Bertiscapha, 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 : 20-21

Bertiscapha new genus

( Figs. 2–13 ) Type species: Bertiscapha compacta n. sp.

Diagnosis. Body dorsoventrally compressed. Dorsal setae reduced. Mandible with apex bifid. Galea narrow and paniculate. Apex of submentum invaginate. Antennomeres 3 and 4 elongate. Corbiculum absent. Pronotal and elytral carinae hidden in dorsal view. Mesepimeron present. Elytron with basal stria absent. Hind coxae separate. Profemora without ctenidium. Pro- and mesotibiae without 2 basal spines.

Description. Body. Body form dorsoventrally compressed and rounded, about 1.3 3 longer than wide. Dorsal setae reduced. Pronotal and elytral carinae hidden in dorsal view.

Head. Labral setae present and apically notched or frayed. Mandible with apex bifid, subapical serrations absent. Maxillary palp normal, palpomere 2 with 2 apical setae. Galea narrow and paniculate, with brush apical. Lateral setae of lacinia present. Hypopharyngeal setae absent. Labial palps normal, palpomere 2 with 1 subapical seta; terminal palpomere apical and straight. Edge of mentum straight, surface setose. Apex of submentum invaginate. Maxillary ducts absent; gular pores present. Gular suture not reaching submentum. Frontoclypeal suture present. Eye entire; interocular distance large. Antennal insertion hidden below midline of eye. Antenna filiform; antennomeres 3 and 4 elongate; antennomeres 7–11 weakly asymmetrical. Tentorial spine present.

Prothorax. Corbiculum absent. Prosternum with anterior portion of procoxal cavity setose; prosternal process not spinate. Anterior bead of pronotum present. Hypomeron completely visible in lateral view; apex not extended beyond hind margin of pronotum. Pronotal carina prominent and beaded. Prothoracic angle rounded, not extending well below epipleural line and not to anapleural suture.

Mesoventrite. Mesoventral space (prepectus) present. Mesoventral lines absent. Secondary lines present. Mesoventral process paxillate. Median lines present and open. Mesepimeron present; length about one-half the full length of anapleural suture. Width of intercoxal process less than that of coxa.

Metaventrite. Metaventrite fused to mesoventrite; sulcus present externally and transverse ridge present internally. Mesocoxae round. Mesocoxal lines arcuate and impunctate; connected at middle. Setiferous patch absent; primary setae present and discal. Premetacoxal lines and descrimen absent; intercoxal plate present. Metepimeral suture impunctate. Metepimeron mostly exposed. Metepimeron with longitudinal line. Metendosternal stem present. Metacoxal process short.

Pterothorax. Scutellum hidden between elytral bases; width about one quarter the length of pteronotum; scutellar lines type III. Hind wings present as small flaps. Elytron with basal stria absent and lateral stria present; serrations absent.

Abdomen. Hind coxae separate. Submetacoxal space absent; submetacoxal lines punctate. Two primary setae present on disc of ventrite 1. Abdominal ventrites are slightly setose. Brickwall membranes between segments 1–4 present. Paratergites of segments 4 and 6 absent. Spiracle 8 absent. Aedeagal sclerites not tripartite. Female with gonocoxite narrow, with small apical stylus.

Legs. Profemora without ctenidium. Pro- and mesotibiae without 2 basal spines. Mesofemora rounded in cross-section; subapical seta not sclerotised. Tibiae smooth; length of mesotibia not less than the tarsus; outer mesotibial spines absent; two inner mesotibial spines present, subequal with largest one 1.5 3 greater than the other. Length of mesotarsomere 1 greater than 2. Metatarsi smooth. Empodium asetose.

Comments. This genus is described for three flightless species endemic to montane areas of Madagascar. All specimens were taken by sifting leaf litter. The genus can be easily separated from other genera by the compact shape of the body ( Fig. 2 ). It differs from similar looking taxa by the absence of a spine on the prosternal process (character 48-1) and this feature, along with absence of subapical serrations on the mandible (character 5-0) support the monophyly of a group of African-Madagascaran taxa, Pseudobironiella, Bertiscapaha and Afroscaphium . The three species of Bertiscapha can be easily differentiated using the key below.

Distribution. Madagascar.

Included Species. Bertiscapha burlischi n. sp., B. compacta n. sp., B. striata n. sp.

Etymology. The genus name (gender feminine) is a patronymic for Nicole Berti (MNHP), in recognition of her assistance with our taxonomic studies.

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.