Eupines (Byraxis) micans ( Sharp, 1874 )

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 : 50-51

Eupines (Byraxis) micans ( Sharp, 1874)

Fig. 32 ; map Fig. 52

Bryaxis micans Sharp, 1874: 497 .

Bryaxis micans : reprint from Sharp 1874 by Sharp 1876: 276.

Bryaxis micans : reprinted excerpt from Sharp 1874 by Broun 1880: 126. Schaufuss 1888: 28.

Eupines (Eupines) micans : combination and subgeneric assignment by Raffray 1904: 206. Raffray 1911: 82, 1924: 156; Hudson 1923: 364, 1934: 182; Nomura and Leschen 2006: 254; Maddison 2010: 417; Shen and Leschen 2019: 269 .

Type locality: New Zealand .

Type depository: BMNH LT ♂, 1 PLT .

Diagnosis: Head with vertexal foveae small and asetose; antennae 10-segmented with 2-segmented antennal club; A4, A6, A7 and A8 unmodified, A5 large and asymmetrical, about twice length of A4, A9 with narrow stria at middle and strongly excavated at lateral side near middle, with long apical spine at lateral side, A10 bean-shaped, with broad basal impression at inner side, base strongly narrowed. Abdominal ventrite 2 with pair of minute protuberances, inserted with long and strongly curved apical setae; ventrite 6 with pair of long and acute median struts, slightly shorter than ventral length. Protrochanters with long ventral spine, about two-thirds of protrochanteral width; protibiae and mesotibiae unmodified.

Redescription: Body length 1.60–1.68 mm; body colour dark brown with lighter coloured legs. Head wider than long; frons not narrowed at end, about three-fourths width of head at eye level; eyes well developed and prominent, with about 34 facets; vertexal foveae small and asetose; antennal tubercles weak; postantennal notches shallow and long; postantennal cavities large, about as long as antennal tubercles in dorsal view; antennae 10-segmented with 2-segmented antennal club; A4, A6, A7 and A8 unmodified, A5 large and asymmetrical, about twice length of A4, A9 with narrow stria at middle and strongly excavated at lateral side near middle, with long apical spine at lateral side, A10 bean-shaped, with broad basal impression at inner side, base strongly narrowed. Pronotum as long as wide, about as wide as head at eye level; with weak punctiform lateral antebasal foveae. Elytra about as long as wide, widest at middle; humeral calli slightly prominent; sutural stria shallowly extending from middle to apex. Abdomen with tergite 1 slightly longer than tergite 2; ventrite 2 with pair of minute protuberances, inserted with long and strongly curved apical setae; ventrite 6 with pair of long and acute median struts, slightly shorter than ventral length. Legs with protrochanters modified with long ventral spine, about two-thirds of protrochanteral width; protibiae and mesotibiae unmodified. Aedeagus about 0.36 mm long, fin-shaped parameres narrow at base and gradually widened towards apex, apex curved inwards and slightly bent upwards in lateral view, with three pairs of long apical setae; median lobe with three slender sclerites nearly meet in dorsal view, left one and right one strongly bent near middle, middle one bifurcate near base, forming hole-shaped structure, with left sclerites pass through it.

Comments: This species is characterized by its A9 with a weak transverse suture, suggesting a pseudosegment ( Figs. 32 B–C), a feature that is not found in congeners.

Distribution: North Island. ND, CL.

Additional material examined: 12 ♂♂, ND: 1, Tutukaka, 12/Sep/1980, J.C. Watt, sifted litter and nest; 5, Poor Knights Is., Aorangi Crater Bay, 11–16/Nov/1981, J.S. Dugdale, Malaise trap in coastal scrub; CL: 1, Tairua, E. coast North Is., Ex. Broun Collection, 231, T. Broun Collection, A.E. Brookes Collection; 1, Mercury Is., Korapuki I., 15/Dec/1987, G. Hall sifted litter; 1, Mercury Is., Green I., 23/Dec/1987, G. Hall, sifted litter; 1, Mercury Is., Middle I., 20/Oct/1983, leaf litter, I. Southey; 1, AMNZ, Greater Barrier I., Little Windy Hill, 100 m, 20/Jan–25/ Feb/2003, K. Parsons; 1, Cuvier I., Wilson Peak, 100 m, 12/Nov/1999, J.W. Early, S.E. Thorpe close to lighthouse. Unknown locality: 1, Ex. Broun Collection, 231. Associated females (10 ♀♀): ND: 6, Tutukaka, 12/Sep/1980, J.C. Watt, sifted litter and nest; 1, Poor Knights Is., Aorangi Crater Bay, 11–16/Nov/1981, J.S. Dugdale Malaise trap in Coastal scrub; CL: 2, Mercury Is., Korapuki I., 15/Dec/1987, G. Hall, sifted litter. Unknown locality: 1, Ex. Broun Collection, 231.

Figures

FIGURE 32. Diagnostic characters of E. (B.) micans (Sharp, 1874). A) Habitus. B) Antenna, in dorsal view. C) Same, in lateral view. D) Same, in ventral view. E) Protrochanter. F) Ventrite 2. G) Ventrite 6. H) Aedeagus, in dorsal view. I) Same, in lateral view. J) Same, in ventral view. Scale bars: A = 1 mm, B–F = 0.2 mm, G–J = 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.