Bertiscapha compacta, Leschen, Richard A. B. & Löbl, Ivan, 2005

Leschen, Richard A. B. & Löbl, Ivan, 2005, Phylogeny And Classification Of Scaphisomatini Staphylinidae: Scaphidiinae With Notes On Mycophagy, Termitophily, And Functional Morphology, The Coleopterists Bulletin (mo 3) 59, pp. 1-63 : 22

Bertiscapha compacta new species

( Figs. 2–7 , 12 )

Holotype (male). E. Madagascar, N. Andringitra: Vohindray rdg., 3–4 km SSE Amboarafibe 1,600–1,700 m, 10.- 11.4.2001, P. Burlisch ( MHNG).

Paratypes. With same data as holotype, 3 males (1 slide-mounted) , 2 females ( MHNG, RALC) .

Description. Length 1.8–2.05 mm. Body fairly elongate, basal width of pronotum not exceeding sutural length of elytra. Frons and dorsum of body blackish to black, pronotal base with or without reddish shine. Venter of body blackish with reddish shine. Coxae, femora and tibiae reddish-brown, antennae, mouth-parts and tarsi lighter, ochreous. Pronotum and elytra with similar, uniformly very fine and sparse punctation, very short but distinct pubescence, lacking microsculpture. Lateral contours of pronotum and elytra almost continuously arcuate. Pronotal anterior angles broadly rounded, basal lobe short. Hypomera lacking microsculpture. Upper central part of hypomera impressed. Elytra widest close to basal margin, strongly narrowed apically, with apical margins oblique and narrow, sutural striae absent, lateral carinae not visible in dorsal view. Elytral disc microsculptured. Epipleura and supra-epipleura in same plane as metepisterna, epipleura gradually narrowed apically, supra-epipleura almost twice as wide as epipleura in level of metacoxa, gradually narrowed posteriorly. Metathoracic wings present as minute, very narrow rudiments. Mesoventrite with low median carina. Mesepimera about as long as interval to mesocoxae, reaching metaventral suture. Metaventrite short, flattened medioapically. Mesocoxal lines conspicuous, arcuate outward, oblique mesally, each arcuate near margin of intercoxal process and narrowly separated. Submesocoxal areas about 1.5 times as long as shortest interval between them and metacoxae. Metaventral-metepimeral suture sulcate, weekly curved. Metepisterna narrowed apically, flat, in ventral view above plane of lateral edges of metaventrite. Thoracic venter very finely punctate and lacking obvious microsculpture. Ventrite 1 with fairly coarse basal puctures, remainder of abdomen very finely punctate. Basal margins of ventrites 2 to 5 impressed. Tibiae short, each shorter than respective femora, robust, weakly curved.

Male. Protarsomeres and mesotarsomeres 1 to 3 slightly widened. Aedeagus 0.53 mm long, with median lobe gradually narrowed apically, tip acute, bent ventrally. Internal sack with three rods, lateral rods joined basally, lacking membranous scale-like structures.

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Latin word, compactus, meaning thick, referring to the general body form of the species.

Figures

Figs. 2–7. Bertiscapha compacta n. sp. 2) Dorsal and lateral habitus (scale bar ¼ 1 mm); 3) left mandible, ventral view; 4) left maxilla, ventral view; 5) labium, dorsal view; 6) mentum, ventral view; 7) antenna.

Figs. 8–13. Bertiscapha aedeagi. 8, 9) Dorsal and left lateral views of B. compacta n. sp.; 10, 11) dorsal and left lateral views of B. burlischi n. sp.; 12, 13) dorsal and left lateral views of B. striata.