Euryporus multicavus Last, 1980

Solodovnikov, Alexey, 2012, Revised concept of the genus Euryporus Erichson (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Staphylininae) and phylogenetic significance of Staphylinini from New Guinea, ZooKeys 213, pp. 51-62 : 55-56

Euryporus multicavus Last, 1980 non Euryporus, Staphylinini incertae sedis Figures 8-11

Type material examined.

Papua New Guinea: Holotype, male, "New Guinea SE Kiunga, 1.VIII. 1969/ No. NGK-R. 1 leg. Dr. Ballogh/ Holotypus 1980 male [symbol] Euryporus multicosus [sic!] Last [standard HNHM curatorial label] / Euryporus multicosus [sic!] sp. n. H.R. Last det., Type male [symbol] [H.R. Last's label]" (HNHM); paratype, male, "New Guinea SE Kiunga, 23.VII-2.VIII.1969/ No. NGK-B.3. leg. Dr. Ballogh/ Euryporus multicavus sp. n. H.R. Last det., Paratype [H.R. Last's label]/ Staphylinini genus nov.? A. Solodovnikov det. 2012" (MMUE).

Comments. As in the above described case, Euryporus multicavus is strikingly different from the Palearctic Euryporus in habitus (cf. Figs 1 and 8), but Last (1980) did not explain why his species was assigned to that genus. Based on the structure of head (rudimentary infraorbital ridges (Fig. 11); present dorsal basal ridge on the neck), prothorax (superior marginal line inflected inwards under anterior angles of pronotum; pronotal hypomera visible from lateral view; anterior angles of pronotum not strongly protruding over anterior margin of pronthorax), legs (lacking empodial setae) and other characters, it is clear that Euryporus multicavus is not congeneric with Euryporus and even does not belong to the subtribe Quediina . On the other hand, the combination of characters of that species does not allow its unambiguous placement in any of the currently recognized subtribes of Staphylinini .

Because of the short and stout labial palps with dilated last segment, shape of the mandibles (Fig. 11), strongly foveate surface of the apical abdominal segments, and the overall habitus (Fig. 8)remotely resembling Tympanophorus , I assume that “Euryporus” multicavus is phylogenetically close to the Tympanophorus -lineage of the subtribe Anisolinina (as defined in Schillhammer 2004). But the absence of the elevated ridge on the mesosternum, absence of empodial setae, sexually dimorphic sternite VII (with slight medio-apical incision in male) and strongly reduced para mere of the aedeagus (Fig. 10), cast doubts on such affinity. At least the absence of empodial setae and extremely reduced paramere of the aedeagus are shared by “Euryporus” multicavus with several species from New Guinea described in the genera Philonthus and Hesperus . But, except Hesperus warisensis moved to that genus here, none of those species have robust and dilated labial palpi, and all of them differ from “Euryporus” multicavus in other details. It is possible that “Euryporus” multicavus represents a new genus whose description must be postponed until a more inclusive phylogenetic study of relevant lineages is performed. Such study should be based not only on an extensive taxonomic revision of the hitherto poorly described relevant species but also include additional material from the collections of Staphylinini from New Guinea and adjacent regions, which I am aware of and which have remained largely untouched by modern workers.