Baeocera louisi, 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 : 370-371

Baeocera louisi sp. nov. Figs 43-46

HOLOTYPE: Ƌ, LUZON, Banguio Prov. , Banguio, 1500m near Crystal Caves, 1-2.I.1980, leg. L. Deharveng & J. Orousset litter # 128 ( MHNG).

PARATYPES: 22 Ƌ, 9 ♀, with the same data as the holotype. – 2 Ƌ, LUZON, Mt. Santo Thomas , 1850m, 14.I.80, leg. L. Deharveng & J. Orousset, #191, 192 . – 1 ♀, Mountain Prov. , Sagada, Suoy nr.Tataya-An 20.I.80 litter, #201, leg. L. Deharveng & J. Orousset (all MHNG) .

DESCRIPTION: Length 1.02-1.15 mm, width 0.75-0.80 mm. Body and femora very dark brown to blackish, tibiae, tarsi and antennae lighter. Body convex dorsally. Eyes large. Length ratio of antennomeres as: III 7: IV 10: V 12: VI 12: VII 14: VIII 11: IX 13: X 13: XI 17. Antennomeres III and IV evenly narrow, V and VI almost even, each slightly wider than IV; 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 almost continuously arcuate; pubescence visible at 50 times magnification. Pronotum very finely punctate, with lateral margins strongly convex, lateral margin carinae concealed in dorsal view. Scutellum concealed. Elytra almost covering apex of abdomen, with lateral carinae concealed or shortly exposed near base. Elytron with sutural stria fairly deep, curved at base to form basal stria joined with lateral stria, adsutural area flat. Elytral punctation almost evanescent or very fine and similar to pronotal punctation on areas along base, on entire or almost entire inner half of disc, along lateral margin, and on apical half of discal surface, distinctly coarser and irregular on latero-anterior surface, with puncture intervals mostly larger than puncture diameters. Hind wings not reduced. Hypomera impunctate. Mesepimera flat, about 2.5 times as long as wide and about 3 times as long as interval to mesocoxa. Metaventrite somewhat convex in middle, with impunctate central surface small, around centre distinctly punctate. Lateral parts of metaventrite impunctate on narrow area along metacoxae; remaining surface with irregular, fairly coarse punctures. Punctures on lateral parts of metaventrite only moderately larger than those around centre and not elongate, usually distinctly 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 to 0.04 mm long, shortest interval between its margin and metacoxa about 0.08 mm. Metanepisterna flat, 0.03-0.04 mm wide, not or hardly widened posteriad, with suture indistinct or indicated by impressed stria and outer row of coarse punctures. Metepimera striate along inner margin. Abdominal ventrite 1 lacking microsculpture, with basal punctures fairly coarse, not elongate, not or barely interrupted in middle, extended to lateral margins. Punctation very fine posterior basal puncture row. Tibiae straight.

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

Figs 43-46, 0.29-0.34 mm long. Median lobe moderately sclerotized.

HABITAT: Most specimens were taken from vegetation debris accumulated in a depression, a few were found in a moist ravine, in and under fallen leaves.

DISTRIBUTION: Philippines, Luzon.

ETYMOLOGY: The species is names in honour of one of its collectors, Louis

Deharveng, Paris, France.

COMMENTS: This species is another member of the B. lenta group. It is very similar to B. danielae from which it may be distinguished by the longer antennae with the antennomere III shorter than the antennomere IV and the antennomere VII and VIII each about 4 times as long as wide. In addition, the middle part of the parameres is widened in B. louisi , providing a distinctive character.