The fluid theory of a new type of electron temperature gradient instability is proposed. This mode is closely related to the short wavelength Alfvén mode in the regime k2ρi2>1. Contrary to standard electron temperature gradient modes, which are mostly electrostatic, the considered mode is fundamentally electromagnetic and does not exist in the electrostatic limit. The mechanism of instability relies on gradients in both the electron temperature and magnetic field. It is suggested that this instability may be a destabilizing mechanism for collisionless microtearing modes, which are observed in a number of gyrokinetic simulations.

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