Cephennium conlectior, Assing, 2021

Assing, Volker, 2021, On the Cephennium fauna of the Iberian Peninsula and the Atlantic Islands (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 52 (2), pp. 891-931 : 901

Cephennium conlectior nov.sp. ( Figs 3 , 37 , Map 1 )

Type material: Holotype ♂: "P Serra da Estrela, s Manteigas , 1070 m, Meybohm 19.3.2002, N40°21', W7°33' / Holotypus ♂ Cephennium conlectior sp. n. det. V. Assing 2020" ( cAss) . Paratypes: 1♂, 1♀: same data as holotype ( cAss).

Etymology: The specific epithet is the comparative of the Latin adjective conlectus (slim) and alludes to the moderatly stout parameres, one of the characters distinguishing this species from the similar C. validum .

Description: Small species; body length 0.9-1.0 mm. Habitus as in Fig. 3 . Head and pronotum pale-reddish to dark-reddish; elytra brown. External and male secondary sexual characters as in C. validum ; distinguished only by the morphology of the aedeagus.

♂: aedeagus ( Fig. 37 ) 0.24-0.26 mm long; median lobe apically convex; internal structures indistinct; parameres stout, straight, apically not reaching apex of median lobe, and with moderately long apical seta.

Comparative notes: Cephennium conlectior is distinguished from the similar C. validum only by a more slender and slightly smaller aedeagus with an apically convex median lobe and with very indistinct internal structures.

Distribution and natural history: The distribution is confined to Serra da Estrela in North Portugal ( Map 1 ). The specimens were collected at an altitude of 1070 m.

Comment: Claude Besuchet (unpubl.) examined the following material of a very similar undescribed species from Galicia, distinguished from C. conlectior by a slightly broader apex of the median lobe and relatively shorter parameres: 5♂♂, 6♀♀: " Grilla del Rio Tambre bei Santiago , Franz " ( MHNG, NHMW); 5♂♂, 2♀♀: " Bosque de Cernadas , Umg Santiago , Franz " ( MHNG, NHMW); 1♂: " Punta de la Estaca , Prov. La Coruña, Franz " ( NHMW); 2♂♂, 1♀: " Sierra mer. [?] Outes bei Noya, Franz " ( MHNG).

Figures

Map 1: Distributions of Cephennium spp. in the Iberian Peninsula: C. constrictum (black triangle); C. validum (black circles: examined material; white circles: based on Besuchet unpubl.)); C. conlectior (white triangle); C. algarvense (black diamonds); C. espunae (white star); C. tenuissimum (white star); C. tensum (black star).

Figs 1-6: Male habitus of Cephennium constrictum (1), C. validum (2), C. conlectior (3), C. algarvense (4), C. australe (5), and C. lompei (6). Scale bar: 1.0 mm.

Figs 34-45: Cephennium validum (34-36; 35-36: based on Besuchet (unpubl.)), C. conlectior (37), C. algarvense (38-40), C. australe (41-43), and C. lompei (44-45): (34-35, 37-45) aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view; (36) internal structures of aedeagus in ventral view. Scale bars: 34-35, 37-45: 0.1 mm; 36: 0.02 mm.