Pseudodatames alluaudi Redtenbacher, 1906

Description

Color. Light brown.

Male. Size smaller than P. memorabilis Redtenbacher.

Head slightly broader (across the eyes) than long, narrowing slightly posteriorly; dorsal surface coarsely rugose; supra-antennal spines conical; eyes prominent, almost hemispherical; left occipital comb smaller than the right, tridentate on the upper margin and with a spine on the inner surface; right occipital comb multidentate on the upper margin and with a tubercle on the inner surface; lateral and median coronal spines conical. Antennae with thirteen segments, about twice as long as the head, but only slightly more than half the length of the anterior femora; distal ten articles with numerous short hairs.

Pronotum slightly longer than broad, about one half the length of the metanotum (not including the median segment); surface rugose; transverse sulcus strong; left anterior pronotal spine larger than the right. Propleura extending laterad only slightly more than the notum. Prosternum weakly rugose.

Mesonotum about four times as long as the pronotum, 2.5 times as long as the greatest (posterior) width, subcylindrical; surface sparsely granulose; posterior mesonotals represented by only slight swellings. Mesopleura extending beyond the notum only slightly at the coxae; mesopleural spine present; supra-coxal projection bifid, the margin multidenticulate. Mesosternum sparsely granulose; postero-sternal area node-like, with a cluster of small spines.

Metanotum 1.6 times longer than the greatest (anterior) width; surface sparsely granulose. Median segment about 2.4 times broader than long, granulose. Metapleura expanded near the coxae; metapleural spine strong; supra-coxal projection bifid, each element being bidentate. Metasternum granulose; postero-sternal area as on the mesosternum.

Abdomen with the dorsal surface sparsely granulose, ventral surface more strongly so. Abdominal tergite II about 1.1 times broader basally (the greatest width) than long, narrowing posteriorly, tergites III-VII distinctly longer than broad, VIII subquadrate, broadening slightly posteriorly, IX about 1.3 times broader than long, X three-fourths the width of IX, subquadrate, rotundato-truncate and weakly bilobed apically. Tergite V with a pair of transverse elevations near the posterior margin; tergites VI-IX with a faint median ridge terminating on each segment in a small posterior mesal tubercle; tergite IX with faint postero-lateral spines. Proculum, in lateral view, almost right-angled, terminating in a distinct lip; subgenital plate with a pair of transverse tubercles at the angle. Cerci simple, laterally compressed basally.

Anterior legs having the femora elongate, slender, about as long as the pro- and mesonota together, basally compressed; margins faintly carinate and obscurely serrate; apically with a meso-dorsal and pair of lateral triangular projections. Tibiae about as long as the femora, the margins carinate. Tarsi short, about 0.3 times the length of the tibiae, tarsomeres in the ratio 3.0:2.0:1.6:1.0:4.0, articles I-III each with a small rounded projection on the dorso-apical margins; pulvilli bifid; claws simple, strongly curved apically; arolium large, subovoid.

Middle legs having the femora about 0.7 times the length of the anterior femora, stouter, cylindrical; apex as in the anterior femora. Tibiae shorter than the femora, the margins rounded; areola elongate, obscure. Tarsi similar to the anterior ones, 0.4 times the length of the tibiae; tarsomeres in the ratio 2.0:1.8:1.5:1.0:4.0.

Posterior legs having the femora about as long as the metathorax, about 0.8 times the length of the anterior ones, stouter, cylindrical, dorsally with a slight swelling at the apical fifth, ventrally with a pair of tubercles just basad of the membranous joint area; apex as in the anterior ones.. Tibiae about as long as the femora, similar to the median pair. Tarsi similar to the others, 0.4 times the length of the tibiae, the tarsomeres in the ratio 2.5:2.0:1.5:1.0:4.0.

Geographic distribution. East-central Madagascar.

Systematic notes. The described specimen, a male (MCZ: N^o P16. Moramango [sic!], Malagasy. 14.III.32. Perinet), agrees closely with Redtenbacher’s description, except for its smaller size.