Eupines (Byraxis) impressifrons ( Broun, 1880 )

Shen, Jia-Wei & Leschen, Richard A. B., 2020, Revision of Eupines King of New Zealand (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae: Goniaceritae), Zootaxa 4777 (1), pp. 1-84 : 43-44

Eupines (Byraxis) impressifrons ( Broun, 1880)

Fig. 27 ; map Fig. 52

Bryaxis impressifron s Broun, 1880: 128. Schaufuss 1888: 26.

Eupines (Byraxis) impressifrons : combination and subgeneric assignment by Raffray 1904: 208. Raffray 1911: 83, 1924: 157; Hudson 1923: 364, 1934: 182; Nomura and Leschen 2006: 255; Maddison 2010: 417; Shen and Leschen 2019: 268 .

Type locality: [CL] Tairua.

Type depository: BMNH HT ♂ .

Diagnosis: Head with vertexal foveae punctiform; antennae 10-segmented with 2-segmented antennal club; A4, A5, A6, A7, A8 and A10 unmodified, A9 cylindrical and flat at dorsal side, with apical spine at lateral side, A10 conical and slightly longer than A9. Abdominal ventrite 2 with pair of large discal protuberances, inserted with large and strongly curved apical setae; ventrite 6 with apical margin sinuate, with pair of short and acute median struts, about one-seventh of ventral length. Protrochanters with small ventral spine, about one-third of protrochanteral width; protibiae with minute spine in apical two-thirds; mesotibiae with barely visible subapical spine.

Redescription: Body length 1.68–1.72 mm; body colour reddish brown with lighter coloured tarsi. Head slightly wider than long; frons not narrowed at end, about three-fourths width of head at eye level; eyes well developed and prominent, with about 30 facets; vertexal foveae punctiform; antennal tubercles weak; postantennal notches weak; postantennal cavities medium-sized, about three-fourths width of antennal tubercles in dorsal view; antennae 10-segmented with 2-segmented antennal club; A4, A5, A6, A7, A8 and A10 unmodified, A9 cylindrical and flat at dorsal side, with apical spine at lateral side, A10 conical and slightly longer than A9. Pronotum wider than long, slightly wider than head at eye level; lacking lateral antebasal foveae. Elytra slightly longer than wide, widest at middle; humeral calli weak; sutural stria shallowly extending from base to apex. Abdomen with tergite 1 about 1.4 × longer than tergite 2; ventrite 2 with pair of large discal protuberances, inserted with large and strongly curved apical setae; ventrite 6 with apical margin sinuate, with pair of short and acute median struts, about oneseventh of ventral length. Legs with protrochanters modified with small ventral spine, about one-third of protrochanteral width; protibiae with minute spine in apical two-thirds; mesotibiae with barely visible subapical spine. Aedeagus about 0.31 mm long, with parameres long and wide, narrowed at base and sinuate towards apex, strongly bent downwards at apex in lateral view; median lobe small, with two small and slender sclerites, strongly curved towards each other at apex, basal bulb large, about as long as median lobe.

Comments: This species can be separated from all other Eupines by the protibiae and mesotibiae modified with small or minute spines ( Figs. 27 E–F).

Distribution: North Island. AK, CL. South Island. BR.

Additional material examined: 3 ♂♂, AK: 1, Clevedon, T. Broun Collection, A.E. Brookes Collection; BR: 1, JNPC, Pororari River mouth Punakaiki, 29/Dec/2010, in flood debris, J.T. Nunn collection; 1, LUNZ, Okari River Cape Foulwind, N.Z., 29/Oct/1970, Ento. Dept. Field Trip.

Figures

FIGURE 27. Diagnostic characters of E. (B.) impressifrons (Broun, 1880). A) Habitus. B) Antenna, in dorsal view. C) Same, in lateral view. D) Protrochanter. E) Protibia. F) Mesotibia. G) Ventrite 2. H) Ventrite 6. I) Aedeagus, in dorsal view. J) Same, in lateral view. K) Same, in ventral view. Scale bars: A = 1 mm, B–G = 0.2 mm, H–K = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 52. Geographic distributions of E. (B.) impar (Sharp, 1874), E. (B.) impressifrons (Broun, 1880), E. (B.) insolita sp. n., E. (B.) lewisi Broun, 1910, E. (B.) longiceps Raffray, 1904, E. (B.) mayae sp. n., and E. (B.) micans (Sharp, 1874) in New Zealand.