Romanotyphlus, Struyve, 2022

Struyve, Tim, 2022, On the soil dwelling Staphylinidae (Coleoptera) of Romania, Belgian Journal of Entomology 127, pp. 1-22 : 9

Genus Romanotyphlus gen. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:FA296B9F-EEB6-49C6-94B1-CB42CC40813C

TYPE SPECIES. Romanotyphlus metaliferensis sp. nov .

ETYMOLOGY. The name is composed of Romania, the country where this genus is found, and the component - typhlus from the greek τυφλός (= blind).

TAXONOMIC POSITION. Leptotyphlinae Entomoculiini

DESCRIPTION.

Body cylindrical, yellow and shining. Antennae with 11 articles, fifth article larger than sixth, club three-segmented. Maxillary palps with four articles, article II much bigger than article III, article IV long and very slim. Labial palps with four articles, article III slender, article IV very small. Ligula divided in two membranous branches. Mandibles with a simple tooth. Gular sutures complete and united in the center of the head.

Legs broad, femurs and tibiae with sparse setae, tibiae also with near the apical half of the internal margin and at the apical exterior margin a row of setae. Tarsi two-segmented, first article very short.

Abdomen: slightly wider towards tergite VII, sternites IV-VII (second until fifth visible sternite) with deep basal incision with denser pubescence. Tergites IV-VII with shallow basal impression.

Male genital segment with two pleurites that partially cover the base ventrally and a longer and wider urosternite. Urosternite slightly asymmetric, large with a stronger sclerified apical oval structure.

COMMENTS. Within the Leptotyphlinae the incisions on the sternites IV-VII are unique to the tribe Cephalotyphlini which contains only the genus Cephalotyphlus Coiffait, 1955 and to the genus Paratyphlus of the tribe Entomoculiini . The other genera within the tribe Entomoculiini have only an incision on sternite VII. Other subfamilies have no incision. Romanotyphlus has also those incisions on sternites IV-VII which is the first indication of its position.

COIFFAIT (1972) uses the maxillary palps in his key to divide several tribes: Cephalotyphlini , Metrotyphlini and Neotyphlini have the article III of the maxillary palps as large or bigger than article II. Entomoculiini and Leptotyphlini have the article II bigger than article III. So this would place Romanotyphlus into Entomoculiini .

The aedeagus of Entomoculiini and Cephalotyphlini could be divided into three basic types: The Cephalotyphlini , with only the genus Cephalotyphlus , has the most basic, symmetric structure: median lobe simple and well developed with at most one simple copulatory piece and well developed parameres with several setae. The genus Cyrtotyphlus from the Entomoculiini has also a symmetric aedeagus, but with strongly enlarged parameres that cover most of the less developed apical half of the aedeagus. The remaining Entomoculiini have asymmetric aedeagi with well-developed copulatory pieces, a short or long ventral lamina and a well-developed ventral process (calus proximal sensu COIFFAIT (1972)). The aedeagus of Romanotyphlus has clear similarities with most genera of the Entomoculiini , especially Allotyphlus Coiffait, 1955 and Mesotyphlus Coiffait, 1957 . The parameres of R. metaliferensis have only one strong seta; Allotyphus, Entomoculia , Mesotyphlus , Neocyrtotyphlus and Paratyphlus have three or four setae on the parameres. Similar aedeagi can also be found with Metrotyphlini and Neotyphlini, but those miss the incisions on the sternites.

It can be concluded that Romanotyphlus is best placed within the Entomoculiini .