Eupines (Byraxis) nemoralis ( Broun, 1886 )

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 : 56-58

Eupines (Byraxis) nemoralis ( Broun, 1886)

Fig. 36 ; map Fig. 53

Bryaxis nemoralis Broun, 1886: 831 .

Eupines (Byraxis) nemoralis : combination and subgeneric assignment by Raffray 1904: 207. Raffray 1911: 82, 1924: 157; Hudson 1923: 364, 1934: 182; Nomura and Leschen 2006: 255; Maddison 2010: 417; Shen and Leschen 2019: 271 .

Type locality: [AK] Woodhill. Type depository: BMNH HT ♂ .

Diagnosis: Head with vertexal foveae small and asetose; antennae 10-segmented with 3-segmented antennal club; A4, A5, A6, A7, A8 and A10 unmodified, A8 slightly asymmetrical, A9 asymmetrical and broadly impressed at lateral side, with slightly extended and laminate margin in lateral view, A10 conical, slightly longer than A9. Abdominal ventrite 2 lacking protuberances, with two small discal tufts of setae; ventrite 6 with pair of short median struts, about one-sixth of ventral length. Protrochanters with long and acute ventral spine, about two-thirds of protrochanteral width; protibiae and mesotibiae unmodified.

Redescription: Body length 1.39–1.44 mm; body colour reddish brown with lighter coloured tarsi. 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 26 facets; vertexal foveae small and asetose; antennal tubercles moderately developed; postantennal notches weak; postantennal cavities large, slightly shorter than antennal tubercles in dorsal view; antennae 10- segmented with 3-segmented antennal club; A4, A5, A6, A7, A8 and A10 unmodified, A8 slightly asymmetrical, A9 asymmetrical and broadly impressed at lateral side, with slightly extended and laminate margin in lateral view, A10 conical, slightly longer than A9. Pronotum about as long as wide, slightly narrower than head at eye level; lacking lateral antebasal foveae. Elytra about as long as wide, widest at apical two-thirds; humeral calli distinct and moderately prominent; sutural stria barely visible and shallowly extending from middle to apex. Abdomen with tergite 1 about 1.2 × longer than tergite 2; ventrite 2 lacking protuberances, with two small discal tufts of setae; ventrite 6 with pair of short median struts, about one-sixth of ventral length. Legs with protrochanters modified with long and acute ventral spine, about two-thirds of protrochanteral width; protibiae and mesotibiae unmodified. Aedeagus about 0.22 mm long, with slender parameres, apex slightly curved inwards, with three pairs of subapical long setae and two pairs of long apical setae; median lobe with two helix-shaped sclerites, gradually narrowed towards apex, slightly wider than parameres in dorsal view.

Comments: This is the only species within the subgenus Byraxis that lacks the protuberance on andominal ventrite 2 ( Fig. 36F ), the only other species in New Zealand lacking this character is E. novem , sp. n., which has a 9-segmented antenna.

Distribution: North Island. ND, AK, CL.

Additional material examined: 11 ♂♂, ND: 3, Kauri Sanct., Omahuta, 22/Apt/1974, G. Kuschel litter; 2, Unuwhao, 270 m, 25/Nov/1982, G. Kuschel, sifted litter and decayed wood; AK: 3, Noises Is., Motuhoropapa I., 14/Dec/1978, litter; CL: 2, AMNZ, Great Barrier I., Little Windy Hill, 220 m, 21/Feb–26/Mar/2002, P Sutton. forest edge, Malaise trap; 1, AMNZ, Ohinau I., 05/Jul/2000, C. McGuiness, Mahoe forest. Associated females (10 ♀♀): ND: 4, Kauri Sanct., Omahuta, 22/Apt/1974, G. Kuschel, litter; 4, Unuwhao, 270 m, 25/Nov/1982, G. Kuschel, sifted litter and decayed wood; AK: 2, Noises Is., Motuhoropapa I., 14/Dec/1978, litter.

Figures

FIGURE 36. Diagnostic characters of E. (B.) nemoralis (Broun, 1886). 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 53. Geographic distributions of E. (B.) minuta sp. n., E. (B.) monstrosa (Reitter, 1880), E. (B.) mundula (Schaufuss, 1888), E. (B.) nemoralis (Broun, 1886), E. (B.) novem sp. n., E. (B.) obtusa sp. n., E. (B.) ovalis sp. n. and E. (B.) paganus (Broun, 1881) in New Zealand.