Afropselaphus inaequalis, Brachat & Assing, 2021

Brachat, Volker & Assing, Volker, 2021, The Afropselaphus fauna of South Turkey and the Middle East (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Pselaphinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 53 (2), pp. 545-568 : 566

Afropselaphus inaequalis nov.sp. ( Fig. 29 , Map 2 )

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype ♁: " N32°59'35 E35°24'52 Israel Upper Galilee Meron Mts. 1130 m Meybohm 17.3.2011 / Afropselaphus inaequalis spec. nov. ♁ det. Brachat 2021 / Holotypus " (cBra). Paratype ♁: same data as holotype (cBra).

E t y m o l o g y: The specific epithet (Latin, adjective) alludes to the asymmetric structure in the internal sac of the aedeagus.

D e s c r i p t i o n: Body length 1.70-1.80 mm. Other measurements (in mm): HL: 0.36-0.37; HW: 0.28; AL: 0.81-0.85; PL: 0.32; PW: 0.30; EL: 0.40; EW: 0.68; AedL: 0.36.

Head slightly more than 1.3 times as long as broad. Eyes composed of 6 ommatidia. Antennae with antennomeres I-IV and XI distinctly oblong, V-VIII weakly oblong, and IX and X as long as broad. Pronotum weakly oblong and slightly broader than head, median ante-basal fovea weakly pronounced.

♁: metaventrite convex; sternite IV with oval medio-basal impression extending to middle of sternite, lateral margins of this impression with a series of short setae; aedeagus ( Fig. 29 ) apically curved ventrad and with truncate median extension; internal structure of distinctive shape.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: Afropselaphus inaequalis is distinguished from the similar and geographically close A. aequalis only by the internal structure of the aedeagus.

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d n a t u r a l h i s t o r y: The type locality is situated in Upper Galilee, North Israel ( Map 2 ). The specimens were sifted from litter in shrubland at an altitude of 1,130 m.

Figures

Map 2: Distributions of Afropselaphus sinuatus (black triangle), A. adanicus (white circle), A. latibasalis (black star), A. trispinosus (black circles), A. kizilicus (white diamonds), and A. inaequalis (black diamond).

Figs 29-31: Afropselaphus inaequalis nov.sp. (29), A. aequalis nov.sp. (30), and A. assmanni nov.sp. (31): aedeagus in dorsal view. Scale bar: 0.1 mm.