Elacatophora soesilae (Makhan & Ezzatpanah)

Jałoszyński, Paweł, 2015, A new species and synonymy in Elacatophora (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae), Zootaxa 3915 (1), pp. 143-146 : 145-146

Elacatophora soesilae (Makhan & Ezzatpanah)

Elacatophora soesilae ( Makhan & Ezzatpanah, 2011) : 1.

Elacatophora minae ( Makhan & Ezzatpanah, 2011) : 2, syn. n.

These two names were published in one paper ( Makhan & Ezzatpanah 2011). The descriptions are extremely short and do not follow modern taxonomic standards, as they are not accompanied by any diagnoses. The two descriptions are identical except for two vs. four pits within the antebasal transverse pronotal groove, slightly different measurements, and the number of apical parameral setae. Such differences cannot be seen in the figures provided, and it is unclear what is indicated by an arrow in Fig. 4 as the parameral setae. When the habitus and male genitalia photos are compared (especially Fig. 3 and Fig. 8), it becomes clear that they show one species, and the names B. soesile Makhan & Ezzatpanah and B. minae Makhan & Ezzatpanah are subjective synonyms. The body shape and proportions of antennomeres do not differ in any way. The general shape of the aedeagus, its subapical structures, the length and shape of parameres, and above all clearly identical structures of the endophallus strongly support this interpretation. Differences in genital structures in all other species of Elacatophora are profound and if the aedeagus of E. soesile was different from that of E. minae , differences would be noticeable even in such poor-quality photos as those provided by Makhan & Ezzatpanah. With accordance to the ICZN 24.2, the name Elacatophora minae is here selected as a junior subjective synonym of E. soesilae .

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Elacatophora euconnoides sp. n., habitus of holotype male in dorsal view (1) and paratype male in lateral view (2); aedeagus in ventral (3) and lateral (4) views.