tibialhairsondonesnearapicesoffemora. Sidesofelytrawiththree suchstiffsetaeaboutequallydistributedonlengthofside.

Head ( Fig. 11 View Figs 7–12 ) slightlywiderthanlong, templesusuallystraight, withagentlecurve ontheside, roundedonposteriorpart. Middleofvertexwithaslighttransversalimpression. Anteriorborderofneckisstronglymarkedwithashiny, arched, deepgroove. Frontoclypealsutureappearingasindistinctgrooveandadarkline (visibleonlyifhead lighter) connectingsupraantennaltubercles, similarlydarkerspotssituatedatbothsides onmiddleofvertex. Supraantennaltuberclesmoderatelydeveloped, separatedfromver- texbylongitudinalimpression. Antennaemediumlong ( Fig. 19 View Figs 13–26 ), 6thantennomereappear- ingaswideasadjacentones.

Pronotum ( Fig. 12 View Figs 7–12 ) weaklytransverse, 1.35× widerthanlong, justalittlewiderthan head, anteriormiddlepartofdisctransversallyalittleimpressed, averyslightlongitudinalimpressedlinenearanteriorcorners. Anteriorcornersmoderatelyweaklyrounded, posteriorcornersverybroadly, sidesalmostinarchwithposteriormargin. Pronotalmar- ginalbeadvisibleonposteriormargin, anteriormarginslightlypulledaheadinmiddlebut withoutvisiblemarginalbead. Scutellumsmall, ifexposed, shinierthanadjoiningareas. Elytraratherlong, oneelytronabouttwiceaslongasbroad, quiteflatandparallel-sided (verygentlydilatingposteriorly). Shouldersmoderatelydeveloped. Alongsuturewithout eventracesofmarginalbead; suturalcornersbroadlyrounded. Legs ofmediumlength, tarsallobessmallandthin, inconspicuous, tibiaefusiform, appearmuchwiderinmiddle thanatends.

Abdomenveryweaklyfusiform, sidesmoreorlessstraightandparallel; widestat 1/3 length, justveryslightlylesswidethanelytraatbroadestpoint. Posteriormarginoftergite VIIwithpalisadefringeandposteriorcornersbroadlyrounded.

Primaryandsecondarysexualfeatures: Sexesnotappearingdifferentinregulardor- salview. PosterioredgeoftergiteVIII (similarinbothsexes) gentlyconcave, arched. Male sterniteVIIIasinFig. 38 View Figs 34–40 , tergiteIXasinFig. 39 View Figs 34–40 , sterniteIXasinFig. 40 View Figs 34–40 . AedeagusasinFig. 45. FemalegenitalappendageasinFig. 51, spermathecaasinFigs 52–53.

Etymology – Thespecificepithetreferstothecloserelationshiptothesisterspecies,

Thinobius micros .

Distribution – Asopposedto T. micros thatreachesasfarsouthastheNorthernAtlas MountainsinAlgeria, thisspeciesoccursintheSouthernAlgerianHoggarMassiv, andis probablyendemictoit.

Remarks – The members of the T. linearis group can now be divided into threedifferentspeciescomplexes. Onecontains T. heterogaster alone, theother is constituted by the T. micros – T. paramicros pair, while the T. linearis complex containsalltheremainingspecies: T. linearis , T. petzi , T. bicolor , T. brunneipennis , T. holdhausi . Ofcourse, thisissubjecttochangeasmorespeciesbecome knownworldwide.

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Acknowledgements – Theauthorwishestoexpressthankstotechnicians, collection managersandcuratorsofthemuseumsandinstitutionswhererelevanttypesaredeposited, AzadehTaghavianandThierryDeuve (Paris) YvonnickGérardandDidierDrugmand ( Brussels), HaroldLabrique (Lyon), MargaretK. ThayerandJamesH. Boone (Chicago, IL), RogerG. BoothandMartinJ. D. Brendell ( London), LotharZerche, StephanBlankandLutz Behne ( Eberswalde, thenMüncheberg), AlešSmetanaandAnthonyDavies ( Ottawa, ON), PhilipD. Perkins ( Cambridge, MA) andHaraldSchillhammer ( Wien), whoalsoprepared thecolourhabitusphotos. Numerousothercolleagueswereinvolvedindiscussionsover thepastdecadeandprovidedalotofcruciallyimportantinformations, MichaelSchülke ( Berlin), MarcTronquet (Molitg- les-bains), AlNewton ( Chicago) beingthemostimportant .