Baeocera brevis, Lobl, 2015

Löbl, Ivan, 2015, On the Scaphidiinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) of the Lesser Sunda Islands, Revue suisse de Zoologie 122 (1), pp. 75-120 : 91

Baeocera brevis sp. nov.

Figs 51-54

Holotype: MHNG; ♂; Indonesia Bali Mt. Batukaru near Luhur Temple, 500-700 m, I. Löbl, 28.-29.X.1991.

Paratypes: MHNG; 6 ♂, 6 ♀, 11 ex.; with the same data as the holotype. – MHNG; 1 ♂, 1 ♀ Bali Batukaru 18.VI.84 Rougemont.

Etymology: The species epithet is Latin adjective meaning short and referring to the short distal gonocoxite.

Description: Length 0.98-1.13 mm, width 0.65- 0.73 mm. Body rather strongly convex, lacking obvious microsculpture. Head and body dark reddish-brown to blackish-brown, femora and tibiae somewhat lighter than body, tarsi and antennae distinctly lighter, yellowish. Length/width ratio of antennomeres as follows: III 28/6: IV 30/6: V 34/5: VI 37/5: VII 45/7: VIII 37/6: IX 45/9: X 42/12: XI 44/12. Lateral contours of pronotum and elytra separately arcuate. Pronotum with punctation and setation very fine, usually distinct (50x magnification); lateral margins convex, anterior margin broad, basal lobe small; lateral pronotal carinae concealed in dorsal view. Scutellum concealed. Elytra fairly narrowed apically, not covering abdominal apex, lateral margin carinae concealed in dorsal view, sutural striae curved at base to form complete basal striae, joined to lateral striae; adsutural areas flat, parallel, punctate. Basal halves of elytra with punctation coarse and dense, coarse punctures usually also along basal and lateral margins; puncture diameters mostly about as large as puncture intervals. Apical halves of elytra about as finely punctate as pronotum. Epipleural striae entire, punctate in basal halves, supraepipleural areas impunctate. Hind wings well developed. Hypomera impunctate, smooth. Mesoventral suture indistinct, mesoventrite distinctly punctate, median ridge absent. Mesepimera fairly large, each almost 3 times as long as wide and about 3 times as long as interval to metacoxae. Median part of metaventrite slightly convex, almost entirely coarsely punctate. Entire lateral parts of metaventrite covered by coarse punctures larger than those on centre of metaventrite. Punctures on metaventrite well delimited, round, mostly larger than puncture intervals. Submesocoxal lines arcuate, with marginal punctures hardly extending laterally, submesocoxal areas about 0.02-0.03 mm long, as fifth to fourth of interval to metacoxae. Metanepisternal suture indicated by somewhat impressed outer puncture row. Tibiae straight. Sternite 1 without basal wrinkles, basal punctures usually elongate, uninterrupted in middle, and laterally usually 0.02-0.04 mm long, punctures posterior basal row very fine, similar to those on apical parts of elytra.

Male: Protarsomeres hardly widened. Aedeagus (Figs 51-53) 0.39-0.44 mm long. Median lobe symmetrical, with basal bulb much longer than apical process. Apical process strongly inflexed, tapering, with ventral side oblique (lateral view). Articular process small. Parameres long and comparatively broad, extending far beyond tip of median lobe, almost evenly wide in basal halves, narrowed and weakly curved in level of tip of median lobe (dorsal view), almost straight and weakly widened toward level of tip of median lobe in lateral view. Internal sac with flagellum robust, sinuate, gradually narrowed, flagellar guide-sclerite strongly sclerotized, lacking accessory sclerite, membranous scale-like structures usually hardly visible.

Female: Ovipositor (Fig. 54) with distal gonocoxite short, strongly and gradually narrowed apically, bearing long apical seta, gonostyle absent.

Distribution: Indonesia: Bali.

Type locality: Bali Mt. Batukaru near Luhur Temple , 500-700 m.

Comments: This species is a member of the B. lenta group. The aedeagal characters, in particular the shape of the wide parameres and the short, strongly inflexed apical process of the median lobe, suggest relationships with B. carinata (Löbl, 1975) from Sumatra. The sclerotized pieces of the internal sac are, however, distinctive in these two species.