Bellatheta effecta, Lee & Ahn, 2021

Lee, Seung-Gyu & Ahn, Kee-Jeong, 2021, Korean Species of Bellatheta Roubal (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), with Two New Combinations and a New Synonym, The Coleopterists Bulletin 75 (2), pp. 349-354 : 350-353

BELLATHETA EffEcTA ( Sawada, 1989) , new combination ( Fig. 1A )

Atheta (Notothecta) effecta Sawada 1989: 277 . Notothecta effecta : Smetana 2004: 413; Schülke and

Smetana 2015: 570; Lee and Ahn 2019: 192.

Description. See Lee and Ahn (2019) for detailed redescription.

Distribution. Korea (South) and Japan.

Remarks. This species is transferred from Notothecta Sawada to Bellatheta based on the diagnosis of the latter genus in Pace (1982) and

Lohse et al. (1990). It corresponds to Bellatheta and differs from Notothecta in the following characters: antennomeres moderately or loosely conjoined (antenna spindle-shaped, antennomeres closely conjoined in Notothecta ); antennomere 2 longer than 3 (antennomere 3 as long as or slightly longer than 2 in Notothecta ); pronotum about as wide as or slightly wider than long (pronotum distinctly wider than long in Notothecta ); apical process of median lobe of aedeagus bifid apically in ventral aspect (apical process of median lobe entire in Notothecta ).

Bellatheta myohyangsani ( Paśnik, 2001) , new combination ( Figs. 1B , 2A–J )

Atheta (Dimetrota) myohyangsani Paśnik 2001: 218 ; Smetana 2004: 382; Schülke and Smetana 2015: 532.

Atheta (Dimetrota) namphoensis Paśnik 2001: 219 ; Smetana 2004: 382. New synonym.

Nepalota namphoensis : Pace 2004: 496; Schülke and Smetana 2015: 569.

Type Material. Holotype of Atheta (Dimetrota) myohyangsani , ♀, labeled as in Fig. 3A . Holotype of Nepalota namphoensis , ♂, labeled as in Fig. 3B ; paratypes, 1♂ 1♀: same data as holotype .

Material Examined. South Korea: Gangwon Prov.: 1 ex., Pyeongchang-gun, Mt. Odaesan, Jeokmyeolbogung , 7–9 x 1999, US Hwang, sifting; 10 exx., Pyeongchang-gun , Jinbu-myeon , Dongsanri , Mt. Odaesan , Sangwonsa , 4 vi 2001, SJ Park, sifting ; 1 ex., same data as former except “ 20 iv 2002, SJ Park, MJ Jeon, JS Park” ; 1 ex., same data as former except “ 13 viii 2004, SJ Park, KM Yang” ; 1 ex., same data as former except “ N37°47′4.7″ E128°34′18.7″ 829 m, 31 v 2008, TK Kim, SG Lee, leaf litter”; 2 exx., Pyeongchang-gun, Mt. Odaesan , 20 iv 2002, CW Shin, sifting; 3 exx., same data as former except “ 25 v 2004, SJ Park, JS Park” .

Redescription. Length 2.5–3.2 mm. Body ( Fig. 1B ) glossy, densely pubescent with microsculpture. Body reddish brown to dark brown; antennae, legs and elytra paler, reddish brown. Head: Slightly transverse, approximately 1.1–1.2 times as wide as long, widest at middle, narrower than pronotum; eye slightly prominent, about as long as temple; gular sutures moderately separated, diverged basal- ly; infraorbital carina incomplete; cervical carina complete. Antenna ( Fig. 2F ) long and slender; antennomeres 1–3 elongate, 1 longest, 2 slightly longer than 3, 4 subquadrate, 5–10 slightly transverse, 11 about as long as 1, slightly longer than preceding two combined. Mouthparts: Labrum with 9 macrosetae on each side of midline; epipharynx with α-sensillum about 3.0 times as long as ε-sensillum. Mandibles approximately 1.7–1.8 times as long as basal width; palpomere 1 smallest and about 2.0 times as long as wide, 2 about 2.6–2.8 times as long as wide, 3 slightly longer than 2, about 2.4–2.6 times as long as wide, 4 digitiform, filamentous sensilla not reaching to basal half. Labium with ligula divided into 2 lobes in basal half; prementum with two medial setae narrowly separated; two basal pores narrowly separated, 1.0–2.0 times width of basal pore; several medial pseudopores, lateral pseudopores, 1 setal pore and 2 real pores present on each side of midline; labial palpus elongate, with many setulae; palpomere 1 largest, about 1.5–1.7 times as long as wide, γ-setula contiguous with b-seta, 2 shortest, about 1.6–1.8 times as long as wide, 3 subparallel-sided and about as long as 1, about 3.5 times as long as wide. Mentum with v-seta relatively short, sub-equidistant from u- and w-seta. Thorax: Pronotum ( Fig. 2A ) transverse, approximately 1.2 times as wide as long, widest in apical third; dorsal surface depressed in median region, pubescence directed anteriorly in midline; hypomeron fully visible in lateral aspect. Metanotal scutum with 1 long seta and about 3–4 short setae on each side of midline. Mesoventral process point- ed at apex, about as long as isthmus and metaventral process combined; length ratio of mesoventral process, isthmus and metaventral process 5:3:2. Elytra slightly longer and wider than pronotum; elytron approximately 1.5–1.6 times as long as wide, pubescence directed posteriorly and poste- ro-laterally, postero-lateral margin slightly sinuate; hind wings fully developed, flabellum composed of about 6–8 setose lobes. Legs: Slender and very long, with pubescence and macrosetae; tibiae with different length of two spurs at apex; tarsal formula 4-5-5, length ratio of tarsomeres 29:30:31:70 (protarsus); 34:40:41:38:67 (mesotar- sus); 54:50:47:44:76 (metatarsus); one empodial seta present, about as long as or slightly longer than claw. Abdomen: Subparallel-sided, widest at segments III–IV; surface glossy and densely pubescent, with imbricate and transverse microsculpture; macrochaetal arrangement of tergites II–VI 01-12- 22-22-23; III–V impressed in basal region; male tergite VIII ( Fig. 2B ) with 4 macrosetae on each side of midline, posterior margin subtruncate in median region; male sternite VIII ( Fig. 2C ) with 11 macrosetae on each side of midline, posterior margin round, with long marginal setae; posterior margin of female tergite VIII ( Fig. 2D ) broadly rounded; female sternite VIII ( Fig. 2E ) with 9 macrosetae on each side of midline, posterior margin slightly emarginate, with long marginal setae, min- ute setae present in median region. Aedeagus: Median lobe ( Figs. 2G–H ) slender and long, apical process bifid apically in ventral aspect; internal sac elongate. Apical lobe of paramerites ( Fig. 2I ) with 4 setae; a-seta very long, b-seta longer than c- and d-setae subequal in length and close together. Spermatheca: Bursa peculiar, with deep umbili- cus; duct twisted ( Fig. 2J ).

Distribution. Korea (North, South).

Remarks. This species is transferred from Nepalota Pace to the genus Bellatheta based on the following characters: body parallel-sided (body fusiform in Nepalota ); pronotum less than 1.2 times as wide as long, widest in front of middle, as wide as or slightly wider than head (pronotum more than 1.2 times as wide as long, widest behind middle, distinctly wider than head, more than 1.2 times as wide as long in Nepalota ); prosternum without median carina (prosternum with median carina in Nepalota ); and bifid apical process of median lobe of aedeagus in ventral aspect.

Also, after comparative studies of the holotypes of B. myohyangsani and N. namphoensis , we con- sider that the character differences between these two species is insufficient to separate them and so we propose their synonymy.

Figures

Fig. 1. Habitus. A) Bellatheta effecta, 3.2 mm, B) B. myohyangsani, 2.8 mm.

Fig. 2. Bellatheta myohyangsani. A) Pronotum, dorsal aspect, B) Male abdominal tergite VIII, dorsal aspect, C) Male abdominal sternite VIII, ventral aspect, D) Female abdominal tergite VIII, dorsal aspect, E) Female abdominal sternite VIII, ventral aspect, F) Antenna, G) Median lobe of aedeagus, lateral aspect, H) Median lobe of aedeagus, ventral aspect, I) Paramere, lateral aspect, J) Spermatheca. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 3. Type specimens and label data. A) Holotype of Atheta (Dimetrota) myohyangsani, ISEA, B) Holotype of A. (D.) namphoensis, ISEA.