Bryaxis bedeki sp. nov.

(Fig. 2)

Material examined. (11 ƋƋ, 5 ♀♀). Holotype: Croatia: 1 Ƌ: Croatia, Mljet, Okuklje, Galičnjak špilja, 2.05.2008, leg. M. Pavlek (CNHM). Paratypes: Croatia: 1 Ƌ: same data as holotype but on 14.04.2007, leg. J. Bedek; 5 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀: same data as holotype but collected by M. Lukić, H. Billandžija, M. Pavlek; (CNHM, NMHNS, PCPH); 2 ♂♂: same data as holotype but on 22.10.2015 and collected by B. Jalžić (PCPH); 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀: Croatia, Mljet Isl., Blato, Špilja 1, Na Brodskoj Gori, 11.IV.2015, leg. B. Jalžic. (NMHNS, PCPH).

Description. Body (Fig. 2 a) reddish-brown, antennae, maxillary palpi, and legs also reddish-brown, slightly lighter than body, length 1.90–2.10 mm, max width 0.70–0.80 mm. Pubescence on head, pronotum and elytra gold, short, dense, and recumbent. Head 1.10–1.20 times as long as wide. Frons with deep, triangular impression between antennal tubercles; rostrum triangular anteriorly, with sharp median projection. Vertex flat, with strong median longitudinal carina, reaching frontal triangular impression; frontal fovea absent, vertexal foveae small, their diameter smaller then the distance between them. Eyes reduced, with 5–6 facets each. Maxillary palpi normally developed, with small, sparse tubercles on external part of apex of palpomeres II–III, and the external part of the base of IV, terminal palpomere 0.24 mm long, about 0.33 times as long as wide. Gular region with shallow impression, anterior margin elevated, with one short tooth on each side. Antennae about 0.80–0.85 mm long, scape (Fig. 2 b) simple, lacking modification, 2.85–3.10 times as long as pedicel; pedicel 1.40 times as long as wide, simple (Fig. 2 b); antennomeres III–VII elongate, subequal in length, III as long as IV, VIII smallest, as long as wide, IX quadrate, about 1.25 times as wide as VIII, X 1.2 times as long as wide and 1.40–1.50 times as long as IX, terminal antennomere large and fusiform about 2.25 times as long as wide. Pronotum 1.05–1.10 as long as wide and 1.33–1.40 times as long as head, widest in anterior third, with well-defined antebasal sulcus connecting large lateral foveae, median fovea absent. Elytra 1.04–1.07 times as wide as long, slightly convex, with two basal foveae and sutural entire striae, discal striae absent. Legs slender, tibiae I with deep preapical indentation on mesal margin, tibiae II and III simple. Aedeagus (Fig. 2 c–d) 0.44–0.45 mm long, 2.40 times as long as wide, narrowed to apex of apical lobe, with three short preapical setae, endophallus complex (as in Fig. 2 c).

Sexual dimorphism. Female similar to male in general appearance, but the scape is simple, the gular region lacks depression or other modification, and tibiae I are simple and lack indentation. All available males belong to the forme inflatipes

Differential diagnosis. Bryaxis bedeki belongs to the Bryaxis troglodytes- species group as defined by Nonveiller et al. (2003). It shares the same shape of the scape and pedicel as well as antennomeres IX and X (slightly wider than long) as Bryaxis krilei Hlaváč, 2008, and is closely related to this species. However, the new species differs from all others of the species group in the shape of the aedeagus.

Biology. All specimens were found in caves.

Etymology. Patronymic, dedicated to one of the material collectors, Jana Bedek.