Discussion (Hlavac, 2021)

Hlaváč, Peter & Rakotondravelo, Miderah, 2024, The Pselaphinae of Madagascar. IX. New species of the genus Semiclaviger Wasmann, 1893 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae: Clavigeritae), Zootaxa 5471 (2), pp. 293-296 : 296

Discussion

Semiclaviger Wasmann, 1893 is placed in the tribe Clavigerini , where it is closely related to Pseudacerus Raffray, 1895 (2 described and more undescribed species in southern Asia) and Clavister Besuchet & Hlaváč, 2011 (one species in Fiji) by having neck region of head completely inserted into pronotum, not visible dorsaly. The three genera can be separated by following key.

1 Head, pronotum and elytra with long setae; pronotum evenly convex............................................ 2

- Head, pronotum and elytra with minuscule setae, hardly visible; pronotum concave on disc, lateral margins raised...................................................................................... Clavister Besuchet & Hlaváč

2 Setae on pronotum and elytra arranged in longitudinal lines; eyes not visible dorsaly; each elytron on posterior margin with trichomes located laterad; terminal antennomere subcylindrical............................... Semiclaviger Wasmann

- Setae on pronotum and elytra not arranged in longitudinal lines; eyes well-visible dorsaly; elytra lacking trichomes; terminal antennomere bulges into a club and flattened............................................... Pseudacerus Raffray

The similar structure of head is also encountered in the genus Tiracaleda Hlaváč, Parker, Maruyama & Fikáček, 2021 (one species in New Caledonia) but this genus is actually assigned into the tribe Tiracerini .