Erichsonius (Sectophilonthus) dorsumsuis, Uhlig & Janák, 2013

Uhlig, Manfred & Janák, Jiří, 2013, Erichsonius (Sectophilonthus) dorsumsuis sp. nov. from Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal Provinces, South Africa (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae, Staphylininae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 53 (1), pp. 209-218 : 210-217

Erichsonius (Sectophilonthus) dorsumsuis sp. nov.

( Figs 1–30 , Tab. 1, 2)

Type locality. South Africa: Eastern Cape, Hogsback, 970–1300m, 32°35′S, 26°56–57′E.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: J ( Figs 1–6 , 19–21 ): || South Africa: Eastern Cape, Hogsback , 970-1300m, 32°35′S, 26°56-57′E, 5-7.xii.2006, J. Janák leg. || secondary forest, stream banks treading || ( TMSA) . PARATYPES: SOUTH AFRICA: same data as holotype, 8 JJ 4 ♀♀ ( JJPC: 8 JJ 3 ♀♀, MFNB: 1 ♀) ; same data as holotype, but: || indigenous forest, swamp, treading || 9 JJ 7 ♀♀ ( JJPC: 6 JJ 5 ♀♀, MFNB: 2 JJ 1 ♀, NMPC: 1 J 1 ♀). || South Africa: Eastern Cape, Fort Fordyce NR, pond treading, 32°40′S, 26°29′E, 1.xii. 2009, J. Janák lgt. || 5 JJ 4 ♀♀ ( JJPC: 4JJ 3♀♀, MFNB:1J 1♀). || South Africa : Eastern Cape, Fort Fordyce NR, indig. forest, 32°40′S, 26°29′E, 1.xii. 2009, J. Janák lgt. || stream banks, treading || 1 J 2 ♀♀ ( JJPC). || South Africa , Eastern Cape, Kologha State Forest , treading, ca 32°32´S, 27°22´E, 31.i-1.ii.2012, J. Janák lgt. || 5 JJ 6 ♀♀ ( JJPC: 4 JJ 4 ♀♀, MFNB: 1 J 1 ♀, NMPC: 1 ♀). || South Africa , Eastern Cape, Mkhambati NR, Gwegwe forest , 31°17.4’S ; 29°59.5’E, 27.i.2012, J. Janák lgt. || treading, swamp || 15 JJ 10 ♀♀ ( JJPC: 12 JJ 7 ♀♀, MFNB: 2 JJ 2 ♀♀, TMSA: 1 J 1 ♀) || South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, Queen Elizabeth Park , 29°34.157’ S 30°19.299’E 22.xi.2006, J. Janák leg. || secondary forest, stream banks, treading || 30 JJ 24 ♀♀ ( JJPC: 13 JJ 10 ♀♀, MFNB: 2 JJ 2 ♀♀, TMSA: 15 J J 12 ♀♀) || South Africa , KwaZulu-Natal, Ntendeka Wilderness Area , Ngomi Forest , 27°51’S 31°23’E, 24- 27.xi.2006, J. Janák leg. || indigenous forest, stream banks, treading || 1 J, 1 ♀ ( JJPC: 1 J, TMSA: 1 ♀). || South Africa , KwaZuluNatal, Fernkliff NR, alt. 1000m, 29°33.0´S ; 30°20.3´E, 25.i.2012, J. Janák lgt. || pond shore, treading || 1 J ( JJPC) .

Description. Length LCo [mm] 5.2 ± 0.4 (5.2 / 4.4–5.9). Anterior body length LCa [mm] 2.7 ± 0.1 (2.7 / 2.4–2.8).

Colour. Pitchy black to almost black. Posterior margins of tergites, sometimes anterior margin of pronotum, posterior margin of elytra and suture dark reddish brown. Genital segment yellowish brown to pitchy brown, styli of tergite IX pitchy black. Legs dark yellowish brown to pitchy brown with basal two thirds of tibiae infuscate. Antennae pitchy black with antennomere I and base of segments II and III yellowish brown, at least antennomeres IX to XI continuously more pitchy brown to dark yellowish brown. Mouthparts dark yellowish brown, mandibles pitchy brown.

Head ( Figs 1, 3 ) of rounded square to slightly transverse-rectangular shape, slightly shorter than wide across eyes, temples parallel-sided or only slightly dilated posteriad, eyes slightly prominent to prominent, slightly to distinctly shorter than temples. Head transversally convex, shorter than pronotum but about as wide as pronotum.

Antennae ( Figs 1, 6 ) long and slender, all segments longer than wide. For length, width and indices of all anntennomeres of holotype see Table 1; for variation of length, width and indices of anntennomeres 5 and 10 see Table 2.

Pronotum ( Figs 1, 4 ) longer than wide, of inverted trapezoid shape with rounded angles, slightly narrowed posteriorly, broadest at anterior third, transversally convex.

Scutellum ( Figs 1, 5 ) moderate finely and sparingly punctate, slightly denser than elytra; punctation consisting of 8–12 punctures.

Elytra ( Figs 1, 5 ) longer and wider than pronotum. Elytra together slightly longer than wide, of rounded rectangular shape, sides slightly rounded and dilated posteriorly, broadest at fourth fifth of their length. Elytra slightly convex transversally.

Posterior wings completely developed.

Abdomen ( Fig. 1 ) staphylininae-shaped with urite IV broadest. Terga III to V with feeble basal impressions. Tergum VII with complete membranous palisade fringe at its posterior margin.

Pubescence, punctation and microsculpture. Pubescence dark. Punctation of head ( Figs 1, 3 ) and pronotum ( Figs 1, 4 ) moderate and sparse. Microsculpture on head distinct, consisting of nearly isodiametric (clypeus) to net-like meshes, those of pronotum also distinct but slightly weaker with more slightly transverse meshes but especially on posterior part of pronotum more long-transverse and weaker. Punctures of elytra ( Figs 1, 5 ) moderately dense and moderately fine. Elytra without microsculpture. Abdomen ( Fig. 1 ) finely and densely punctate, microsculpture more distinct than on pronotum, consisting of dense, slightly transverse to net-like meshes, these dense. Interior puncture series of pronotum consisting of 1+10 ± 1 (11|12 / 9–12) punctures.

Male. Tarsomeres 1 to 4 of protarsus dilated ( Fig. 1 ), nearly as broad as apex of protibia. Abdominal tergite X ( Fig. 9 ) evenly curved apically, posterior margin with (3)2-1-2(3) long and strong bristles and fine cuticular fringes. Posterior margin of sternite VIII ( Fig. 7 ) with broad arcuate emargination and moderately long and moderately strong bristles. Sternite IX ( Fig. 8 ) rather broad, with an asymmetrical basal process, posterior margin feebly truncate and slightly emarginated in middle, with (3)2-(1)-2(3) long and strong bristles and 4–6 mediumsized or fine apical bristles at posterior margin.

Aedeagus ( Figs 19–27 ). Aedeagus and parameral rami strongly sclerotized. Parameral side facing ventrally when in repose (resting position of aedeagus 0° according to COIFFAIT 1972). For measurements and proportions see Table 2. Parameral rami only slightly exceeding top of median lobe [i (DA–Pm): LPm +0.022 ± 0.008 (0.028 / 0.008–0.038)]. Median lobe pointed, with two basal keels on ventral side of the tube of median lobe and with shallow longitudinal depression between keels. Distal orifice situated dorso-apically. Parameral rami heavily sclerotized, in basal half parallel to median lobe, in apical half pointed spoon-like dilated but only slightly twisted along longitudinal axis; spoon-like apical part at inner side with few long hairs more basally and with 9–17 peg setae more distally located in spoon ( Figs 22, 24, 27 ). Internal sac with fine spines, squamous structures and one pair of triangular sclerites and one pair of sclerites as in Figs 22–26 .

Female. In general appearance similar to male. Anterior tarsomeres less dilated than in males. Abdominal tergite X ( Figs 10–13 ) rounded wedge-shaped, apex rounded, bearing 2-(1)-2 rather long apical setae. Valves (lateral sternal sclerites IX + coxite + stylus) with lateral sternal sclerites IX slightly longer than coxite + stylus ( Figs 14–18 ). Coxite long and moderately broad, stylus large. Chaetotaxic formula (for explanation see UHLIG 1988 and UHLIG & WATANABE 1992):

Valve = 0: 0: 0: x4(13–22)

y1: y2: y3α,β,γ,(δ,ε): y4: y5α,β,γ,δ,(ε): y6: y7(15–19)

z1: z2: 0: 0

Valval chaetotaxy: Digging spines: z1, y2. Large and strong bristles: y3β, y4, y5α, β. Large and thin bristles: z2, y3(α)(γ,δ), y5(α). Fine setae: all others.

The female paratype 19 from Fort Fordyce NR has a unilateral malformation of the right valval stylus – bristle z2 is transformed to a digging spine ( Fig. 18 ), thus the right valve bears three digging spines.

Measurements, indices and variability. See Table 2.

Differential diagnosis. Erichsonius dorsumsuis sp. nov. belongs to the subgenus Sectophilonthus (aedeagus position in repose 0°). The new species can be distinguished from the majority of described Erichsonius species of the world by the following characters in combination: (1) tergite VII with complete membranous fringe, winged; (2) large, body length LCo 4.4–5.9 mm, anterior body length LCa 2.4–2.8 mm; (3) pronotum width TP 0.71–0.82 mm; (4) eyes shorter than temples, eye/temple length index i LO:LTe 0.61–0.85; (5) interior puncture series of pronotum 1+10±1 (11|12 /9–12); (6) head slightly broader than long, i LC: TO 0.86–1.00; (7) length/width index of pronotum i LP:TP 1.08–1.18; (8) length/width index of elytra i LE:TE 1.02–1.16; (9) parameral rami slightly exceeding apex of aedeagus, DA–Pm 0.014±0.005(0.018/0.006–0.024), i (DA–Pm):LPm 0.022±0.008(0.028/0.008–0.038); (10) tube of median lobe pointed, with two keels on basal half of ventral side; (11) parameral rami with peg setae and hairs at inner side of apical dilation; (12) valves with digging spines z1 and y2.

The new species shares the character combination (1) to (4) with the following nine species from continental Africa: E. (S.) capensis (Cameron, 1944) , E. (S.) deceptivus Tottenham, 1956 , E. (S.) elgonensis (Bernhauer, 1939) , E. (S.) goellnerae Uhlig, 2012 , E. (S.) hiekei Uhlig, 1995 , E. (S.) jarrigei Levasseur, 1969 , E. (S.) nukurensis (Fauvel, 1907) , E. (S.) omissus Levasseur, 1971 , and E. (S.) zapfi Uhlig, 1997 .

The new species has both peg setae and hairs on the inner side of the apical dilation of the parameral rami and two keels on the basal half of the ventral side of the pointed median lobe. Only E. hiekei from the Nyanga Mountains in Eastern Zimbabwe ( Fig. 28 ) shares these four characters with the new species and is most closely related. Erichsonius dorsumsuis differs from E. hiekei by the parameral rami only slightly exeeding the tip of the median lobe (in E. hiekei the parameral rami distinctly exceed the tip of the median lobe), distinctly fewer peg setae and hairs (about 9 to 17 peg setae and less than 10 hairs in E. dorsumsuis but about 25 peg setae and 16 hairs in E. hiekei ), and a parallel-sided head (in E. hiekei is the head distinctly dilated posteriad, see UHLIG 1995).

Etymology. The name of this new species is derived from the name Hogsback, the type locality where the first specimens have been found: Latin sus = hog, Latin dorsum = back. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition.

Distribution and bionomics. Erichsonius (S.) dorsumsuis sp. nov. is only known from four localities in Eastern Cape Province and three localities in KwaZulu-Natal Province ( South Africa) ( Fig. 28 ). The new species was found both in indigenous and secondary forests by treading a swamp, stream and brook banks ( Fig. 30 ), and in Fort Fordyce National Reserve by treading the banks of the pond ( Fig. 29 ) a few meters from the place where Acylophorus meridioafricanus Janák, 2011 ( Staphylinidae : Staphylininae ) was collected (cf. Fig. 3 in JANÁK (2011)).

Figures

Figs 1–6. Erichsonius (S.) dorsumsuis sp. nov., holotype, Hogsback. 1 – holotype specimen; 2 – labels; 3 – head; 4 – pronotum; 5 – elytra and scutellum; 6 – left antenna.

Figs 7–18. Erichsonius (S.) dorsumsuis sp. nov. 7–9 – male paratype 1 from Hogsback: 7 – male sternite VIII; 8 – male sternite IX; 9 – male tergite IX/X. 10–12, 14–16 – female paratypes, all from Hogsback (10, 15 – female paratype 2; 11, 14 – female paratype 1; 12 – female paratype 3; 16 – female paratype 4); 13, 18 – female paratype 19, Fort Fordyce NR; 17 – female paratype 20 from Kologha State Forest: 10, 13 – female tergites IX/X; 11 – female tergites IX/X (right part of tergite IX omitted); 12 – female tergite X; 14, 15 – valves; 16–17 – right valve; 18 – right valve with unilateral malformation: bristle z2 of stylus transformed to a digging spine.

Figs 19–27. Erichsonius (S.) dorsumsuis sp. nov. 19–21 – holotype; 22–26 – male paratypes from Hogsback (22, 26 – male paratype 2; 23–25 – male paratype 1); 27 – male paratype 27 from Kologha State Forest: 19–21 – aedeagus in reflected light (19 – lateral, 20 – ventral, 21 – 1/3 lateral); 22 – apical part of aedeagus, ventral view, transmitted light; 23–25 – aedeagus with evaginated internal sac, transmitted light (23 – dorsal, 24 – lateral, 25 – ventral); 26 – aedeagus in ventral view, transmitted light; 27 – inner side of left parameral ramus.

Figs 28–30. 28 – distribution of ● Erichsonius (S.) dorsumsuis sp. nov. (the large dot represents the two nearby localities Queen Elizabeth Park and Fernkliff NR) and ▲ E. hiekei Uhlig, 1995. 29 – Fort Fordyce Natural Reserve; 30 – Kologha State Forest. Arrows indicate the places at which the specimens were collected.