Ocypus (Pseudocypus) zeuxis, Published, 2007

Published, First, 2007, Contributions to the knowledge of the “ Staphylinus-complex ” (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylinini) of China. Part XX. The genus Ocypus Leach, 1819, subgenus Pseudocypus Mulsant & Rey, 1876. Section 1, Zootaxa 1421, pp. 1-72 : 27-28

Ocypus (Pseudocypus) zeuxis sp. nov.

(Figs. 88–94)

Type material. Holotype (male) and allotype (female): CHINA: Hubei: “ China: W-Hubei, 23.6.–14.7 Dashenongjia mts. 31.5N 110.3E, 2500–2900 m leg. J. Turna, 2003" . Holotype in NMW, allotype in ASC.

Paratypes: CHINA: Hubei: same data as holotype, 6 ♂♂, 8 ♀♀ ( ASC, NMW) ; same data, but 10.– 14.6.2002, 3 ♂♂ ( ASC, NMW) ; same data, but 17.V.–13.VI.2004, ♂ ( NMW) ; same data, but 2700 m, 20.V.– 7.VI.2005, 14 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀ ( ASC, NMW) .

Diagnosis. A small, piceous-black to black species, with asetose pronotal hypomeron, with impunctate midline absent on head and present only as a rudiment in front of posterior margin of pronotum, with piceousblack legs, uniform piceous-black pubescence of dorsal side of body, including abdominal tergites, and with rather small, characteristically shaped aedoeagus.

Description. Piceous-black to black; maxillary and labial palpi testaceobrunneous to brunneous; antennae piceous to piceous-black, becoming indistinctly paler toward apex, bases of first three segments reddish; legs piceous-black, with front tarsi and dorsal faces of front tibiae slightly paler; pubescence of dorsal side of body uniformly piceous-black. Head of rounded quadrangular shape, with rounded posterior angles, wider than long (ratio 1. 23), eyes small and rather flat, tempora considerably longer than eyes from above (ratio 1. 75), dorsal surface of head finely and densely punctate and pubescent, interspaces between punctures on disc somewhat larger than diameters of punctures, punctation gradually becoming denser and coarser toward posterior and lateral margins; impunctate midline absent; interspaces between punctures with relatively coarse submeshed microsculpture. Gular sutures quite narrowly separated in middle section; postgenae moderately densely punctate, interspaces between punctures near gular sutures about as large as diameters of punctures. Dorsal side of neck with punctation about same as that on head. Antenna moderately long, segment 3 longer than segment 2 (ratio 1. 25), segments 4 to7 longer than wide, becoming gradually shorter, segments 8–10 about as long as wide, last segment shorter than two preceding segments combined. Pronotum vaguely longer than wide (ratio 1.09), parallelsided, narrow marginal groove disappearing downwards just before middle of pronotal length; disc with rudiments of impunctate midline just in front of posterior margin; punctation on disc about same as that on disc of head, pubescence and microsculpture on interspaces between punctures similar to that on head. Pronotal hypomeron lacking microsetae. Scutellum finely, moderately densely punctate and setose on entire surface, surface with very fine, rudimentary microsculpture. Elytra short, slightly depressed at base, vaguely dilated posteriad, at suture considerably (ratio 0. 63), at sides distinctly (ratio 0.76) shorter than pronotum at midline, punctation very fine and dense, difficult to observe among dense granulose microsculpture. Wings each reduced to minute, nonfunctional stump. Abdomen with fifth visible tergite lacking pale apical seam of palisade setae; tergite 2 (in front of first visible tergite) entirely, densely and finely punctate and pubescent; all tergites evenly, finely and densely punctate, puctation gradually becoming slightly sparser toward apex of abdomen; interspaces with very fine, dense microsculpture of irregular, short striae.

Male. Sternite 8 with moderately wide and rather shallow, obtusely triangular medioapical emargination. Genital segment with sternite 9 with long basal portion, apical portion with apex subtruncate (Fig. 88). Tergite 10 short, wide, evenly narrowed toward broadly arcuate apex, setose as in Fig. 89. Aedoeagus shaped as in Figs. 90–93; median lobe parallelsided in middle portion, apical portion asymmetrical, narrowed into subacute apex (Figs. 90, 91), apical portion, when paramere removed, with fine bilobed formation below apex; paramere situated on median lobe asymmetrically, shaped as in Figs. 90, 92, 93, without carina on face away from median lobe, right margin curled inwards, obtusely rounded apex of paramere not quite reaching apex of median lobe; sensory peg setae on underside of paramere not numerous, forming an apical group, extended posteriad along left lateral margin (Fig. 93); two pairs of fine apical setae at left margin below apex and two minute setae at apex, no apical setae at right curled margin (Fig. 93).

Female. Tergite 10 of genital segment rather short and wide, moderately narrowed toward broadly arcuate apex (Fig. 94).

Length 11.0–13.0 mm.

Bionomics. The specimens of the original series were taken from pitfall traps, but nothing is known about the habitat the traps were set in, except for the elevation 2200–2900 m.

Geographical distribution. Ocypus zeuxis is at present known only from the type locality in the Dashennogjia range in Hubei.

Recognition and comments. Ocypus zeuxis is similar to O. puer that occurs also in the Dashennongjia range, but the latter species differs abundantly, in addition to the differently shaped aedoeagus, by the larger size and by the presence of spots of golden-yellowish tomentose pubescence on visible abdominal tergites 4 and 5. Ocypus zeuxis is also similar to O. neocles and O. rhinton , both species occurring in Qinling Shan in Shaanxi, but the latter two species differ, in addition to the differently shaped aedoeagi, by the rufobrunneous legs and by the presence of spots of golden-yellowish tomentose pubescence on visible abdominal tergites 4 and 5.

Several specimens of the original series are to various degrees teneral.

One male specimen with both antennae almost entirely missing and with hind right leg missing was not labelled as a paratype.

Etymology. The specific epithet is the name of Zeuxis, - idis, m, the famous Greek painter of Heraclea , in apposition.