Bolitogyrus himalayicus Brunke

Brunke, Adam J., 2017, A revision of the Oriental species of Bolitogyrus Chevrolat (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Staphylininae), ZooKeys 664, pp. 1-97 : 58

Bolitogyrus himalayicus Brunke sp. n. Figs 17 I–J, 20C (map)

Type locality.

Sevoke, Darjeerling, West Bengal, India.

Type material.

Holotype (♂, MHNG): India, W. Bengal, Darjeerling dist, Sevoke, 200 m, 7.X.78, Besuchet Löbl / Cyrtothorax vulneratus Smetana det. 1986 [written] / AJB0000578 [identifier label] / HOLOTYPE Bolitogyrus himalayicus Brunke, des. A. Brunke 2017 [red label].

Diagnosis.

This species can be distinguished by the following character states: head entirely dark; elytral disc dark with pale markings extending halfway to epipleural margin (Fig. 5G); pronotal margin at its widest point no more than three lateral puncture widths wide but still distinctly expanded at hind angles; forebody less than four millimeters; apex of median lobe with single-toothed carina or ‘lip’ (Fig. 17J); paramere with dense apical cluster of peg setae (Fig. 17I).

Description.

Measurements ♂ (n = 1): HW/HL 1.36; PW/PL 1.34; EW/ EL 1.20; ESut/PL 0.83; PW/HW 1.07; forebody length 3.7 mm.

Extremely similar to B. khasiensis and differing only in the following: medial and lateral elytral markings more broadly connected, pale area of epipleuron not restricted to humeral spot, pale in entire basal half; pronotum slightly more transverse; elytral suture relatively longer than pronotum at middle; forebody distinctly shorter and thinner; median lobe in parameral view with apex distinctly acuminate and acute, apical portion with single-toothed carina or ‘lip’ (Fig. 17J); paramere with peg setae closer to margins, removed from margins near base of rows, apex with dense field of peg setae (Fig. 17I). Female unknown.

Distribution.

Figure 20C. Known from the Himalaya of West Bengal, India.

Bionomics.

The holotype was collected in October at 200 m and was sifted from leaves in a forest ravine ( Smetana 1988).

Etymology.

The species epithet refers to its distribution in the Himalayan mountains. Bolitogyrus himalayicus is the only described species known to occur in this region.

Comments.

This is the species Smetana (1988) figured as B. vulneratus (fig. 270-274). Bolitogyrus himalayicus is extremely similar to allopatric B. nanus from the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya but can be distinguished by the single-toothed apex of the median lobe and dense field of peg setae on the apex of the paramere.