Pselaphodes aculeus Yin, Li & Zhao

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 : 8-9

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.294046
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6196790
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03BE527D-FFB7-B53E-FF55-97ABB6E3FE95
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Pselaphodes aculeus Yin, Li & Zhao
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Pselaphodes aculeus Yin, Li & Zhao View in CoL sp. nov.

( Figs. 11 View FIGURES 9 – 12 , 23 View FIGURES 13 – 24 , 49–51, 68–70, 84, 85, 100, 122, 123, 136, 148, 170, 171, 177)

Type material. Holotype: CHINA: Yunnan Prov.: 3, Nabanhe N. N. R., Guomenshan Mt. (22°01’26”N 100°53’32”E), elev. 1,800 m, Jia-Yao Hu & Liang Tang leg., 17.xii.2008. Paratypes: CHINA: Yunnan Prov.: 2ƤƤ, same data as holotype (all SHNUC).

Description. Male. Body ( Fig. 11 View FIGURES 9 – 12 ) yellowish-brown, with maxillary palpi and tarsi lighter, head and pronotum darker in color; body length 2.73 mm, combined width of elytra 1.04 mm.

Head about as long as wide, frontal margin anterior to eyes constricted. Antenna ( Fig. 100 View FIGURES 90 – 101 ) with scape slightly expanded, about three times as long as pedicel, three times as long as wide, antennomere III a little longer than scape, IV–VIII about equal in length, IX–XI forming club, IX three times as long as VIII, nearly oval, slightly expanded through length, narrowed at apex, X also oval, but shorter and narrower than in IX, XI 1.5 times as long as X, constricted at base, apex weakly pointed. Maxillary palpus ( Fig. 148 View FIGURES 138 – 149 ) with palpomeres II–IV protuberant laterally, palpomere IV pointed at apex. Right mandible ( Fig. 136 View FIGURES 126 – 137 ) with four large inner teeth, left mandible bears three inner teeth.

Pronotum as long as wide, coarsely punctured and densely pubescent. Elytra ( Fig. 23 View FIGURES 13 – 24 ) closest to those of P. torus , with lateral-apical margin forming a prominent angle, discal sulcus reaching three-fourths of elytral length. Metavenetrite ( Fig. 84, 85 View FIGURES 78 – 85 ) with basal metaventral processes each shallowly lobed apically in lateral view. Protrochanter (Fig. 68) with small apical spine, profemur with strong spine near middle, mesotrochanter (Fig. 69) with distinctive apical spine, metatibia (Fig. 70) with subapical spine.

Abdomen (Figs. 49, 50, 51) with tergite IV less than twice as long as V, tergite VIII (Fig. 123) narrowed from base toward apex, with median excavation, sternite VIII (Fig. 122) as long as wide, broadly emarginate apically.

Aedeagus ( Figs. 170, 171 View FIGURES 162 – 173 ) very weakly sclerotized, apical part of median lobe in lateral view slender, in dorsal view narrowed toward apex; endophallus ( Fig. 177 View FIGURES 174 – 186 ) asymmetrical in dorsal view, broadened at basal half and narrowed at apical half; parameres similar to each other, narrowed from base toward apex.

Female. Smaller than male in body length; antennae normal; basal metaventral process absent.

Remarks. This species is unique in its strongly thickened femora, metatibiae each with a subapical spine, and the aedeagus with the median lobe pointed and the basal part asymmetrical in dorsal view. Distribution. China (Yunnan Province)

Etymology. The species name is a noun in apposition (" aculeus " (Latin) means "sting, point") and refers to the metatibiae each bearing a spine near apex.