Neosclerus assamensis (CAMERON 1931)

Assing, V., 2013, A revision of Neosclerus CAMERON III. Two new species from India and Laos, and additional records (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 45 (2), pp. 1549-1559 : 1557

Neosclerus assamensis (CAMERON 1931)

( Figs 18-21 , Map 3 )

Material examined India: 1, Meghalaya, West Garo Hills district, Mt. Nokrek National Park , 25°30'N, 90°15'E, 1200 m, 17.X.2004, leg. Cuccodoro et al. ( MHNG).

Comment: The only previously known specimen is a single female syntype from Assam deposited in the Cameron collection. Except for the slightly darker pronotum, the above male is externally similar to the syntype, suggesting that it is conspecific. For a description and illustrations of the syntype see ASSING (2011a). The previously unknown male sexual characters are as follows:

: sternite VII ( Fig. 18 ) as long as broad, posteriorly with cluster of modified short and stout black setae; posterior margin weakly concave in the middle; sternite VIII ( Fig. 19 ) oblong, anteriorly with median cluster of short dark setae, median portion in posterior half without setae, posterior excision large and V-shaped; aedeagus ( Figs 20-21 ) 0.54 mm long, ventral process straight, apically acute, and in the middle with ventral dent best seen in lateral view.

Based on the male sexual characters (shapes and chaeotaxy of sternites VII and VIII; morphology of the aedeagus), N. assamensis is most closely related to N. brevipennis , from which it differs by the longer elytra, paler coloration of the pronotum and the elytra, the shape and chaetotaxy of the male sternite VII (posterior concavity smaller; presence of cluster of stout black setae posteriorly), the shape and chaetotaxy of the male sternite VIII (posterior excision larger and deeper, anteriorly less strongly elevated and with more distinct cluster of setae), and by the slightly different shape of the aedeagus (ventral process straight in lateral view).

The currently known distribution is illustrated in Map 3 .

Figures

Map 3: Distributions of Neosclerus dupleseriatus ASSING (circles), N. brevipennis (CAMERON) (filled triangles: male-based records; open triangle: female-based record), N. assamensis (CAMERON) (diamonds), and N. obscurus nov.sp. (star).

Figs 17-21: Neosclerus obscurus nov.sp. (Fig. 17) and N. assamensis (CAMERON) (Figs 18-21): (17, 19) male sternite VIII; (18) male sternite VII; (20-21) aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.