Scaphisoma krali Löbl, 2021

Löbl, Ivan & Hájek, Jiří, 2021, Scaphisomatini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scaphidiinae) from two biosphere reserves in eastern China, with descriptions of two new species, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 61 (2), pp. 495-501 : 496-497

Scaphisoma krali Löbl , sp. nov.

( Figs 1, 3–4 )

Type locality. China: Fujian Prov., Wuyishan Mts. NNR, 4.8 km SW Tongmu-Sangang, Xiaofeng Mt., 27°42.661′N, 117°39.131′E.

Type material. H OLOTYPE ♂: CHINA: FUJIAN Prov., Wuyishan Mts. NNR, 4.8 km SW Tongmu-Sangang, Xiaofeng Mt., 27°42.661′N, 117°39.131′E, D. Král & J. Růžička lgt. / (W13) 27.v.2018, 1170 m, sift #07, mixed broad-leaved forest with bamboo ( IZCAS). P ARATYPES: 1 ♂ 2 ♀♀: CHINA: FUJIAN Prov., Wuyishan Mts. NNR, 0.5 km SE Tongmu-Guadun, 27°43.981′N, 117°38.375′E, D. Král & J. Růžička lgt. / (W09) 25.v.2018, 1230 m, sift #05, detritus with mycelia, dense short bamboo forest with intermixed high evergreen trees ( MHNG, NMPC).

Description. Length 1.60–1.78 mm, width 1.10–1.18 mm. Head, pronotum and elytra blackish-brown, venter of thorax somewhat paler, apex of abdomen yellowish, femora and tibiae reddish-brown, tarsi and antennae yellowish ( Fig. 1 ).

Length/width ratios of antennomeres as follows: III 15/9: IV 35/6: V 42/7: VI 38/8: VII 53/16: VIII 38/12: IX 49/17: X 47/17: XI 62/19.

Pronotum not microsculptured, with lateral margins evenly rounded, lateral margin carinae not or hardly visible in dorsal view, lateral margin carinae impunctate, discal punctation fine, sparse, most puncture intervals about 4 to 6 times as large as puncture diameters, punctures shallow, not well delimited, clearly visible at 30 times magnification. Exposed point of scutellum minute.

Elytra not microsculptured, with lateral margins nearly evenly rounded, apical margins rounded, lateral margin carinae exposed in dorsal view, lateral margin striae impunctate in basal third, finely and densely punctate posterior to basal third, inner apical angles not prominent, situated posterior to level of outer apical angles, marginal crenulation absent, sutural striae shallow, bent at bases and extending laterally to form basal striae evanescent in outer third of basal width, sutural striae parallel except for near apices, in apical third of sutural length converging posteriad, adsutural areas flat, each with single, very fine puncture row, discal punctures fairly coarse and dense, coarser than pronotal or adsutural punctures, not forming rows, puncture intervals mostly slightly larger to three times larger than puncture diameters.

Exposed tergites not microsculptured, punctation on base of pydigium dense and fine, becoming sparser and finer apicad.

Hypomera not microsculptured, very finely punctate. Mesepimeron about 2.5 times as long as wide and as long as interval to mesocoxa. Metaventrite not microsculptured. Median part of metaventrite weakly convex, flattened apically, lacking distinct impressions near metacoxae; punctation distinct, sharply delimited, sparse and fine on centre, dense and fairly coarse on apical area, punctures on metacoxal process about as large as puncture intervals. Lateral parts of metaventrite lacking antecoxal puncture rows, with punctation very fine and sparse. Submesocoxal area 0.06 mm long, about half of shortest interval to metacoxa, Submesocoxal line convex, densely punctate. Metanepisterna slightly convex, impressed along nearly straight suture, slightly narrowed anteriad. Tibiae straight.

Abdomen lacking microsculpture. Ventrite I with distinct basomedian punctures, very finely punctate on prevailing surface, submetacoxal area 0.08 mm long, two thirds of interval to apical margin of ventrite. Following ventrites very finely and sparsely punctate.

Male characters. Protarsomeres I to III weakly widened, mesotarsomeres not widened. Lobe of ventrite VI obtuse, about 0.05 mm long. Aedeagus ( Figs 3, 4 ) 0.55–0.60 mm. Differential diagnosis. This species possesses characters of the Scaphisoma subalpinum group, as defined in L ÖBL (1970). It may be distinguished by the body length about 1.6–1.8 mm, the antennomere IV elongate, very narrow, the antennomere XI about 1.3 times as long as the antennomere X, the elytra with the basal striae broadly separated from the lateral striae, the abdomen not microsculptured, the submesocoxal and submetacoxal lines convex, the submesocoxal area as long as 3/4 of the submetacoxal area, the aedeagus symmetrical, with the apical process narrow, parameres arcuate in dorsal view, in mesal 2/3 weakly sclerotized, the internal sac with a robust, weekly bent cylindrical rod followed by a membranous tube bearing minute denticles.

The median lobe and the structure of the internal sac are similar to those of members of the S. subalpinum group, established in L ÖBL (1970), while the mesally weakly sclerotized parameres are distinctive. The shape of the median lobe and the internal sac with a basal tubular rod suggest relationships of this new species with S. subapicale Löbl, 2019 , known so far only from China: Yunnan province. In addition to the distinctive parameres, S. krali sp. nov. may be distinguished from S. subapicale by the abdomen lacking microsculpture and the proximal membranes of the internal sac lacking particular structures.

Collection circumstances. At the type locality, the new species was collected in mixed broad-leaved forest with bamboo ( Fig. 9 ); the sifting was performed under dense bamboo bush and in drifts of leaves under evergreen trees, along a small path on a steep slope ( Fig. 10 ). In Guadun, Scaphisoma krali sp. nov. was sifted in short bamboo forest with intermixed high evergreen trees ( Fig. 11 ); the microhabitat represents a bamboo bush along a small path above a tea plantation, overgrown with large trees ( Fig. 12 ); sifted small bamboo leaves were covered with white mycelia (J. Růžička, pers. comm.).

Etymology. Patronymic. The species is named in honour of one of its collectors, our friend and colleague David Král (Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic).

Distribution. So far known only from two very close localities in the Wuyishan Mts. NNR, Fujian, China.

Figures

Figs 1–8. Scaphisoma Leach, 1815 from Wuyishan Mts. 1, 3–4 – Scaphisoma krali sp. nov.; 2, 5–8 – Scaphisoma sekerkai sp. nov. 1–2 – habitus in dorsal view; 3, 5 – aedeagus in dorsal view; 4, 8 – aedeagus in lateral view; 6 – basal bulb and internal sac in dorsal view; 7 – paramere in ventral view. Scale bars: Figs 1–2 = 1 mm; 3–8 = 0.1 mm.

Figs 9–13. Habitat of Scaphisoma Leach, 1815 in Wuyishan Mts. 9–10 – Xiaofeng Mountain; 11–13 – Guadun. 9 – general view of broad-leaved forest with bamboo; 10 – detail of sifted microhabitat; 11 – general view of short bamboo forest with intermixed high evergreen trees; 12 – detail of sifted bamboo bush; 13 – border of tea plantation and mixed forest with flowering Castanopsis sp.