Batrisceniola fengtingae, Yin & Li, 2014

Yin, Zi-Wei & Li, Li-Zhen, 2014, Batrisceniola fengtingae sp. nov., the first record of the genus in China (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 54 (1), pp. 233-236 : 234-236

Batrisceniola fengtingae sp. nov.

( Fig. 1 )

Type locality. China, Zhejiang, Fengyang Shan Natural Reserve, 27°54ƍ33Ǝ–55ƍ18Ǝ, 119°10ƍ17Ǝ–20ƎE, 1,170 – 1,300 m.

Type material (22 JJ 22 ♀♀). HOLOTYPE: CHINA: J, labeled ‘China: S. Zhejiang, Lishui City, Fengyang Shan N. R., forest nr. Datianping , 27°54ƍ33Ǝ-55ƍ18Ǝ, 119°10ƍ17-20ƎE, mixed litter, moss, sifted, 1,170 –1,300 m, 6.x.2013, Feng, Peng, Yu, Yin leg. / HOLOTYPE [red] J, Batrisceniola fengtingae sp. n., Yin & Li det., 2013, SNUC’. PARATYPES: CHINA: 21 JJ 19 ♀♀, same data as the holotype ; 3 ♀♀, same locality except ‘forest nr. Lv’ye Hotel , 27°53ƍ59ƎN, 119°09ƍ41ƎE, coniferous & bamboo litter, sifted, 1,700 m, 8.x.2013, Z. Peng, Y.-M. Yu & Z.-W. Yin leg.’. All paratypes bear the following label : ‘ PARATYPE [yellow] J[or ♀], Batrisceniola fengtingae sp. n., Yin & Li det., 2013, SNUC’.

Diagnosis. Medium in size, length 1.85–2.0 mm. Male with apices of pro- and mesotibiae, and abdominal tergite IV modi¿ed. Aedeagus with curved dorsal lobe much longer than ventral lobe.

Description. Male ( Fig. 1A ). Length 1.85–2.00 mm; body reddish brown, maxillary palpi and tarsi lighter. Head and pronotum shallowly and roughly punctate. Head slightly wider than long, HL 0.41–0.42 mm, HW 0.48–0.49 mm; frons lacking modi¿cation; each eye composed of about 30 facets.Antennal clubs loosely formed by apical three antennomeres. Pronotum about as long as wide, PL 0.43–0.46 mm, PW 0.44–0.46 mm; lateral margins rounded at middle, nearly parallel at base; basal portion roughened. Elytra wider than long, EL 0.61–0.68 mm, EW 0.75–0.80 mm; shallow discal striae reaching apical third of elytral length; with slight denticle on humeral angles. Protibiae ( Figs 1B, D ) with long apical tuft of setae; mesotibiae ( Figs 1C, E ) with distinct apical spur. Abdomen slightly narrower than elytra, AL 0.40–0.44 mm, AW 0.66–0.71 mm; tergite IV (¿rst visible tergite,) much longer than V–VII combined, with small, transversely oval cavity at apicomedian portion, tuft of short setae at middle of cavity ( Fig. 1F ); posterior half of tergite VII with bunch of erect setae at middle ( Figs 1G, H ); sternite IX ( Fig. 1I ) nearly oval. Aedeagal length 0.33 mm ( Figs 1J, K ); ventral lobe broad throughout, dorsal lobe broad at base, then narrowing toward apex, strongly curved rightwards at apical third; broad membranous lamella attached to base of ventral lobe.

Female. Similar to male in general appearance. Each eye composed of about 25 facets. Elytra relatively shorter than in male. Pro- and mesotibiae simple. Abdominal tergite IV lacking modi¿cation. Width of genital complex ( Fig. 1L ) 0.32 mm; with transverse hind lobe and paired fore lobe, genital plate has elongate lateral arms slightly narrowing apically, with round apices.

Measurements: BL 1.87–1.99 mm, HL 0.40–0.42 mm, HW 0.46–0.48 mm, PL 0.44–0.45 mm, PW 0.44–0.46 mm, EL 0.56–0.61 mm, EW 0.73–0.76 mm, AL 0.47–0.51 mm, AW 0.69–0.71 mm.

Comparative notes. Males of the new species are most similar to those of B. semipunctulata in sharing the simple frons and a modi¿ed tergite IV, while the males of B. dissimilis and B. hiranoi have a pair of lateral frontal cavities and a simple abdomen. Batrisceniola fengtingae can be separated by the cavity of tergite IV being small, transversely oval, and at apicomedian portion of the tergite. In contrary B. semipunctulata has a large, subbasal median cavity.

Etymology. The species is named after the ¿rst author’s wife Ting Feng, in acknowledgments for her company and assistance in ¿eld.

Biology. At the time of collecting (October, 2013) there was a distinct difference of pselaphine diversity between high and middle to low altitudes (with dividing line at about 1,300 m). Most adults of Batrisceniola fengtingae were collected by sifting moist leaf litter (mostly from bushes) along a small path in a mixed forest at 1,170 –1,300 m, and only three females were collected by sifting coniferous and bamboo litter in a coniferous forest at 1,700 m where the air temperature was much lower than at lower altitudes.

Distribution. East China: Zhejiang.

Keys to males of Batrisceniola (modi¿ed from NOMURA 1991)

1 Frons modi¿ed, with a pair of cavities covered by dense setae; abdominal tergite IV simple. ............................................................................................................................ 2

– Frons simple, lacking cavity; abdominal tergite IV with a median cavity. .................... 3

2 Frontal cavities contiguous; pronotal punctation ¿ner. ......... B. dissimilis ( Sharp, 1874)

– Frontal cavities widely separated; pronotal punctation more rough. ................................ .................................................................................................. B. hiranoi Nomura, 1991

3 Tergite IV with a large subbasal median cavity, surface of lateral circular setiferous patches concave. .................................................................... B. semipunctulata ( Raffray, 1909)

– Tergite IV with a small, transversely oval cavity at apicomedian portion, surface of lateral circular setiferous patches flat. ..................................................... B. fengtingae sp. nov.

Figures

Fig. 1. Batrisceniola fengtingae sp. nov. (A–K – male, L – female). A – dorsal habitus; B – fore leg; C – middle leg; D – apical portion of protibia; E – apical portion of mesotibia; F – posterior half of tergite IV, showing sexual character; G – tergite VII in dorsal view; H – same, in anterior view; I – sternite IX; J – aedeagus, in lateral view; K – same, in ventral view; L – genital complex. Scales (in mm): A = 0.5; B, C = 0.3; F, G, H = 0.2; L, J, K = 0.1; D, E, I = 0.05.