Masuria (Masuria) follita sp. n.

Assing, Volker, 2006, New species and records of Masuria Cameron, with a key to species, Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 56, pp. 141-154 : 145-147

Masuria (Masuria) follita sp. n.

(Figs. 15-26)

Type material:

Holotype d: Ost-Nepal, Rolwaling Himal / Rolwaling Tal , Nyimare , 3300 m, 19.05. 2000, leg. A. Kleeberg / Holotypus d M asuria fo llita sp. n. det. V. Assing 2006 (cAss). Paratypes: 4 exs.: same data as holotype (cKle, cAss); 5 exs.: Ost-Nepal, Rolwaling Himal / Rolwaling Tal , Umg. Nyimare , 3300 m, Spritzmoos , 18.05.2000, leg. A. Kleeberg (cKle, cAss); 6 exs.: Ost-Nepal, Rolwaling Himal / Rolwaling Tal , zw. Simigaon u. Nyimare , 2700 m, 17.05.2000, leg. A. Kleeberg (cKle ).

Description:

Species of relatively small size, 3.0- 3.6 mm. Habitus as in Fig. 15. Body blackish; legs brown, with the tarsi sometimes slightly paler; antennae dark brown, with the basal 3-4 antennomeres reddish brown.

Head with very dense, moderately coarse, and well-defined puncturation, interstices mostly reduced to narrow ridges and without microsculpture; eyes bulging, distinctly projecting from lateral outline of head (Fig. 16). Antennae relatively short (Fig. 17); preapical antennomeres approximately 1.5 times as wide as long.

Pronotum relatively slender, approximately 1.25 times as wide as head and approximately 1.15 times as wide as long; lateral margins widest a short distance anterior to middle, convexly dilated, but not angled, usually shallowly concave between lateral and posterior angles; posterior angles well-marked; near posterior angles usually with shallow, sometimes indistinct impression; puncturation similar to that of head; interstices without or with very shallow microsculpture (Fig. 16).

Elytra approximately 1.35 times as wide and about 0.95 times as long as pronotum; puncturation similar to that of pronotum, but slightly sparser and sometimes slightly coarser; interstices narrower than diameter of punctures (Fig. 16). Hind wings fully developed. Legs not particularly long and slender; metatarsomere I almost as long as the combined length of II and III.

Abdomen approximately 0.80-0.85 times as wide as elytra, anteriorly (segments III-V) subparallel, posteriorly (segments VI and following) weakly tapering; puncturation very dense and somewhat granulose in anterior impressions of tergites III-V, fine and very dense in posterior halves of tergites III-V and on all of tergite VI, slightly less dense on tergite VII; pubescence greyish and decumbent; surface without distinct microsculpture and with subdued shine owing to the dense puncturation and pubescence; posterior margin of tergite VII with pronounced palisade fringe (Fig. 18).

c?: tergite VIII transverse and with weakly convex posterior margin (Fig. 19); sternite VIII oblong, its posterior margin broadly convex (Fig. 20); median lobe of aedeagus with large-based flagellum-like structure in internal sac (Figs. 21-24).

$; tergite VIII transverse and with convex posterior margin (Fig. 25); sternite VIII transverse, its posterior margin truncate in middle (Fig. 26); spermatheca similar to that of M. k leebergi (cf. Fig. 14).

Etymology: The name (Lat., adj.; with a sack or bellow) refers to the conspicuous shape of the base of the flagelloid structure in the internal sac of the aedeagus.

Comparative notes:

From the similar sympatric and syntopic M. k leebergi, M. fo llita is at once distinguished by the shorter antennae with distinctly transverse preapical antennomeres, by the distinctly shorter legs and tarsi, the posteriorly less distinctly tapering abdomen, the denser abdominal puncturation, as well as by the distinctly smaller aedeagus with a less pronounced crista apicalis and an internal flagelloid structure of completely different shape. From the sympatric M. loebli and M. sculpticollis, it is easily separated by the different morphology of the aedeagus, as well as by the distinctly darker coloration (M, lo eb li) and the much more slender pronotum with less pronounced lateral angles and with well-defined puncturation (M. sculpticollis). For distinction from other species of the genus see the key below.

Distribution and bionomics:

Hie known distribution is confined to several localities in the surroundings of Nyimare, Rolwaling Himal, eastern Nepal, where the types were collected at altitudes of 2700- 3300 m. Some of the specimens were collected from wet moss in the vicinity of a waterfall.