Quedius (Distichalius) gynaikos, Smetana, 2015

Smetana, Aleš, 2015, Contributions to the knowledge of the Quediina (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Staphylinini) of China. Part 51. Genus Quedius STEPHENS, 1829. Subgenus Distichalius CASEY, 1915. Section 4, Linzer biologische Beiträge 47 (1), pp. 905-924 : 910

Quedius (Distichalius) gynaikos nov.sp. ( Fig. 15 )

T y p e l o c a l i t y: China: Sichuan,49kmNSongpan, road S 301 km 114, N Gongangling pass, 33° 04’31"N 103° 42’38"E, 3230 m.

T y p e m a t e r i a l Holotype (♀): CHINA: " CHINA: N-Sichuan [ CH 12-21] 49 km N Songpan, road S 301 km 114, N Gongangling pass, 33° 04’31"N 103° 42’38"E, 3230 m, spruce forest, litter, moss & mushrooms sifted, 9.VIII.2012, leg. M. Schülke". In ASC. Paratype (♀): " CHINA [21] – N-Sichuan N Songpan, 33°04’31"N 103°42’38"E, 3230 m, spruce forest, sifted, 9.VIII.2012, V. Assing" (VAC).

D e s c r i p t i o n: In all characters, including chaetotaxy on head and pronotum, similar to Q. ladas SMETANA, 2008 and different mainly by the quite characteristic tergite 10 of female genital segment. Body markedly larger and more robust, eyes somewhat larger, tempora therefore shorter (ratio of length of tempora to length of eyes 0.52, corresponding figure in Q. ladas 0.63); microscopic punctulation on elytra somewhat denser and more pronounced; punctuation of abdominal tergites similar, but somewhat denser.

Female. First four segments of front tarsus similar to those of female of Q. ladas , but slightly more dilated, but segment 2 not wider than apex of tibia. Tergite 10 of female genital segment quite different from that of Q. ladas (see Fig. 11 in SMETANA 2008: 225) and of quite characteristic shape, with three long, elevated carinae, two finer lateral ones and one setose, robust medial one that extends anteriad onto acute apical portion of tergite ( Fig. 15 ).

Length 7.5-8.5 mm.

E t y m o l o g y: The specific epithet is the Greek adjective γυναικος (womanish). It refers to the fact that only females of the species are known at present.

G e o g r a p h i c a l d i s t r i b u t i o n Quedius gynaikos is at present known only from the mountain ranges around Songpan in northern Sichuan.

B i o n o m i c s:Theholotypewastakeninaspruceforestbysiftingforestfloorlitter, moss and mushrooms at an elevation of 3230 m.

R e c o g n i t i o n a n d c o m m e n t s: The unique shape of tergite 10 of the female genital segment allows positive identification of the species, the same way as usually the shape of the aedoeagus does.

Quedius gynaikos is at present the largest Distichalius species in both the mainland China and Taiwan faunas.

Figures

Figs 11-19: 11-14: Quedius bipictus sp. nov.: (11) aedoeagus, ventral view; (12) apical portion of aedoeagus, lateral view; (13) apical portion of underside of paramere with sensory peg setae; (14) tergite 10 of female genital segment. Quedius gynaikos sp. nov.: (15) tergite 10 of female genital segment. 16-19: Quedius causarius sp. nov.: (16) apical portion of male sternite 8; (17) tergite 10 of male genital segment; (18) sternite 9 of male genital segment; (19) aedoeagus, ventral view.