Neosclerus assamensis ( CAMERON , 1931), 2011

Assing, Volker, 2011, A revision of the genus Neosclerus C (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 6 (1), pp. 89-148 : 135-136

Neosclerus assamensis ( CAMERON, 1931) ; comb. n. ( Figs 164-165)

Lobochilus assamensis CAMERON, 1931: 126 .

Type material:

Holotype : "Laimatak, Naga Hills (20) / Type / M. Cameron. Bequest. B.M. 1955-147. / L. assamensis Cam. Type / Lectotypus  Lobochilus assamensisassamensis Cameron , desig. V. Assing 2010 / Neosclerus assamensis (Cameron) , det. V. Assing 2010 " ( BMNH).

Comment:

The original description is based on an unspecified number of specimens from " Assam: Naga Hills, Laimatak" ( CAMERON 1931). A single syntype , a female and probably the only syntype seen by Cameron, was found at the BMNH. It is designated as the lectotype .

Redescription:

Body length 3.2 mm. Habitus as in Fig. 164. Coloration conspicuous: head black, remainder of body reddish-yellow; legs and antennae yellowish.

Head strongly transverse, across eyes 1.28 times as wide as long; eyes very large, postocular region practically obsolete ( Fig. 165); dorsal surface, except for posterior region, with very coarse and very dense punctation; interstices reduced to narrow ridges, without microsculpture and glossy; antenna approximately 1 mm long.

Pronotum approximately as long as wide, approximately 0.8 times as wide as head; punctation as coarse and dense as that of head; midline very narrowly impunctate ( Fig. 165); interstices without microsculpture and glossy.

Elytra rather long, almost 1.1 times as long and 1.1 times as wide as pronotum; humeral angles marked ( Fig. 165); punctation relatively coarse, dense, and well-defined. Hind wings present.

Abdomen slightly narrower than elytra; punctation fine, moderately dense on anterior tergites and very sparse on posterior tergites; interstices with shallow microsculpture; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe.

: unknown.

Comparative notes:

Among other macropterous Neoclerus species , N .. assamensisassamensis is characterized particularly by the conspicuously bicoloured body, the very large eyes, as well as by the coarse and dense punctation of the head and pronotum. Its phylogenetic affiliations are unclear, since the male characters are unknown.

Distribution and bionomics:

The type locality is situated in Nagaland, northeastern India. Bionomic data are not available.