Homalota sauteri Bernhauer, 1907

Kim, Yoon-Ho & Ahn, Kee-Jeong, 2014, Taxonomy of the genus Homalota Mannerheim in Korea (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae), ZooKeys 447, pp. 109-123 : 111-113

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Staphylinidae

Homalota sauteri Bernhauer, 1907 Figs 4, 26- 29

Homalota sauteri Bernhauer, 1907: 391; Fenyes 1918: 87; Smetana 2004: 448.

Specimens examined.

KOREA: Jeonnam Prov., Jangseon-gun, Jangseon-eup, Yutang-ri, N 35°18 ‘54.8“E126°48‘34.0“ 90m, 22 V 2007, TK Kim, YH Kim, ex under bark (5 exx.); Chungnam Prov., Daejeon city, Sutongol, 18 IV 1998, KJ Ahn, HJ Kim, HJ Kim, KL Yu, ex sifting (2 exx.); Daejeon-si, Dong-gu, Secheon-dong, Mt. Sikjangsan, 36°19'34.7"N, 127°29'1.4"E 156 m, 11 IV 2010, IS Yoo, SG Lee, under bark (2 exx.); Gangwon Prov., Sokcho-city, Mt. Seolak, Hwa-amsa, 21 VI 2002, SJ Park, CW Shin, ex fungus on log (2 exx.).

Description.

Body (Fig. 4) length about 1.4-1.7 mm. Body dorsoventrally strongly flattened, parallel-sided; surface glossy, pubescent; light brown, head and abdominal tergite VI brown. Head. Subquadrate, narrower than pronotum, eyes moderate in size, slightly shorter than tempora; antennomere 4 subquadrate, 5-10 transverse, incrassate toward (Fig. 26). Mouthparts. Labrum transverse, 7 pairs of macrosetae present, sensilla of antero-medial sensory area distinct, shallow and moderately emarginated, α-sensillum with a minute setose process, β and γ minute and conical, ε with a setose process, slightly longer than α, insertion more or less distant from anterior margin of labrum, two lateral sensilla present on lateral margins of epipharynx, without transverse row of sensory pores on basal region of epipharynx; right mandible with small median tooth, prostheca well developed, divided into 2 distinct area; maxillary palpomere 2 dilated distally, 3 distinctly dilated to apical third and then slightly convergent toward apex, 4 without small spine at apex; labium with ligula moderate in length and bifid at half, almost as long as labial palpomere 1, labial palpomere 1 longer than 2, two medial setae present on prementum, side by side and narrowly separated, median pseudopore field moderate and with pseudopores, mentum slightly emarginated in anterior margin. Thorax. Pronotum transverse, about 1.3 times wider than long, widest at basal third, surface pubescent, directed postero-laterally, without distinct macrosetae, hypomeron broadly visible in lateral aspect; prosternum with a distinct median knob; elytra wider than pronotum, postero-laterally sinuate; mesoventrite without longitudinal carina, mesoventral process narrow, apex pointed; metaventral process narrowly round at apex, shorter than mesoventral process; isthmus very slightly present, tarsomere 1 of front and middle legs as long as 2, 1 slightly longer than 2 in hind leg, with an empodial seta between tarsal claws. Abdomen. Tergites III–VI transversely impressed; tergite X with medial setal patch chevron shaped, with 4 macrosetae on each side. Genitalia. Spermatheca elongate at base, duct convoluted and coiled; median lobe (Fig. 28) elongate, bulbous at base, apical process elongate, distinctly longer than basal bulb, flagellum well sclerotized and short; paramere (Fig. 29) with apical lobe of paramerite long and subcylindrical, with four setae, 2 relatively longer than the others, condylite subequal in length to apex of paramerite. Secondary sexual characteristics. Postero-medial margin of male tergite VII (Fig. 27) with 16 to 18 tubercles; posterior margin of male tergite VIII emarginate at middle, female tergite VIII more or less round.

Distribution.

Korea (South), Japan, Taiwan.

Remarks.

Homalota sauteri is similar to Homalota serrata , but can be distinguished by the following features: body pubescent, head narrower than pronotum, male tergite VII with 16 to 18 tubercles. The taxonomic position of Homalota sauteri in Homalota is unclear and tentatively maintained here, pending further comprehensive research of this species.