Nabepselaphus nepalensis, Löbl & Kodada, 2021

Löbl, Ivan & Kodada, Ján, 2021, On the Himalayan Pselaphini (Insecta: Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae), Biodiversität und Naturausstattung im Himalaya VII, Erfurt: Naturkundemuseum, pp. 349-368 : 350-351

Nabepselaphus nepalensis n. sp. ( Figs 1-3 , 7, 8 )

Holotype ♂: NEPAL Patan Distr. Phulchoki 2400-2600 m 28-30.IV.1984 I. LÖbl A. Smetana ( MHNG) .

Paratypes: 44 ex., NEPAL, Bagmati Zone, Patan District, Phulchoki , 2500-2600 m, 28. and 29.IV.1984, leg. I. LÖbl ( MHNG) ; 35 ex., Bagmati Zone, Patan District, Phulchoki , 2500 m, 10.V.1981, leg. I. LÖbl & A. Smetana ( MHNG, NMNS) ; 16 ex., Bagmati Zone, Patan District, Phulchoki , 2550 and 2600 m, 20. and 21.IV.1982, leg A. & Z. Smetana ( PCAM, MHNG) ; 54 ex., Bagmati Zone, Patan District, Phulchoki , 2300-2700 m, 13.-17.X.1983, leg. I. LÖbl & A. Smetana ( MHNG) ; 1 ex., Bagmati Zone, Patan District, Phulchoki , leg. H. Franz ( NHMW) ; 2 ex., Bagmati Zone, Patan District, Godawari , 1700 m, 19.X.1983, leg. I. LÖbl ( MHNG) ; 10 ex., Bagmati Zone, Sindhupalchok District, Pokhare NE Barahbise , 3000 m, 7.IV.1981, leg. I. LÖbl & A. Smetana ( MHNG) ; 16 ex., Bagmati Zone, Sindhupalchok District, Malemchi , 2900 m, 14.IV.1981, leg. I. LÖbl & A. Smetana ( MHNG, PCVB) ; 4 ex., Bagmati Zone, Sindhupalchok District, Tarke Ghyang , 2650 m, 19. IV.1981, leg. I. LÖbl & A. Smetana ( MHNG) ; 1 ex., Bagmati Zone, Sindhupalchok District, above Shermathang , 2900 m, 26.IV.1981, leg. I. LÖbl & A. Smetana ( MHNG) ; 1 ex., Bagmati Zone, Sindhupalchok District, Dobate Ridge NE Barahbise , 2800 m, 2.V.1981, leg. I. LÖbl & A. Smetana ( MHNG) ; 3 ex., Bagmati Zone, Helambu, Gul Bhanjyang , 2600 m, 6.IV.1981, leg. I. LÖbl & A. Smetana ( MHNG) ; 1 ♀, Bagmati Zone, Rasuwa District, Ramche , 1800-3350 m, 18.IV.1978, leg. B.C. Bhakta ( NHMB) ; 1 ex., Central Nepal, forest below “ Fulung ”, IX.-X.1971, leg. H. Franz ( NHMW) ; 1 ex., Gandaki Zone, between Mulkharka and Tare Pati , IX.-X.1971, leg. H. Franz ( NHMW) ; 1 ex., Gandaki Zone, ridge E Goropani , 3100 m, 7.X.1983, leg. I. LÖbl & A. Smetana ( MHNG) ; 1 ex., Koshi Zone, Dhankuta District, Maharabhat , 2350 m, 20.X.1977, leg. L. Deharveng [Nep. 174] ( MHNG) ; 1 ex., Koshi Zone, Namche Bazar, ridge between Lamjura and Sete , 3000 m, 21.X.1984, L. Deharveng ( MHNG) .

Etymology. The species epithet refers to Nepal.

Description. Length 1.55-1.62 mm. Head, body and appendages light brown, venter of thorax often darkened. Pubescence sparse, except for patches of white squamous setae covering venter of head posterior gular mound, most of proventrite, mesoventrite anterior mesocoxae, apices of elytra, apical margin of metaventrite and base of ventrite II. Head elongate, narrow, about 1.5 long as wide, with frontal rostrum prominent, clypeus and mandibles not visible in dorsal view, antennal tubercles large, each with ridge extending to nearly asetose vertexal foveae; with narrow, parallel-sided mesal sulcus. Mesal sulcus with setose patch between antennal tubercles. Margins of frontal sulcus angulate, lateral borders vertical. Eyes across head mid-length, prominent, with five to eight facets. Vertex raised, shallowly impressed mesally, inflexed almost vertically to level of upper eye margins. Vertexal foveae slightly anterior level of hind eyes margins. Temple each with carina extending from lower eye margins to neck constriction. Contours of temples rounded in dorsal view. Lateral parts of frontal rostrum, genae and antennomeres Iand III reticulate, remaining dorsal and lateral surface of head smooth. Pubescence short, rather appressed. Gular-mandibular carinae defining laterodorsally gular mound. Antennae 11-segmented, with 3-segmented club. Length/width ratio of antennomeres as: I 20/8: II 10/7: III 8/6: IV 7/6: V 7/6: VI 8/6: VII 8/6: VIII 8/6: IX 12/8: X 12/9: XI 24/13. Maxillary palpi elongate, segment I narrow, cylindrical, slightly bent near base, segment II pedunculate, about 3 times as long as segment I, longer thanhalf of head length, its peduncle about twice as long as thickened apical part, slightly swollen at base, segment III as long as wide, segment IV longer than head, with enlarged apical part lacking tubercles, shorter than peduncle (ratio 15/22), sharply delimited sensory area in apical triangular notch extending by carinae. Gular mound delimited anterolaterally by rounded impressions, posteriorly by flattened longitudinal impression. Gular foveae obscured by setose patch. Pronotum shorter than head, longer than wide, widest anterior mid-point, with lateral contours nearly evenly rounded, lateral margins appearing in dorsal view angulate. Pronotal disc raised dorsally above level of vertex, with mesal impression delimited by longitudinal carinae, antebasal sulcus interrupted in middle by two short carinae. Antebasal sulcus reaching distinct antebasal lateral foveae, mesal antebasal fovea absent. Sides nearly vertical below carinae upto level of lateral antebasal foveae, explanate at level of lateral antebasal foveae, explanate surface delimited by stria. Pronotal dorsum smooth, not microsculptured, punctation as on head hardly visible (x 160x magnification), pubescence sparse, short, rather appressed. Lateral procoxal foveae obscured by patch of squamous setae. Elytra somewhat longer than head, their combined width about 1.5 times length, basal ridge raised. Each elytron with three basal foveae. Inner two basal foveae in common deep impression; outer fovea in similar but somewhat smaller impression, separated by median longitudinal carina reaching elytral apex; marginal carinae conspicuous, oblique along basal fourth of elytral lateral length, curved to form inconspicuous outer discal carina. Antebasal fovea present. Adsutural stria close to suture, adsutural carina raised. Outer apical angles prominent. Apical area of disc with striagulate microsculpture visible on cleared specimens. Pubescence short and appressed on discal carinae, absent from intervals, present and longer near apical squamous rim. Few short appressed setae present along lateral margins. Hind wings atrophied. Proventrite with setose patch reaching nearly lateral margins, obscuring foveae. Mesoventrite with patch of squamous setae overlapping mesal ridge. Metaventrite lacking foveae, with deep, glabrous mesal impression delimited by ridges bearing short setae. Apical margins of tergites broadly rounded. Tergite I broadened apically, about 1.5 times as wide at long. Ventrite II with two inconspicuous admesal setal rows. Femora reticulate, clavate, tibiae straight, gradually thickened apically. Tibiae straight, graduallythickened apically, weakly curved. Tarsomeres III cylindrical, longer and narrower than tarsomeres II.

Male characters. Obvious secondary sexual characters absent. Aedeagus ( Figs 7, 8 ) 0.26-0.28 mm long, with narrow, flat, and bent ventral process, middle of apical side prominent. Parameres bearing apical and subapical setae. Internal sac with sclerotized rod acute at apex.

Measurements of the holotype (in mm). Total length: 1.58, length/width: head 0.32/0.21, pronotum 0.30/0.26, elytra 0.34/0.53 (0.17), tergite I 0.40/0.62; length of maxillary palpomere IV 0.39, length of aedeagus 0.26.

Diagnosis. Frontal sulcus parallel-sided, approaching vertexal foveae, with setal patch between antennal tubercles. Vertex sulcate mesally. Pronotum strongly raised dorsally, with deep mesal impression delimited by carinae, sides nearly vertical below carinae. Lateral margins of elytra carinate anteriorly. Aedeagus with setose parameres, internal sac lacking denticulate or spinose structures, with single rod acute at tip.

Distribution. Western, Central and Eastern Nepal.

Comments. The new species differs markedlyfrom the Chinese members of Nabepselaphus by its deep pronotal impression delimited by admesal carinae and by the carinate basolateral margins of the elytra. The aedeagus of the new species is also distinctive in possessing comparativelyshort setose parameres. The internal sac has a single long, undivided sclerite, similar to that of N. jizushanus Nomura, 2004 . With respectto the pronotal, elytral and aedeagal characters, the species is tentatively placed in Nabepselaphus . It occurs mainly in mountain forests with oak, rhododendron, and bamboo species but was also found in subtropical broadleaved Schima and Castanopsis forest. The available data give an altitudinal range from 1700 to 3100 m abovesea level. The distribution, ranging from Western to Eastern Nepal, is quite large for an apterous species. Most specimenscome fromthe Mahabharat Range south of the Kathmandu Valley while only two specimens were collected in East Nepal and two in Western Nepal. The absence of this species from extensive collections made in the Indian Darjeeling District, including on Tonglu at the Indian/Nepalese border, is also notable.

Figures

Figs 1-3. Nabepselaphus nepalensis n. sp.; 1. Habitus; 2. Head and pronotum, dorsal; 3. Head and pronotum in oblique view.

Figs 7-11. Aedeagi in dorsal and lateral views; 7, 8. Nabepselaphus nepalensis n. sp.; 9, 10. Himallaphus pahilo n. sp.; 11. Himallaphus arko n. sp. Scales = 0.1 mm.