Lobrathium rotundiceps (Koch, 1939)

Li, Wen-Rong & Li, Li-Zhen, 2013, Discovery of the male of Lobrathium rotundiceps (Koch), and a new species of Lobrathium from Jiangxi, East China (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Paederinae), ZooKeys 348, pp. 89-95 : 90-92

Lobrathium rotundiceps (Koch, 1939) Figs 1, 2

Lathrobium rotundiceps Koch, 1939: 163.

Lobrathium rotundiceps (Koch): Assing 2012: 107 (redescription).

Type material studied.

Holotype ♀: "Tienmuschan, N.W. China Rtt. / Type / Lathrobium rotundiceps Koch, det. C. Koch / Holotypus 1956, det. Kamp / Holotypus Lathrobium rotundiceps Koch / Domene rotundiceps (Koch) ♀, V.I. Gusarov det. 1993 / Lobrathium rotundiceps (Koch), det. V. Assing 2012 " (NHMB).

Koch (1939) described Lathrobium rotundiceps Koch from a single female, from "Tienmuschan N.W. China". Zheng (1988) included Lobrathium rotundiceps (Koch) in his key to species based on the original description. Recently, Assing (2012) redescribed the species based on the holotype, and pointed out that the type locality specified in the description ("Tienmuschan N.W. China") was in "northeastern (not northwestern) China".

Additional material studied.

China, Zhejiang (12 ♂♂, 1 ♀): 3 ♂♂, Lin’an City, Tianmu Shan, 800-1150 m, 19 –V– 2006, Hu & Tang leg.; 5 ♂♂, Anji City, Longwang Shan, Qianmutian 4.8 km, 1050-1250 m, 08 –VI– 2012, Hu & Yin leg.; 4 ♂♂, Longwang Shan, Qianmutian, 1300 m, 29 –V– 2009, Yuan et al. leg.; 1 ♀, Longwang Shan, 1250-1450 m, 14 –V– 2013, Tang leg. (SNUC)

Description of male.

Body length: 8.87-9.62 mm, fore body length: 4.67-5.06 mm. HL/HW=1.08-1.10, PW/HW=0.87-0.96, EL/PL=0.92-1.01. Antenna 3.50-3.78 mm long.

Sternite VII (Fig. 2D) strongly transverse and without impression, posterior margin broadly concave; sternite VIII (Fig. 2E) weakly transverse, with long and pronounced postero-median impression, this impression with numerous modified, stout and short black setae, posterior margin weakly concave in middle, near this concavity with cluster of dense fine setae; aedeagus (Figs 2B, 2C) 1.27-1.35 mm long, ventral process bifid in ventral view.

Comparative notes.

Lobrathium rotundiceps shares a bifid ventral process with Lobrathium digitatum Assing 2010 and Lobrathium bidigitatum Assing 2010 from Taiwan, but differs from them in many respects, particularly by much larger body size, the different shape and chaetotaxy of the male sternite VIII, and by the shape of the aedeagus.

Intraspecific variation.

The specimens from Qianmutian, 1050-1250 m are of darker coloration than those from Qianmutian, 1300 m, and Tianmu Shan, 800-1150 m.

Habitat and distribution.

The specimens were sifted from debris and moss in moist habitats. Tianmu Shan is a mountain with high biodiversity in Lin’an City in northwestern Zhejiang province in eastern China, its altitude ranging from 300 to 1506 m ( Wu and Pan 2001). Longwang Shan is one peak of the Tiammu Shan range and situated about 5 km northwards of the West Tianmu Shan.