Philonthus janaki, Hromádka, 2013

Hromádka, L., 2013, A new species of Philonthus from Madagascar (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Philonthina), Linzer biologische Beiträge 45 (1), pp. 709-712 : 710-711

Philonthus janaki nov.sp. ( Figs 1-3 )

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype ♂: " Madagascar, Tsaratanana Antsirasira-Morawato env., 24- 30.11.2001, I. Andreeva & V. Dolin & R. Andreeva // Holotypus Philonthus janaki nov.sp. Hromádka det., 2012 [red oblong label printed] (cJRC).

D e s c r i p t i o n: Body length 10.4 mm, length of fore body (to end of elytra) 5.0 mm.

C o l o u r a t i o n: Body anthracite black, labial palpomeres black, maxillary palpomere 3 black-brown, remaining palpomeres, antennae, femora and tibiae black, tarsi brown.

Head rounded, wider than long (ratio 34: 31), posterior angles indistinct, bearing one long black and several short bristles. Four coarse punctures present between eyes, distance between medial punctures four times as large as distance between medial and lateral puncture. Eyes flat, as long as temples, posterior angles with two coarse punctures, temporal area with several varying large punctures. Surface without microsculpture, with many microscopic dots.

Antennae slender and long, reaching posterior margin of pronotum when reclined. Antennomeres 1-3 distinctly longer than wide, antennomeres 4-7 and 11 slightly longer than wide, antennomeres 8-10 as long as wide.

Pronotum highly convex, anterior angles conspicuously deflexed, vaguely obtusely rounded, posterior angles markedly rounded. Each dorsal row with four punctures, distance between punctures 2 and 3 larger than distance between punctures 1 and 2 and between punctures 3 and 4. Each sublateral row with two punctures, puncture two distinctly shifted to the lateral margin. Surface without microsculpture.

Scutellum very finely and densely punctured, diameter of punctures approximately as large as eye-facets, separated by distance smaller than one puncture diameter.

Elytra wider than long (ratio 54: 50), very slightly widened posteriad. Punctation larger than that on scutellum, transverse interstices smaller than one puncture diameter, many punctures contiguous. Surface without microsculpture; setation black. Sides bearing two long and several short black bristles.

Legs. Metatarsus longer than metatibia (ratio 36: 32), metatarsomere 1 longer than metatarsomere 5, as long as metatarsomeres 2-3 combined.

Abdomen wide, from visible tergite III very slightly anteriad and distinctly posteriad narrowed. First three visible tergites with two basal lines, elevated area between lines finely and densely punctured. Punctation at base of all tergites slightly finer and denser than that on elytra, becoming sparser towards posterior margin of each tergite. Surface without microsculpture; setation similat to that on elytra.

Male. Protarsomeres 1-3 dilated and sub-bilobed, each covered with modified pale setae ventrally, protarsomere 4 narrower than preceding ones. Aedeagus ( Figs 1-3 ).

Female. Unknown.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s Philonthus janaki nov.sp. is similar to P. hapalemur HROMÁDKA & JANÁK 2011 (Figs 4-6), but it differs in having narrower head, shorter

antennae, less numbers of punctures in dorsal rows, denser punctation of elytra and by the different shape of the aedeagus.

E t y m o l o g y: It is my pleasure to dedicate this new species to my friend, Czech entomologist Ing. Jiří Janák, specialist on the Staphylinidae .

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Madagascar.

Figures

Figs 1-3: Philonthus janaki nov.sp.: (1) aedeagus, ventral view; (2) aedeagus, lateral view; (3) apex of paramere with sensory peg setae, ventral view.