Pseudoraphes Franz, 1980

Jałoszyński, Paweł, 2019, Taxonomy of the ' Afroeudesis group' of glandulariine ant-like stone beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae), Zootaxa 4612 (2), pp. 205-220 : 212-214

Pseudoraphes Franz

Pseudoraphes Franz, 1980b: 209 . Type species: Pseudoraphes huallagae Franz, 1980b (orig. des.).

Revised diagnosis. Body (Fig. 3) moderately stout, distinctly constricted between head and prothorax and between prothorax and elytra. Head ( Fig. 11 ) about as long as broad with tempora shorter than eyes; tempora, vertex, genae and postgenae lacking thick bristles; occipital constriction distinctly, but not much, narrower than vertex; submen- tum lacking lateral sutures; hypostomal ridges present and complete, obliquely running toward posterior tentorial pits where they are not connected; antennae gradually thickened; head lacking frontal impression, posteromedian impression and median subtriangular 'platform', but bearing a diffuse longitudinal groove and largely symmetrical setae ( Fig. 11 ); maxillary palpomere IV slightly constricted before apex, so that its apical portion is broadened and truncate; pronotum ( Fig. 24 ) broadest in front of middle, sides with lateral edges or carinae developed in posterior half and with distinct sublateral carinae; transverse antebasal groove present and connecting small but distinct inner lateral pits, also with a pair of indistinct outer lateral pits; sides of pronotum with dense bristles; prosternum ( Fig. 25 ) with basisternal part shorter than half length of coxal part; prosternal intercoxal process developed as a diffuse ridge; procoxal cavities closed; notosternal sutures and hypomeral ridges complete; mesoscutellum ( Fig. 24 ) largely exposed between elytral bases; mesocoxal rests with diffuse marginal carina and a faint postmarginal carina; mesoventral intercoxal process ( Fig. 26 ) carinate and strongly elevated, narrowly separating mesocoxae, with a broadened, flattened and smooth median area, with a well-defined posterior tip and a subtriangular posteromedian emargination; metaventral carinae present; anterior metaventral process present, well-defined, conspicuously large, with subrectangular anterior tip and broadly triangular base; metaventral intercoxal process ( Fig. 26 ) not separating metacoxae, subtriangular, lacking median notch and lacking lateral spines; each elytron ( Fig. 24 ) with two vestigial asetose foveae; and aedeagus ( Figs 27–30 ) symmetrical with free, slender parameres (broken off in the studied specimen, but Franz (1989b) illustrated parameres for P. huallagae , which has a very similar aedeagus).

Redescription. Body (Fig. 3) elongate but not very slender, distinctly constricted between head and prothorax and less so between prothorax and elytra, strongly convex, brown.

Head ( Figs 11 , 24–25 ) with moderately large eyes; tempora short but distinct, rounded; frons lacking frontal impression, with diffuse longitudinal median impression; vertex anteriorly confluent with frons, lacking posteromedian impression; numerous setae on frons and vertex largely symmetrical ( Fig. 11 ); gular plate ( Fig. 25 ; gp) subtrapezoidal; posterior tentorial pits ( Fig. 25 ; ptp) in front of transverse impression demarcating 'neck' region ventrally, minute; hypostomal ridges ( Fig. 25 ; hr) complete, reaching level of posterior tentorial pits, not connected; submentum ( Fig. 25 ; smn) lacking lateral sutures. Antennae (Fig. 3) slender, gradually thickened distad.

Pronotum ( Fig. 24 ) bell-shaped, broadest in front of middle; with blunt lateral carinae developed in posterior half, and with short sublateral carinae ( Fig. 24 ; slc), with distinct antebasal transverse groove ( Fig. 24 ; tg) and two pairs of antebasal lateral pits: inner ( Fig. 24 ; ip) and outer ( Fig. 24 ; op). Prosternum with vestigial basisternal region ( Fig. 25 ; bst), prosternal process carinate but weakly elevated; notosternal sutures ( Fig. 25 ; nss) complete; hypomeral ridges ( Fig. 25 ; hyr) complete; inner (adcoxal) portion of hypomeron broad and glabrous, outer portion (confluent with side of pronotum) covered with thick bristles. Procoxal cavities ( Fig. 25 ; pcc) closed.

Mesoventrite with a pair of transverse impressions behind its anterior ridge that function as procoxal rests ( Fig. 26 ; pcr); mesoventral intercoxal process ( Fig. 26 ; msvp) carinate, long, strongly elevated, with distinctly broadened posterior portion bearing a median flattened area ( Fig. 26 ; mfa) that is smooth and devoid of setae, posterior tip of process with subtriangular emargination.

Mesoscutellum ( Fig. 24 ; msc) exposed between elytral bases in intact beetles, subtriangular, about as long as broad.

Metaventrite with massive anterior metaventral process ( Fig. 26A ; amtp), its anterior portion subrectangular, posterior portion broadly subtriangular; each side with metaventral carina ( Fig. 26 ; mtvc) running posterad and slightly toward lateral margin of ventrite; mesocoxal rests ( Fig. 26A ; mscr) very deep and filled with setae, their posterior marginal carina diffuse and incomplete; metaventral intercoxal process ( Fig. 26 ; mtvp) lacking lateral spines, not separating metacoxae.

Elytra (Figs 3, 24) oval, each elytron with one pair of vestigial asetose basal elytral foveae ( Fig. 24 ; bef), lacking basal impression, and with distinct humeral callus. Hind wings developed.

Legs do not differ from other genera of Glandulariini, unmodified in males.

Abdomen unmodified, with sternites III and IV subequal in length.

Aedeagus ( Figs 27–30 ) stout, weakly sclerotized, with symmetrical median lobe, asymmetrical endophallic structures with indistinct flagellum, and with free parameres bearing apical setae (parameres broken off in the studied specimen, but Franz (1989b) illustrated parameres for P. huallagae , which has a very similar aedeagus).

Remarks. Pseudoraphes is most similar to Meridaphes and Stenichnoconnus ; differences were discussed at each of the latter genera.

Composition and distribution. Pseudoraphes comprises two species: P. huallagae known to occur in Peru, and a sympatric P. minor ( Fig. 41 ).

Figures

FIGURE 41. Distribution of 'Afroeudesis group'.

FIGURES 9–12. Examples of the symmetrical setal pattern on frons and vertex in representatives of the 'Afroeudesis lineage' (insertions of setae, including those broken off, marked by circles).Meridaphes venezolanus (9); Stenichnoconnus huijbregtsensis (10); Pseudoraphes minor (11); Afroeudesis (Nanoscydmus) baoshana (12).

FIGURES 24–25. Morphological structures of Pseudoraphes minor Franz, male paratype. Head, prothorax and elytral base in dorsal view (24); head and prothorax in ventral view (25). Abbreviations: bef, basal elytral foveae; bst, basisternal portion of prosternum; gp, gular plate; hr, hypostomal ridge; hyr, hypomeral ridge; ip, inner pit; mn, mentum; msc, mesoscutellum; nss, notosternal suture; op, outer pit; pcc, procoxal cavity; pcr, procoxal rest; ptp, posterior tentorial pit; slc, sublateral carina; smn, submentum; tg, transverse groove.

FIGURES 26–30. Morphological structures of Pseudoraphes minor Franz, male paratype. Pterothorax in ventral view (26); aedeagus in ventral (27, 29) and lateral (28, 30) views. Abbreviations: amvp, anterior metaventral process; mfa, median flattened area; mscr, mesocoxal rest; msvp, mesoventral intercoxal process; mtvc, metaventral carina; mtvp, metaventral intercoxal process; pcr, procoxal rest.