Quwatanabius flavicornis (Sharp, 1889)

Hu, Fang-Shuo & Bogri, Amalia, 2020, Taxonomic notes on the genus Quwatanabius in Taiwan (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), Zootaxa 4743 (2), pp. 285-288 : 287-288

Quwatanabius flavicornis (Sharp, 1889) ( Figs. 7–8 )

Material examined. TAIWAN: 1 male, Nantou Co., Guandao Mt. [ ḆBƜ], Renai To., 24.0191, 121.0108 (alt. 1470 m), 23–III–2019, leg. F. S. Hu (in dead wood) / Quwatanabius flavicornis (Sharp, 1889) , Det. By F. S. Hu , 2019; 1 female, same location, 01–XI–2019, leg. F. S. Hu (sifting pieces of dead wood) .

Description. See Smetana (1995); for illustration of internal sac of aedeagus see Smetana (2002).

Diagnosis. Quwatanabius flavicornis ( Fig. 7 ) is similar to Q. chiaw but can be distinguished from it by the following characters: pronotum much darker; elytra relatively longer; pale apical seam of palisade fringe on tergite VII present; median lobe rather narrow at apex, internal sac of more complex structure.

Bionomics. The specimens in this study were collected from a large, fallen, moist, strongly decomposed piece of dead wood in primary, evergreen forest ( Fig. 8 ), similar to the habitat where Quwatanabius chiaw was collected. The two species, however, have been collected from different mountains, and most specimens of Q. flavicornis were collected from lower altitudes (approximately 1500 m), compared to the higher altitudes where Q. chiaw has been found.

Comments. The bionomics of the Chinese species remains unknown, except Q. dayaoensis which we know was collected from dead wood ( Hu et al. 2013). Since both species from Taiwan were collected from dead wood as well, we assume that this genus may be saproxylophilic.

Distribution. The species is widespread in Japan (Honshu, Kyushu, and Shikoku) and Taiwan (Nantou County and Chiayi County).

Figures

FIGURES 7–8. Quwatanabius flavicornis 7. habitus, scale bar represents 1mm; 8. habitat at the location where the additional specimens of Q. flavicornis were collected.