Poroderus Sharp, 1883

Li, Qi-Qi, Wang, Yan & Yin, Zi-Wei, 2021, First species of Ctenisomorphus Raffray, 1890 from China, with comments on Largeyeus J. - K. Li, 1993 (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Pselaphinae), Zootaxa 5016 (4), pp. 588-596 : 593-594

Genus Poroderus Sharp, 1883

Poroderus Sharp, 1883: 294 ; type species: Ctenisomorphus armatus Sharp, 1874: 111 (subsequent designation by Lucas 1920: 531)

= Largeyeus J.-K. Li, 1993: 159, syn. nov.; type species: Largeyeus anhuiensis J.-K. Li, 1993: 159 (by original designation)

Comments. In J.-K. Li (1993) ’s book on the soil coleopteran fauna of Anhui Province, Largeyeus was proposed as a new genus of Ctenistini , with the type species L. anhuiensis described from a female specimen. The original description ( Fig. 3 , translation of the text is provided below) was entirely useless for a confident identification at both generic and specific levels, and the drawings were extremely schematic. While both the description and the drawings are of low quality, it can be inferred that 1) the tribal placement of Largeyeus is probably correct according to the form of the maxillary palpus, 2) maxillary palpomere 2 of Li’s specimen lacks a pencil-like extension at the lateral margin, a condition congruent with that of the genus Poroderus , a group containing 15 species distributed in the Oriental region. On the basis of the latter criterion, Largeyeus is here treated as a junior synonym of Poroderus syn. nov. The only included species of Largeyeus , L. anhuiensis , is here assigned to Poroderus , as P. anhuiensis comb. nov. The status of this species needs to be investigated by a future quest for the type material whose depository remains unclear. Further collecting efforts in the type locality, i.e., Ningguo City, Anhui, is necessary to discover potential associated males.

Following the description of L. anhuiensis, Li also listed a second but unnamed species as Largeyeus sp. ( Li 1993: 160; Fig. 3 ). However, the corresponding figure of this specimen shows a maxillary palpus of a form that is totally different from any known member of Ctenistini . The palpi do look similar to those of the genus Odontalgus Raffray of the tribe Odontalgini , which includes 49 species and 3 subspecies distributed in the Afrotropical and Oriental regions, Korea, and Japan ( Yin et al. 2016). Indeed, Largeyeus and Odontalgus are somewhat similar in sharing the presence of squamous setae that cover different parts of the body, but otherwise they can be readily separated by numerous external characters. It is most likely that Li failed to determine the difference between these two genera, and erroneously listed an Odontalgus as a member of his Largeyeus .

Translation of J.-K. Li’s original description (supplementary notes are included in ‘[]’). Page 159: 49. Largeyeus gen. nov.: belongs to tribe Ctenistini . This tribe differs from known species by the large eyes occupying most areas of the sides of the head, and the terminal antennomere is especially thick and long. Habitus similar to Pilopius [now a junior synonym of Ctenisodes Raffray ] and Poroderus . Type species: Largeyeus anhuiensis sp. nov. 50. Largeyeus anhuiensis sp. nov.: body length 1.4 mm. Whole body covered with dense recumbent setae. Antennae 11- segmented, apical antennomere long and thick, longer than antennomeres 1–3 combined. Antennae at front end of head, close. Distinctly broader than frons. Eyes developed, occupying most areas of sides of head. Maxillary palpus as in the following figure. Dorsum of head with Y-shaped sulcus at middle. Pronotum slightly broader than head. Widest at middle, anterior half narrower than posterior half, dorsum covered with moderately sparse recumbent setae, pointing posteromedially. With extremely dense setae at middle of posterior margin, appeared as white, linear patch. Elytra with sparse recumbent setae pointing posteriorly, distributed at anterior, lateral and posterior portions, disc asetose, shiny. Humerus with one longitudinal carina, can be called ‘humeral carina’. Elytron with longitudinal sulcus extending from mid-base to posterior margin. Posterior margin with very dense setae. Fore, middle and hind legs ordinary. Abdomen with four visible tergites, each with dense white setae along posterior margin. (see figure below). Holotype 1 female, 92—3 [= 9.iv.1992], 5—10 [meaning unknown]. Page 160: 51. Largeyeus sp. : a broken specimen, maxillary palpus as in following figure. 1 specimen. 91—6 [= i.1992], 0—5 [meaning unknown].

Figures

FIGURE 3. J.-K. Li (1993)’s original description and figures, with captions translated to English.