Africaphes bipunctatus Jałoszyński, 2025

Africaphes bipunctatus Jałoszyński , sp. nov.

( Figs 2 View FIGURES 1–2 , 6–7 View FIGURES 3–7 , 9 View FIGURES 8–9 , 11–13 View FIGURES 10–13 , 15 View FIGURES 14–16 , 17–19 View FIGURES 17–19 , 22–25 View FIGURES 20–25 )

Type material studied. Holotype ( Rwanda): ♂, two labels: “ Afrika / Rwanda / Bez. Cyangugu / Urw. v. Nyakabuye / 1700–1900m /14.– 27.2.1985 / leg. V.u. C.Brachat ” [white, printed], „ AFRICAPHES \ bipunctatus m. \ P. Jałoszyński, 2025 \ HOLOTYPUS“ [red, printed] ( MNHW) . Paratypes (3 exx.): 1 ♂, same data as for holotype ; 1 ♀, same data except for 22.4.1985, leg. Mühle ; 1 ♀, same data except for 9.1.1986, leg. Mühle (cPJ) .

Diagnosis. Male: posterior vertexal region with median longitudinal ‘slot’; submental region subtriangular with all sides subequal in length; antennomere 8 as long as broad.

Description. Body of male ( Fig. 2 View FIGURES 1–2 ) moderately dark brown with slightly lighter appendages, setae yellowish brown; BL 0.95–1.00 mm.

Head ( Figs 6–7 View FIGURES 3–7 ) broadest across eyes, HL 0.20 mm, HW 0.23 mm; temple in dorsal view ( Fig. 6 View FIGURES 3–7 ) distinctly longer than eye; frontovertexal region strongly transverse; each eye moderately large and weakly convex, coarsely faceted. Punctures on dorsum inconspicuous; setae short, sparse and suberect; outer genal regions with lateral and ventral bristles. Secondary sexual characters: posterior vertexal region with single median longitudinal ‘slot’ ( Fig. 7 View FIGURES 3–7 ). Ventrally, head with submental region ( Fig. 9 View FIGURES 8–9 ) subtriangular with all its sides subequal in length. Antenna ( Fig. 2 View FIGURES 1–2 ) slender but short in relation to body length, AnL 0.45–0.48 mm, antennomeres 1 and 2 each strongly elongate, slightly more than twice as long as broad, 3 slightly transverse, with sharply marked proximal marginal ‘collar’, 4–6 each weakly elongate and gradually increasing in width and length, 7 weakly elongate, clearly wider than 6, 8 as wide as 7 and slightly shorter, about as long as broad, 9 and 10 each about as long as broad and much wider than 8, 11 much shorter than 9 and 10 combined, as wide as 10 and about 1.5 times as long as broad.

Pronotum ( Fig. 6 View FIGURES 3–7 ) rounded, broadest near middle; PL 0.25 mm, PW 0.25 mm. Anterior and lateral margins strongly rounded; posterior corners obtuse-angled, posterior margin indistinctly rounded. Pronotal disc with two pairs of round and deep antebasal pits and with barely discernible impression laterad outer pit, on dorsolateral surface. Disc with fine, inconspicuous punctures; setae about as long, sparse and suberect as those on head dorsum, dorsally admixed with sparse bristles, which become denser on lateral pronotal regions and on outer hypomera.

Elytra ( Figs 2 View FIGURES 1–2 , 6 View FIGURES 3–7 ) together oval, broadest near middle; EL 0.50–0.55 mm, EW 0.40 mm, EI 1.25–1.38; humeral calli distinct, elongate and mesally demarcated by shallow impressions, basal foveae deep and widely separated. Punctures and setae as those on pronotal disc.

Hind wings functional.

Legs short, lacking peculiar modifications.

Aedeagus ( Figs 22–25 View FIGURES 20–25 ) stout, AeL 0.11 mm; in ventral view with short subtriangular apex; endophallus with several curved elongate sclerites; parameres moderately slender, each with 2–3 apical setae.

Female. Externally similar to male, differs in lacking posterior vertexal modification and in slightly shorter antennae in relation to body length. BL 1.00 mm; HL 0.20 mm, HW 0.23–0.24 mm, AnL 0.43 mm; PL 0.25 mm, PW 0.25–0.28 mm; EL 0.55 mm, EW 0.40 mm, EI 1.38.

Distribution. SW Rwanda (formerly Cyangugu Province, currently part of Western Province).

Etymology. The adjective bipunctatus refers to the head of male which bears only two anterior pits.

Remarks. For differences between A. quadripunctatus and A. bipunctatus see Remarks for the former species.