Paederus (Gnathopaederus) xuei Z. Peng

Peng, Zhong, Li, Qi-Li, Li, Li-Zhen & Gu, Fu-Kang, 2015, New data on the subgenus Gnathopaederus of the genus Paederus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae) of mainland China, Zootaxa 3999 (3), pp. 421-429 : 425-428

Paederus (Gnathopaederus) xuei Z. Peng and L.-Z. Li, new species

(Figs 1E, 1J, 5)

Type material. HOLOTYPE: ♂, labelled ‘ China: Yunnan Prov., Pingbian Hsien, Dawei Shan, 22°54'45''N, 103°41'37''E, 2100 m, 25.V.2014, Jun Xue leg.’ ( SNUC). PARATYPES: 1 ♀, same label data as holotype ( SNUC); 3 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, same data, but ‘ 22°55'03''N, 103°42'05''E, 2000 m, 21.V.2011, Huang Hao leg.’ ( SNUC); 3 ♂♂, same data, but ‘ 20.V.2009, Wen-Xuan Bi leg.’ ( SNUC).

Description. Measurements (in mm) and ratios: BL: 11.56–12.40; FL: 5.89–6.17; HL: 1.74–1.89; HW: 1.89– 1.97; AnL: 4.01–4.28; PL: 2.08–2.15; PW: 1.74–1.81; EL: 1.32–1.47; EW: 1.70–1.85; AW: 1.97–2.19; AL: 2.49– 2.64; HL/HW: 0.92–0.96; HW/PW: 1.06–1.11; HL/PL: 0.84–0.88; PL/PW: 1.17–1.20; EL/PL: 0.63–0.68; diameter of eye: 0.57–0.65.

Habitus as in Fig. 1E. Coloration: head, labrum, mandibles blackish brown, labial palpi yellowish brown; antennae dark brown, with the three basal segments yellowish brown; pronotum brownish red; elytra blackish blue with metallic luster; abdominal segments III-VI reddish brown; segments VII-VIII black; legs black, with coxa and apical third of femur brown.

Head slightly wider than long, widest across eyes; punctation moderately coarse and sparse; interstices glossy. Eyes distinctly convex. All antennomeres longer than broad; antennomeres IV–VIII of equal length (Fig. 1J).

Pronotum nearly oviform, disc convex; punctures sparser and shallower than that of head.

Elytra trapeziform; punctation coarse, defined, and dense. Hind wings completely reduced. Metatarsomere I as long as combined length of metatarsomeres II and III.

Abdomen distinctly broader than elytra; punctation sparse; interstices with very shallow microsculpture; posterior margin of tergite VII without palisade fringe; posterior margin of tergite VIII ( Figs 5 F, I) broadly convex.

Male. Labrum as in Fig. 5 D, anterior margin distinctly sinuate; left mandible ( Fig. 5 A) with single strong dorsal tooth, inner margin with single bicuspidate tooth; right mandible ( Fig. 5 B) with single dorsal tooth larger than that on left mandible, inner margin with single-pointed middle tooth. Sternite VII unmodified; sternite VIII ( Fig. 5 J) weakly transverse and with deep posterior incision, this incision approximately 0.4 times as long as sternite VIII; sternite IX ( Fig. 5 K) asymmetric; aedeagus as in Figs 5 L–N; dorsal plate of median lobe nearly symmetric, curved in lateral view and not reaching apices of parameres; parameres symmetric and stout; internal sac with single long sclerotized spine.

Female. Labrum as in Fig. 5 E. Posterior margin of sternite VIII ( Fig. 5 G) strongly convex; sternite IX ( Fig. 5 H) small.

Distribution and natural history. The type material was found in two localities in the Dawei Shan to the south of Pingbian, southern Yunnan, at altitudes of 2000 and 2100 m. The specimens were collected by sifting litter and the roots of herbs at and near the margin of a mountain trail.

Etymology. The species is dedicated to Jun Xue, who collected some of type specimens.

Comparative notes. As can be inferred from the highly similar sexual characters, the new species is allied to the geographically close P. yunnanensis Willers, 2001 , from which it differs by larger size, larger eyes, the stouter antennomere II, the shape of the labrum, the much larger dorsal tooth on the right male mandible, the larger aedeagus with stouter parameres and a shorter sclerotized spine in the internal sac.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Paederus xuei. A male left mandible B male right mandible C female right mandible D male labrum E female labrum F female tergite VIII G female sternite VIII H female sternite IX I male tergite VIII J male sternite VIII K male tergite IX L aedeagus in ventral view M aedeagus in lateral view N aedeagus in dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.