Sagola major, Sharp, 1874

Park, J. - S. & Carlton, C. E., 2014, A revision of the New Zealand species of the genus Sagola Sharp (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae: Faronitae), The Coleopterists Bulletin (mo 13) 68, pp. 1-156 : 117-119

27. major species-group

(6 species)

Diagnosis. Members of the major species-group can be distinguished from other Sagola speciesgroups by the following combination of characters: body small, length 1.5–2.8 mm; male head triangular, widest across temples ( Fig. 66n ), female head bluntly triangular, widest across eyes; temple of male head depressed and projecting ventrally ( Fig. 66n ); male neck with ventral patch of dense setae anteriorly ( Fig. 66o–t ); male hind wings fully developed; abdominal tergites IV–VI with discal carinae; genitalia robust and convex ( Fig. 66g –l ).

KEY TO SPECIES OF THE MAJOR SPECIES- GROUP

The key is based on male specimens because most female specimens are indistinguishable based on external morphology.

1. Frontal sulcus exceeding eyes; posterior frontal fovea elongate................................ ............... S. triregia Théry and Leschen

1′. Frontal sulcus reaching midpoint of eye; posterior frontal fovea oval.....................2

2(1′). Fore trochanter with acute triangular process ( Fig. 66m : arrow); abdominal ventrite VIII with pair of small processes ............. ......................................... S. major Sharp

2′. Fore trochanter round; abdominal ventrite VIII simple..............................................3

3(2′). Temporal lobe of ventral surface of head with acute process; only known from Three Kings Islands ( Fig. 67 : black square)......... ............................... S. marrisi new species

3′. Temporal lobe of ventral surface of head concave; known from North Island or South Island.............................................4

4(3′). Smaller size, length 1.5–1.7 mm ( Fig. 66e ); antennomere 4 subquadrate; paramere narrower than median lobe of genitalia ( Fig. 66k )........ S. prowellae new species

4′. Larger size, length> 1.8 mm; antennomere 4 longer than wide; paramere broader than median lobe of genitalia..........................5

5(4′). Median lobe of genitalia with rectangular process dorsally ( Fig. 66j ); paramere widest at middle, with setae from apex to midpoint ( Fig. 66j ); only known from Auckland of North Island ( Fig. 67 : star).......................... ................................. S. boothi new species

5′. Median lobe of genitalia without process but divided vertically ( Fig. 66l ); paramere widest at base, with setae apically ( Fig. 66l ); known from South Island............................. ..................... S. mackenziensis new species

Figures

Fig. 66. Sagola species in the major species-group. Habitus, dorsal views: a) S. major, b) S. triregia, c) S. marrisi, d) S. boothi, e) S. prowellae, f) S. mackenziensis. Aedeagi, dorsal views: g) S. major, h) S. triregia, i) S. marrisi, j) S. boothi, k) S. prowellae, l) S. mackenziensis. S. major, male: m) Fore femur (arrow indicates trochanter), n) Dorsal surface of head. Male heads, ventral views: o) S. major, p) S. triregia, q) S. marrisi, r) S. boothi, s) S. prowellae, t) S. mackenziensis. Scale bars a–f = 1 mm, g–t = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 67. Known collection localities of New Zealand Sagola species. S. major: black circles; S. triregia: triangle; S. marrisi: black square; S. boothi: star; S. prowellae: white circle; S. mackenziensis: white squares.