Lithocharis schuelkei, Assing, 2008

Assing, V., 2008, On the taxonomy and zoogeography of some Palaearctic Paederinae and Xantholinini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 40 (2), pp. 1237-1294 : 1249-1251

Lithocharis schuelkei nov.sp. ( Figs 6-13 )

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype: W Yemen, Jabal Bura', 557 m, NEE Al Hudaydah, N14°53', E43°26' (light), 9.-21.III.2007, M. Rejzek [3] / Holotypus Lithocharis schuelkei sp. n. det. V. Assing 2008 2 (cAss).

D e s c r i p t i o n: Measurements (in mm) and ratios: length of antenna: 2.16; head length from anterior margin of frons to posterior margin of head (HL): 1.03; head width (HW): 0.77; length of pronotum (PL): 1.04; width of pronotum (PW): 0.92; length of elytra at suture from apex of scutellum to posterior margin (EL): 1.04; combined width of elytra (EW): 1.10; width of abdomen at segment V (AW): 0.95; length of metatibia (TiL): 0.91; length of metatarsus (TaL): 0.79; length of median lobe of aedeagus from apex of ventral process to base: 0.88; total length: 6.05; HL/HW: 1.33; PW/HW: 1.20; PL/PW: 1.13; EL/PL: 1.00; EW/PW: 1.20; AW/EW: 1.16; TiL/TaL: 1.15.

Habitus as in Fig. 6 . Head distinctly oblong (see measurements and ratio HL/HW) and of oval shape; punctation very fine and dense; microsculpture present; pubescence short and depressed. Eyes large, but weakly projecting from lateral contours of head; postocular region approximately 1.5 times as long as eyes in dorsal view ( Fig. 7 ). Antenna slender; antennomere III slightly longer than II; III-X of gradually decreasing length; X oblong ( Fig. 8 ).

Pronotum weakly oblong and distinctly wider than head (see ratios PW/PL and PW/HW); punctation even finer that of head; microsculpture present; barely visible rudiment of impunctate midline present in posterior half; pubescence very short, depressed, and inconspicuous ( Fig. 7 ).

Elytra wider than, and at suture as long as pronotum; punctation extremely dense, more distinct than that of head ( Fig. 7 ). Hind wings fully developed. Legs moderately long (see measurements and ratio TiL/TaL); metatarsomere I approximately as long as the combined length of II-III.

Abdomen narrower than elytra (see ratio AW/EW), widest at segments V/VI ( Fig. 6 ); punctation very fine and dense; microsculpture distinct; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe; posterior margin of tergite VIII weakly convex.

: posterior margin of sternite VII weakly concave and with long comb of black palisade setae ( Fig. 9 ); posterior margin of sternite VIII with rather shallow and broad excision, on either side of middle with row of 5 marginal setae ( Fig. 10 ); aedeagus shaped as in Figs 11-12 , ventral process on either side with fringe of setae ( Fig. 13 ).

: unknown.

E t y m o l o g y: The species is gratefully dedicated to my colleague and friend Michael Schülke, who made the specimen available to me, also in appreciation of the generous gift of the holotype.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: The new species is readily distinguished from all other Palaearctic species of the genus by external characters alone: its large size, the oblong and oval-shaped head, the morphology of the antennae, and the long elytra. In addition, it is separated from its congeners by the male primary and secondary sexual characters.

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d b i o n o m i c s: Thetypelocality is situated in western Yemen, where the holotype was collected at a light source at an altitude of approximately 560 m, suggesting that the species may be widespread in eastern Africa and the Arabian peninsula.

Figures

Figs 6-13: Lithocharis schuelkei nov.sp.: (6) habitus; (7) forebody; (8) antenna; (9) male sternite VII; (10) male sternite VIII; (11-12) aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view; (13) ventral process of aedeagus in ventral view. Scale bars: 6-8: 1.0 mm; 9-12: 0.5 mm; 13: 0.1 mm.