Baeocera jejuna, Löbl & Ch-, 2012

Löbl, Ivan, 2012, On the Scaphisomatini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scaphidiinae) of the Philippines, III: the genus Baeocera Erichson, Revue suisse de Zoologie 119 (3), pp. 351-383 : 368-370

Baeocera jejuna sp. nov. Figs 39-42

HOLOTYPE: Ƌ, PALAWAN, Central Prov., Conception , 50 m degr. forest leaf litter, 2.XII.1995, leg. I. Löbl ( MHNG).

PARATYPES: 4 Ƌ, 3 ♀, PALAWAN, with the same data as the holotype. – 1 Ƌ, Central Prov., Sadang , prim. forest nr sea, 30.XI.1995, leg. I. Löbl, leaf litter (all MHNG) .

DESCRIPTION: Length 1.05-1.15 mm, width 0.65-0.81 mm. Body uniformly reddish-brown, appendages and apex of abdomen lighter. Body convex dorsally. Eyes large. Length ratio of antennomeres as: III 7: IV 8: V 9: VI 9: VII 12: VIII 9: IX 12: X 12: XI 15. Antennomeres III to VI almost evenly narrow; VII moderately wide, about 4 times as long as wide; VIII about as narrow as VI, distinctly narrower than VII, about 4 times as long as wide; IX to XI each distinctly wider than VII, XI about 3 times as long as wide. Pronotum and elytra without microsculpture, with lateral contours continuously arcuate; pubescence visible at 50 times magnification. Pronotum very finely punctate, with lateral margins strongly convex, lateral margin carinae concealed in dorsal view. Tip of scutellum exposed. Elytra almost covering apex of abdomen, with lateral carinae concealed. Elytron with sutural stria fairly deep, curved at base to form basal stria reaching about elytral mid-width, clearly separated from lateral stria, adsutural area somewhat raised. Elytral punctation almost evanescent or very fine and similar to pronotal punctation on areas along base, along lateral margin, and on apical third to half of discal surface, fairly coarse on remaining surface, with puncture intervals mostly larger than puncture diameters. Hind wings not reduced. Hypomera impunctate. Mesepimera flat, about 3-4 times as long as wide and about 5 times as long as interval to mesocoxa. Margin of mesanepisterna carinate along mesepimera. Metaventrite flat in middle, with impunctate central surface small, around centre distinctly punctate, with long pubescence. Lateral parts of metaventrite impunctate on area along metacoxae; remaining surface with irregular, coarse punctures. Coarse punctures on lateral parts of metaventrite larger than those around centre and not or barely elongate, usually smaller than puncture intervals. Submesocoxal lines somewhat arcuate, with marginal punctures about as large as those around centre of metaventrite, not extended along anapleural suture. Submesocoxal area about 0.03 mm long, shortest interval between its margin and metacoxa about 0.08-0.09 mm. Metanepisterna very FIGS 35-42

(35-38) Baeocera jean i sp. n., aedeagus (35, 36) in dorsal and lateral views, paramere (37) and internal sac (38) in dorsal view; scale bar = 0.1 mm for aedeagus, = 0.05 mm for paramere and internal sac. (39-42) Baeocera jejuna sp. n., aedeagus (39, 42) in dorsal and lateral views, paramere (40) and internal sac (41) in dorsal view; scale bar = 0.1 mm for aedeagus, = 0.05 mm for paramere and internal sac.

narrow, fused to metaventrite, with suture indicated by outer row of coarse punctures. Metepimera striate along inner margin. Abdominal ventrite 1 lacking microsculpture, with basal punctures fairly coarse, elongate, not interrupted in middle, extended almost up to lateral margins; with wrinkles about 0.02-0.04 mm long. Punctation very fine posterior basal puncture row. Tibiae straight.

Male characters: Tarsomeres 1 to 3 of forelegs barely widened. Aedeagus as in

Figs 39-42, 0.24-0.30 mm long. Median lobe moderately sclerotized.

HABITAT: Leaf litter in fairly dry primary and secondary forests, near sea level.

DISTRIBUTION: Philippines, Palawan.

ETYMOLOGY: The species epithet is a Latin adjective, referring to the comparatively poor external characters that separate the species from its allied.

COMMENTS: This species shares with B. dilutior most of its external diagnostic characters, including the elytral punctation. As B. jankodadai , it differs drastically from B. dilutior by the internal sac of the aedeagus lacking basal tuft of spine-like structures. It differs from B. jankodadai by the shape of the parameres and the distinct elytral punctation extended to, or almost to, the sutural striae.