Pselaphodes Westwood, 1870

Yin, Zi-Wei, Li, Li-Zhen & Zhao, Mei-Jun, 2010, Taxonomical study on the genus Pselaphodes Westwood (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae) from China. Part I., Zootaxa 2512, pp. 1-25 : 2-3

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.294046
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6196788
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03BE527D-FFB1-B534-FF55-90F4B1AFFBBD
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Pselaphodes Westwood, 1870
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Treatment

Key to Chinese species of Pselaphodes Westwood, 1870 View in CoL (males)

In the genus Pselaphodes , like in many other pselaphine genera, examination of male secondary sexual characters is necessary for correct species identification. It is impossible to identify most species based only on female specimens, as females of related species are too similar and have very few characters that can be used in taxonomical work. This is why the key presented below is based on males only.

Males can be distinguished from females mainly by the presence of a pair of long or short basal metaventral processes, which are absent in females; abdominal tergite VIII and sternite VIII in males always bear a median emargination, while the posterior margins of tergite VIII and sternite VIII are completely flat in the females.

1 Antennal club (VII–XI) with strong modifications ( Figs. 90, 91, 92, 97, 99 View FIGURES 90 – 101 )............................................................. 2

- Antennal club (VII–XI) without strong modifications ( Figs. 93, 94, 95, 96, 98, 100, 101 View FIGURES 90 – 101 ) ....................................... 6

2 Antennomere VII strongly modified, with a basal denticle on inner side ( Fig. 97 View FIGURES 90 – 101 ). Habitus: Fig. 8 View FIGURES 5 – 8 . China (Sichuan) ......................................................................................................................................................... P. hlavaci View in CoL sp. nov.

- Antennomere VII normal, less modified, without denticle ( Figs. 90, 91, 92, 99 View FIGURES 90 – 101 )........................................................ 3

3 Pronotum in apical one-third with lateral protuberance on each side. Habitus: Fig. 4 View FIGURES 1 – 4 . China (Shanxi, Henan)............ ........................................................................................................................................................ P. nomurai View in CoL sp. nov.

- Pronotum in apical one-third expanded or rounded, but without lateral protuberance ............................................... 4

4 Scape with sensory fovea laterally, antennomere X strongly excavated mesally ( Fig. 99 View FIGURES 90 – 101 ). Habitus: Fig. 10 View FIGURES 9 – 12 . China (Zhejiang) .................................................................................................................................... P. declinatus View in CoL sp. nov.

- Scape without sensory fovea, antennomere X not deeply emarginate mesally ( Figs. 90, 91 View FIGURES 90 – 101 ) .................................... 5

5 Antennomere IX nearly triangular, curved apicomesally; X transverse, slightly narrowed from middle to apex ( Fig. 90 View FIGURES 90 – 101 ); profemur with small spine posteromedially, protrochanter with large apical spine (Fig. 52); mesotrochanter with

two small apical spines (Fig. 53). Habitus: Fig. 1 View FIGURES 1 – 4 . China (Zhejiang, Jiangxi) ....................... P. walkeri ( Sharp, 1892) View in CoL - Antennomere IX nearly quadrate, protuberant mesoapically, with apical hook; X elongate, gradually expanded from base toward apex ( Fig. 91 View FIGURES 90 – 101 ); profemur with large spine posteromedially, protrochanter with smaller apical spine (Fig. 54); mesotrochanter with apical spine (Fig. 55). Habitus: Fig. 2 View FIGURES 1 – 4 . China (Guizhou) ................... P. miraculum View in CoL sp. nov.

6 Legs extremely elongate and slender, without any spines or protuberances (Figs. 75–77). Habitus: Fig. 12 View FIGURES 9 – 12 . China (Yunnan).................................................................................................................................... P. subtilissimus View in CoL sp. nov.

- Legs normally elongate, trochanters, femora or tibiae always with some spines or protuberances (Figs. 58–65, 68– 70, 73, 74) .................................................................................................................................................................... 7

7 Mesofemur very thick (Figs. 59, 69), pro-, meso- or metatibia with mesoapical protuberance (Figs. 58, 59, 68–70) 8

- Mesofemur somewhat slender (Figs. 61, 63, 65, 74), tibiae without protuberance mesally (Figs. 60–65, 73, 74) ..... 9

8 Body dark. Pro- and mesotibia with strong apical protuberances (Figs. 58, 59). Apical margin of elytra weakly angulated ( Fig. 16 View FIGURES 13 – 24 ). Habitus: Fig. 3 View FIGURES 1 – 4 . China (Qinghai) .................................................................................. P. torus View in CoL sp. nov.

- Body yellowish-brown. Pro- and mesotibia without protuberances (Figs. 68–69), metatibia with subapical protuberance (Fig. 70). Apical margin of elytra strongly angulate ( Fig. 23 View FIGURES 13 – 24 ). Habitus: Fig. 11 View FIGURES 9 – 12 . China (Yunnan) ....................... ......................................................................................................................................................... P. aculeus View in CoL sp. nov.

9 Mesotrochanter close to apex with three spines (Fig. 62). Habitus: Fig. 6 View FIGURES 5 – 8 . China (Fujian, Jiangxi) ............................. ........................................................................................................................................................ P. wuyinus View in CoL sp. nov.

- Mesotrochanter without spines or only with one or two spines at mid length .......................................................... 10

10 Mesotrochanter lacking spines at mid length .................................... P. yunnanicus ( Hlaváċ, Nomura & Zhou, 2000) View in CoL

- Mesotrochanter bearing one or two spines at mid length (Figs. 61, 65, 74) ............................................................. 11

11 Body yellow. Basal half of maxillary palpomere II nearly straight ( Fig. 144 View FIGURES 138 – 149 ). Habitus: Fig. 7 View FIGURES 5 – 8 . China (Zhejiang) ...... ................................................................................................................................................. P. tianmuensis View in CoL sp. nov.

- Body reddish-brown. Basal half of maxillary palpomere II strongly curved ( Figs. 142, 146 View FIGURES 138 – 149 ) .................................. 12

12 Antenna with antennomere VI slender and elongate, twice as long as wide, antennomere IX strongly asymmetrical ( Fig. 94 View FIGURES 90 – 101 ). Abdominal tergite VIII narrowed from middle to apex (Fig. 110), sternite VIII deeply emarginated at middle of apex (Fig. 111); aedeagus with median lobe expanded through length in lateral view ( Fig. 158 View FIGURES 150 – 161 ), curving rightward in dorsal view ( Fig. 159 View FIGURES 150 – 161 ). Habitus: Fig. 5 View FIGURES 5 – 8 . China (Henan) .................................................... P. cornutus View in CoL sp. nov.

- Antenna with antennomere VI nearly quadrate, one and one-fourth as long as wide, antennomere IX nearly symmetrical ( Fig. 98 View FIGURES 90 – 101 ); tergite VIII narrowed from apical one-third to apex (Fig. 118), sternite VIII (Fig. 119) with apex shallowly emarginated at middle, aedeagus with median lobe extremely broadened, curved in lateral view ( Fig. 166 View FIGURES 162 – 173 ), expanded, and then pointed at apex in dorsal view ( Fig. 167 View FIGURES 162 – 173 ). Habitus: Fig. 9 View FIGURES 9 – 12 . China (Zhejiang) P. latilobus View in CoL sp. nov.