Edaphus molestus, Puthz, 2014

Puthz, V., 2014, Review of the New World Edaphus MOTSCHULSKY (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) 120 th Contribution to the Knowledge of Euaesthetinae, Linzer biologische Beiträge 46 (1), pp. 799-827 : 806-807

Edaphus molestus nov.sp. (figs 35, 58)

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype (): ECUADOR: Esmeraldas, Bilsa Biological Station , 500m, 0 o 20’24’N, 79 o 42’36’’W, FIT, 7.-9.VII.1998, P. Hibbs: in the KSEM.

D e s c r i p t i o n: Macropterous, yellowish brown, shiny, elytra finely and densely punctate; pubescence semierect on pronotum, furthermore recumbent.

L e n g t h: 1.1-1.2mm (forebody: 0.75mm).

PM of the ht: HW: 33; DE: 24.5; LE: 9; LT: -; LG: 5; PW: 33; PL: 34; EW: 52; EL: 47; SL: 38.

M a l e: Sternite 8 (fig. 35). Sternite 9 acute apicomedially, fields of ha absent. SpP and vs not found. Aedeagus (fig. 58), apical portion of median lobe acutely angled, internal structures with some stronger sclerotized pieces, parameres slightly shorter than median lobe, with 1 apical and 1 subapical seta.

Head as broad as pronotum, eyes large, finely facetted, distinct temples absent, ptfF distinct, semicircular, alfF indistinct, ampF broader than each of the alpF, completely flat, no special separation between ampF and clp, alpF with few fine punctures. Antennae short, when reflexed nearly extending to the posterior margin of the pronotum, club 2- segmented, segment 10 about as broad as long, segment 11 distinctly longer than segment 10. Pronotum nearly as broad as long, sides moderately convex anteriorly, concavely constricted behind; base with 4 bf, distinct lbc and mbc absent. Elytra large, subquadrate, slightly broader than long, shoulders simple, sides shallowly convex; punctuation fine and dense, punctures as coarse as eye facets, interstices nearly as large as punctures. Mbct3 nearly extending to the posterior margin of the tergite.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: This new species resembles many other small neotropical Edaphus , it resembles mostly E. hirsutus PUTHZ , but may be distinguished by the 4 bf and the longer mbct3; from other resembling species as indicated in the key.

E t y m o l o g y: Since it is difficult to distinguish this new species from other resembling species I name it " molestus " (Lat.= troublesome).