Nepallaphus treeni, 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 : 359-360

Nepallaphus treeni n. sp. ( Figs 30, 31 )

Holotype ♂: Népal 15.VII.1981 Langtang N. Park près Gosaikunda Lake 4400 m Beron [handwritten] ( NMNS)

Etymology. The species epithet is the number three in Sanskrit.

Description. Length 2.10 mm. Headabout 1.6 longer than wide. Lower margin of frontoclypeus rounded, with long, prominent setae. Middle of anterior margin of frontal rostrum shallowly notched, bidentate. Frontal sulcus between antennal tubercles narrow, parallel to level of anterior eye margins, widened between eyes, with carinate inner margins, extended to level of eye mid-length. Frontal carinae oblique, reticulate.Antennal tubercles prominent. Vertex convex, with mesal impression very shallow, narrowed posteriad, mesal carina near neck absent. Eyes prominent, with diameter about as half of interval to neck, consisting of eight facets. Genae reticulate. Temples weakly rounded, in dorsal view with nearly oblique contours. Frontal carinae bearing rows of short appressed setae. Temples and vertex with short appressed setae. Maxillary palpomere IV long as head, with peduncle somewhat shorter than thickened apical part. Length/width ratio of antennomeres as: I 26/11: II 12/9: III 8/6: IV 8/6: V 8/6: VI 8/6: VII 8/6: VIII 8/6: IX 10/7: X 12/9: XI 26/15. Gular mound wider than long, nearly circular. Pronotum similar to that of N. ekam . Elytra about 1.3 times as long as pronotum, with lateral margins oblique in basal halves, weakly rounded posteriad mid-length, at apices nearly 4 times as wide as at bases, not microsculptured, with three basal foveae, inner two foveae in elongate impression, median longitudinalcarina absent, adsutural carina with single row of setae; entire disc setose. Abdomen with tergite I slightly wider than elytra, broad paratergites, rounded lateral margins.

Male characters. Metaventrite as in N. ekam . Aedeagus ( Figs 30, 31 ) 0.62 mm long, with basal bulb widened apically, its apicodorsal band deeply notched in middle, dorsal capsule oval.

Measurements of the holotype (in mm). Total length 2.10; length/width of head 0.41/0.26, pronotum 0.36/0.31, elytra 0.48/0.75 (0.20), tergite I 0.64/0.84; length of maxillary palpomere IV 0.40, length of aedeagus 0.62.

Diagnosis. Length 2.10 mm. Anterior margin of frontal rostrum bidentate. Frontal sulcus rather wide, distinctly widened posteriad. Maxillary palpomere IV long as head, with peduncle shorter than thickened apical part. Elytron without discal carina, pubescence covering entire elytral disc. Basal bulb of aedeagus widened apically, its apicodorsalband deeply notched.

Distribution. Central Nepal.

Comments. The state of the hind wings was not examined. The narrow elytral bases and the small eyes suggest reduced hind wings. See key to distinguish the species from its congeners.

Figures

Figs 28-31. Aedeagi in dorsal and lateral views; 28, 29. Nepallaphus dve n. sp.; Nepallaphus treeni n. sp.; Scales = 0.1 mm.