Domene (Macromene) cultrata Feldmann & Peng

Feldmann, Benedikt, Peng, Zhong & Li, Li-Zhen, 2014, On the Domene species of China, with descriptions of four new species (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae), ZooKeys 456, pp. 109-138 : 122-126

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Staphylinidae

Domene (Macromene) cultrata Feldmann & Peng sp. n. Figs 1, 11A, 12

Type material

(10 ♂♂, 12 ♀♀). Holotype: ♂, "China (Shaanxi) Qin Ling Shan, 110.06 E, 34.27 N, Hua Shan, 118 km E Xian, N valley, 1200-1400 m, leafy wd.sifted, 18./20.VIII.1995, Wrase / Sammlung M. Schülke Berlin / Holotypus ♂ Domene cultrata sp. n., det. B. Feldmann & Z. Peng 2014 " (cSch). Paratypes: 2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀ (4 specimens are teneral): same label data as holotype (cSch, cRou, cFel);; 1 ♂: "China [28] S-Shaanxi, 34 km S Hanzhong, 32°44'22"N, 106°51'55"E, 1460 m, 14.VIII.2012, V. Assing" (cAss); 1 ♂: "China [27a] S-Shaanxi, Micang Shan, 42 km S Hanzhong, 32°40'52"N, 106°49'16"E, 1090 m, 14.VIII.2012, V. Assing" (cFel); 2 ♀♀: "China (S. Shaanxi), Micang Shan, 42 km S Hanzhong, 32°40'43"N, 106°48'33"E, 1090 m, (stream valley, shady S. slope, sec. mixed for., raked from roots of perennials, soil, under stones) 17.VIII.2012, D.W. Wrase (32)" (cSch, cFel); 1 ♂, 1 ♀: "China: Shaanxi, Qin Ling Shan, 110.06 E, 34.27 N, Hua Shan Mt. N Valley, 1200-1400 m, 118 km E Xian, sifted, 18./20.VIII.1995, leg. M. Schülke” (cSch); 1 ♀: "China: border Shaanxi–Sichuan [today Chongqing], Daba Shan pass, 20 km SSE Zhenping, 1700-1800 m, 31°44'N, 109°35'E, 9.VII.2001, A. Smetana [C96b]" (cSme); 1 ♂, 1 ♀: "China: Shaanxi Prov., Zhouzhi County, Houzhenzi, Qinling, West Sangongli Gou, N33.50.613 E107.48.524 / 17-19.V.2008 alt. 1,336 m, Hao Huang & Xu Wang leg." (SNUC); 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀: "China [17] S-Gansu, S Longnan, Min Shan, macchia, 33°05'24"N, 104°45'13"E, 1500 m, 6.VIII.2012, V. Assing"(cAss); 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀: "China (W-Hubei) Daba Shan, creek vall. 8 km NW Muyuping, 31°29'N, 110°22'E, 1540 m, (edge of small creek), 18.VII.2001, Wrase (16)" (cSch, cFel).

Etymology.

The specific epithet is an adjective derived from the Latin noun culter (knife) and alludes to the shape of the ventral process of the aedeagus.

Description.

Measurements (in mm) and ratios: BL 8.90-10.2, FL 5.38-5.50, HL 1.31-1.50, HW 1.22-1.39, AnL 3.22-3.62, NW 0.46-0.50, PL 1.48-1.62, PW 1.17-1.40, EL 1.46-1.63, EW 1.50-1.78, TiL 1.65-1.92, TaL 1.18-1.42, AW 1.37-1.53, AL 1.33-1.48, HL/HW 1.04-1.14, HW/PW 0.99-1.07, HL/PL 0.88-0.96, NW/HW 0.36-0.38, PL/PW 1.19-1.26, EL/PL 0.99-1.01.

Habitus as in Fig. 11A. Body dark brown; legs brownish yellow, with brown profemora and protibiae; antennae brown to light brown.

Head orbicular, widest behind eyes; punctation (Fig. 12A) coarse, umbilicate and dense, interstices forming very narrow ridges. All antennomeres longer than broad; antennomeres IV–X of equal length; antennomeres I 1.6 times, II 0.9 times, III 1.3 times, XI 1.4 times as long as IV. Maxillary palpus very slender, preapical joint 2.8-3.0 times as long as broad.

Pronotum about as wide as head, widest in the middle; lateral margins convex in dorsal view; punctation (Fig. 12B) similar to that of head; midline with rudiment of a fine glossy line.

Elytra without distinct longitudinal ridges; suture elevated in posterior two thirds; macropunctation coarse, irregular, partly confluent, and partly somewhat seriate; in terstices rugose, rendering elytra matt, with irregular and mostly barely visible micropunctation (visible in posterior part of elytra). Hind wings fully developed. Protarsomeres I–IV distinctly dilated.

Abdomen with fine and dense punctation on tergites III–VIII; posterior margin of tergite VIII broadly convex (Fig. 12C); interstices with distinct microreticulation; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe.

Male. Sternites III–VI unmodified; sternite VII (Fig. 12F) distinctly transverse, with shallow median impression posteriorly, this impression with sparse, strongly modified, short and stout black setae, posterior margin broadly concave; sternite VIII (Fig. 12G) with shallow median impression, this impression with distinctly modified stout black setae, posterior excision moderately deep and V-shaped, on either side of the posterior excision with dense cluster of dark setae; aedeagus as in Figs 12 H–J, ventral process nearly straight and apically acute; dorsal fig with long, large and distinctly sclerotized apical portion, basal portion short and lamellate; internal sac with small sclerotized spines and with distinct membranous structures.

Female. Sternite VIII (Fig. 12D) distinctly oblong, posterior margin strongly convex; genital segments with asymmetric, slender and moderately sclerotized structure (Fig. 12E).

Intraspecific variation.

Domene cultrata is subject to rather pronounced intraspecific variation of size, body proportions and coloration of the legs.

Comparative notes.

Based on the similar chaetotaxy and shape of the male sternite VIII, and the shape of the ventral process of the aedeagus, Domene cultrata belongs to the Domene malaisei species group and is allied to Domene cuspidata . It can be distinguished from other species of the group by the distinctly coarser macropunctation of the elytra, the differently shaped ventral process of the aedeagus, and the slender sclerotized structure in the female genital segments, from Domene malaisei and Domene reducta also by the shallower impression and the less deep posterior excision of the male sternite VIII.

Distribution and natural history.

This species has been recorded from the Qinling Shan and Daba Shan, as well as from adjacent mountain ranges (Fig. 1). The specimens were sifted from leaf litter in forests or raked from roots of perennials and soil, or found under stones at altitudes of 1090-1800 m. Four specimens found in August are teneral.