Syndicus

Yin, Zi-Wei, Song, Xiao-Bin & Li, Li-Zhen, 2014, A new species of Syndicus (s. str.) Motschulsky (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae) from East China, Zootaxa 3814 (2), pp. 292-296 : 293-294

Syndicus (s. str.) jaloszynskii Yin and Song, new species

( Figs 1–3 )

Type material. (1 ♂, 3 ♀♀). Holotype: CHINA: ♂, labeled ‘ China: Fujian, Wuyishan City, Wuyi Shan N. R., Guadun [= Kuatun], 27°44′06″N, 117°38′26″E, rotten wood, sifted, alt. 1200 m, 30.v.2012, Zhong Peng leg. / HOLOTYPE [red] ♂, Syndicus (s. str.) jaloszynskii sp. n., det. Yin & Song, 2014, SNUC’. Paratypes: CHINA: 1 ♀, same locality as the holotype, except ‘27°43′59″N, 117°39′01″E, coll. by hand [on fallen rotten wood], alt. 1000 m, 27.v.2012, Xiao-Bin Song leg.’; 1 ♀, labeled ‘ China: S. Zhejiang, Lishui City, Fengyang Shan, Da-Tian-Ping, 27°54′36″, 119°10′20″E, under rotten coniferous wood, with Leptogenys & Camponotus ants, 1320 m, 27.iv.2014, Peng leg.’; 1 ♀, same data except ‘Song leg.’. Each paratype bears a type label similar to that of the holotype except ‘ PARATYPE [yellow] ♀’.

Diagnosis. Large sized, antennomeres III–X each elongate in both sexes. BL of male 4.56 mm; complicated central complex of aedeagal endophallus composed of a subtrapezoidal sclerite with broadly emarginate apical margin; only distal vesicle present, proximal vesicle absent. BL of female 4.14–4.48 mm; spermatheca oval, lacking conical extension surrounding insertion of ductus spermathecae.

Description. Male ( Fig. 1 A). BL 4.56 mm. Body strongly convex, reddish-brown. Head broadest at large, finely faceted and moderately convex eyes, HL 0.63 mm, HW 0.97 mm; tempora in strictly dorsal view regularly arcuate; vertex strongly transverse, nearly flat, confluent with small, slightly convex frons; supraantennal tubercles only indistinct, confluent with frons and vertex; clypeus not modified, with anterior margin nearly straight. Punctation on frons and vertex rather fine, evenly distributed; sparse setae long and nearly subrecumbent. Antennae slightly shorter than 0.6x BL, antennomeres subequal in width throughout, AnL 2.65 mm, relative lengths of antennomeres: 5: 3.3: 5.5: 6.7: 8: 7.3: 7.2: 7: 7: 8: 1.4. Pronotum elongate with regularly convex, trapezoidal disc, broadest near anterior fourth; PL 1.36 mm, PWb 0.80 mm, PWm 1.13 mm; anterior margin convex; sides moderately narrowing posteriorly, and weakly but distinctly constricted in posterior fifth; posterior collar very short, separated from disc by transverse row of four small, but distinct antebasal pits, additionally each side of pronotum anteriorly and ventrally to dorsal pits bears one large, elongate, shallow impression; posterior margin of pronotum nearly straight. Disc glossy, with very fine punctation; setae thick, moderately dense, very long and suberect. Elytra in lateral view more convex than pronotum, broadest distinctly anterior to middle and strongly narrowing toward apices; EL 2.57 mm, EW 1.81 mm, EI 1.42; humeral calli weakly marked; basal impression on each elytron rudimentary; punctation and setae similar to those on pronotum. Legs long and slender; dorsal femoral groove broad and deep, extending from middle toward apex of femoral clava; all tibiae nearly straight.

Aedeagus ( Figs 2 A–F) relatively stout, AeL 0.86 mm. Median lobe in ventral view oval, slightly constricted between base and middle, with distinct mediobasal emargination, apex in lateral view curved, in ventral view apical margin with distinctly marked angulate apex; dorsoapical part of median lobe with one hippocrepiform, apically membranous structure; central complex of endophallus very complicated ( Figs 2 D, E), containing subtrapezoidal sclerite with broadly emarginate apical margin, central duct broad and asymmetric, with pair of well-sclerotized lateral lobes, only distal vesicle can be clearly seen, narrower than central complex, proximal vesicle absent; parameres slender, in ventral view slightly constricted at apical third, exceeding apex of median lobe, apices of parameres ( Fig. 2 F) rounded, lacking apical setae.

Female ( Fig. 1 B). Similar to male in general appearance, with relatively shorter antennae. BL 4.14–4.48 mm, HL 0.56–0.59 mm, HW 0.93–0.99 mm, AnL 2.38–2.45 mm, relative lengths of antennomeres: 5: 3: 3.3: 6.2: 7: 6.8: 6.3: 6.3: 6.5: 7.3: 2.8, PL 1.29–1.38 mm, PWb 0.74–0.94 mm, PWm 1.04–1.14 mm, EL 2.29–2.51 mm, EW 1.64–1.71 mm, EI 1.40–1.47. Spermatheca ( Figs 2 G, H) small, located deeply in mesothorax; SpD 0.16–0.17 mm, nearly oval in lateral view, and circular in axial view; ductus spermathecae inserted directly into basal part of lateral margin, lacking conical extension.

Comparative notes. The new species has a strikingly large size exceeding 4.5 mm, this character together with the structure of aedeagal endophallus and spermatheca can be used to readily separate S. jaloszynskii from all other known congeners.

Bionomics. The holotype was collected by sifting chips of a rotten tree trunk in a small bamboo forest ( Figs 3 A, B). The female from Guadun was observed walking on the surface of a rotten fallen tree near a creek in mixed forest., ca. 1000 m east of the locality where the holotype was collected. The two females from Fengyang Shan were found in Leptogenys and Componotus colonies nesting under a rotten coniferous wood ( Figs 3 D, E), but their association with ants may be rather week. Species of Syndicus are commonly found in rotten trunks or under bark of trees, where various ant species are common, and the same species of Syndicus can be found together with different species of ants (Jałoszyński pers. comm. 2014).

Distribution. East China: Zhejiang, Fujian ( Fig. 3 C).

Etymology. The new species is named after Paweł Jałoszyński (Wrocław, Poland), one of the most productive scydmaenine specialists in the world.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Dorsal habitus of Syndicus jaloszynskii .. A. Male. B. Female. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 2. Aedeagus and spermatheca of Syndicus jaloszynskii. A. Aedeagus, in ventral view. B. Same, in lateral view. C. Same, in dorsal view. D. Aedeagal endophallus, enlarged, in ventral view. E. Same, line drawing. F. Apical portion of left paramere, in lateral view. G. Spermatheca, in lateral view. H. Same, in axial view. Abbreviations: cc—central complex of endophallus; dag—duct of accessory gland of spermatheca; ds—ductus spermathecae; dv—distal vesicle of endophallus; ll—lateral lobe of endophallus. Scale bars: A, B, C = 0.5 mm; D, E = 0.2 mm; F, G, H = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 3. Habitat and distribution of Syndicus jaloszynskii. A. Rotten trunk where the holotype was collected. B. General habitat of the holotype. C. Distribution of S. jaloszynskii in East China. D. Rotten coniferous woods on a path at Fengyang Shan, where the two female paratypes were collected. E. A living Syndicus jaloszynskii on the wood.