Lathrobium kiruense, Assing, 2015

Assing, Volker, 2015, New species and additional records of Lathrobium and Elytrobium from the Palaearctic region, with special reference to the fauna of East Yunnan (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 65 (1), pp. 41-74 : 45

Lathrobium kiruense spec. nov.

( Figs 12–15 )

Type material: Holotype  [slightly teneral]: “ NEPAL, D: Kaski , env. Kiru Pass, 3800–4200 m, 11.–12.IX.2013, 28°24'N, 84°03'E, leg. J. Schmidt / Holotypus  Lathrobium kiruense spec. nov., det. V. Assing 2014” ( NME).

Etymology: The specific epithet (adjective) is derived from the name of the pass where the type locality is situated.

Description: Small species; body length 5.6 mm; length of forebody 2.8 mm. External characters ( Fig. 12 ) as in the closely related L. spinosissimum ASSING, 2012 .

: protarsomeres I–IV strongly dilated; tergite VIII with truncate posterior margin; sternite VII ( Fig. 13 ) 1.6 times as broad as long, with shallow and extensive posteromedian impression, this impression with a cluster of numerous moderately modified stout black setae, posterior margin weakly concave; sternite VIII ( Fig. 14 ) weakly transverse, 1.07 times as broad as long, with long median impression, this impression with numerous moderately modified stout black setae, posterior excision small and of nearly semi-circular shape; aedeagus ( Fig. 15 ) 1.0 mm long; ventral process tapering apicad and apically acute; dorsal plate with long and apically somewhat hooked apical portion (lateral view) and with short lamellate basal portion; internal sac with several large and more or less distinctly curved spines.

: unknown.

Comparative notes: Based on the male sexual characters, particularly on the similar modifications of the aedeagus (shapes of ventral process and of dorsal plate; internal sac with several long and curved sclerotized spines), L. kiruense is most closely related to L. spinosissimum of the L. emodense group, from which it is distinguished only by the slightly more extensive clusters of slightly longer setae on the male sternites VII and VIII, by the slightly differently shaped posterior excision of the male sternite VIII, by some differences in the shape of the aedeagus (ventral process apically slightly less strongly tapering and basally slightly more distinctly curved), and especially in the shapes of the internal structures of the aedeagus ( L. spinosissimum : apical internal structures apically abruptly curved). Except for the shapes of the internal structures of the aedeagus, the observed differences are slight, but nevertheless interpreted as interspecific variation. For illustrations of L. spinosissimum see ASSING (2012).

Distribution and natural history: The type locality is situated in the southeastern Annapurna range, some 20 km to the north-northeast of Pokhara in Central Nepal. The slightly teneral holotype was collected at an altitude between 3800 and 4200 m.

Figures

Figs 12–20: Lathrobium kiruense spec. nov. (12–15) and L. undosum spec. nov. (16–20): forebody (12–16); male sternite VII (13, 17); male sternite VIII (14, 18); aedeagus in lateralview (15, 19); aedeagus in ventral view (20). Scale bars: 12, 16: 1.0 mm; 13–15, 17–20: 0,5 mm.