Quetarsius peteri Solodovnikov, 2004

Solodovnikov, Alexey Yu, 2004, A New Species ofQuetarsiusSmetana from China (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae): First Record of the Genus from the Asian Mainland, The Coleopterists Bulletin 58 (4), pp. 657-660 : 657-660

Quetarsius peteri Solodovnikov , new species

( Figs. 1–7 )

Material Examined. Holotype ( IZAS): Male , ‘‘ CHINA, FUJIAN prov. Wuyi Shan Nat. Res. Sangan env. (900 m), 30.V-12.VI.2001, Hlaváč & Cooter lgt.’’ . Paratypes: 1 male, 1 female ( FMNH) , 1 female (cSm): with the same data as holotype .

Measurements. (min–max; n ¼ 4). HL: 1.14–1.20; HW: 1.28–1.40; PL: 1.80–1.88; PW: 1.96–2.14; EL: 2.12–2.20; EW: 2.40–2.50.

Description. Body dark reddish-brown; frons and appendages paler; abdomen and inferior faces of middle and posterior tibia darker, with iridescence. Length of body 9–11.5 mm ( Fig. 1 ).

Head rounded, slightly wider than long (HW/HL ¼ 1.10–1.16), considerably narrower than pronotum (PW/HW ¼ 1.53–1.57); eyes very large, convex, temple about 1/4 as long as longitudinal eye diameter. Head disc on each side with anterior and posterior frontal setae (punctures closely adjacent to inner margin of eye), and two vertical setae (one larger, one smaller, arranged in transverse line, with punctures near neck constriction); temporal seta with puncture touching posterior margin of eye. Dorsal surface of head with microsculpture mostly of obliquely transverse waves (longitudinal along inner margins of eyes). Infraorbital ridges very well developed along entire length of head capsule. Apical segment of maxillary and labial palps pubescent.Antennae long and slender, all segments with long setae; first three segments glabrous, segments 4–11 pubescent.

Pronotum slightly wider than long (PW/PL ¼ 1.08–1.15), broadly rounded basally with obtuse but pronounced hind angles, narrowing anteriad along anterior half of its length. Three setae in each of dorsal row; sublateral rows each with one seta situated well anterior to level of large lateral seta. Surface of pronotum with microsculpture similar to that of head. Scutellum impunctate with fine microsculpture of transverse striae.

Elytra longer than pronotum (EL/PL ¼ 1.15–1.19), considerably dilated posteriad. Elytral punctation moderately coarse, rather sparse ( Fig. 1 , right side); surface between punctures glossy, without obvious microsculpture; pubescence brownish-black. Wings reduced, slightly more than 2 times as long as elytra when unfolded.

Abdomen with tergite 7 with apical palisade fringe; punctation and pubescence of abdominal tergites similar to that of elytra; surface between punctures with very dense, transverse striae.

Legs. Anterior tibia without spines (except at apex), only with setae, dense and stout on ventral side. Anterior tarsi in both sexes with very enlarged tarsomeres 1–3, bearing dense pale apically flattened setae on ventral side (‘‘patellate setae’’ in Smetana 1995), and normal sparse black setae on dorsal side; tarsomeres 4–5 of normal appearance. Middle and posterior legs with normal tarsi, having first tarsomere about as long as three next tarsomeres (2–4) combined; middle and posterior tibia with setae, and with spines on the external faces.

660 Male. Abdominal sternite 8 with two large setae on each side, with moderately wide, shallow medio-apical emargination (similar to that in Smetana 1995: Fig. 188). Tergite 10 triangular (similar to that in Smetana 1995: Fig. 189). Abdominal sternite 9 ( Fig. 5 ) with basal portion markedly asymmetrical, narrowed toward emarginate apex. Median lobe of aedeagus ( Figs. 2–4 ) narrowing apically, with obtusely pointed apex, its dorsal side (adjacent to paramere) smooth, without carinae. Paramere as wide as and slightly extends beyond median lobe, with obtusely pointed apex bearing two pairs of smaller setae, two pairs of subapical longer setae laterally, and about 15 peg setae arranged in two irregular rows on its ventral side ( Fig. 4 ). Internal sac (examined inverted) with darker fields of stronger sclerotization ( Fig. 2 ).

Female. Similar to males in all characters except structure of terminalia. Sternite 8 simple, without apical emargination. Ovipositor with very elongate distal gonocoxite and very minute stylus, bearing long apical seta ( Fig. 7 ). Tergite 10 of roughly triangular shape, gradually narrowing into long apical portion ( Fig. 6 ).

Comparison. Judging from the descriptions of Quetarsius neu and Q. jeau (Smetana 1995), the new species is especially similar to Q. neu, but it can be easily separated both externally and by the structure of the aedeagus. Externally, Q. peteri differs by being reddish-brown (compared to black in the other two species), and by being larger overall (9–11.5 mm, cf. with Q. neu, 8.0– 9.1 mm, and Q. jeau, 8.0– 9.5 mm). Also, the new species has relatively longer elytra and wings, and possesses the apical palisade fringe on abdominal tergite 7. The aedeagus of Q. peteri lacks the apical carina on the dorsal side of the median lobe found in Q. neu and Q. jeau. Additionally, Q. peteri can be distinguished from Q. jeau by the pointed apex of the paramere compared to an obtuse apex in the latter species.

Distribution and Bionomics. Known only from the type locality in Fujian Province of south-east China. The specimens were collected at an elevation of 900 m.

Etymology. Named in honor of my friend and colleague Peter Hlaváč who collected this species.

Comments. Many external characters that distinguish Quetarsius peteri from Q. neu are related to the lesser degree of wing reduction in the former. Since the degree of wing development maybe a subject to intraspecific variability, an important detail to note is that the new species has very distinct difference in the structure of the aedeagus as well.

Since the wings in Quetarsius peteri are obviously short (only about two times as long as elytra), apparently the species is flightless.

Figures

Figs. 1–7. Quetarsius peteri: 1) Habitus (setae are shown on left side only); 2) aedeagus, lateral view; 3) aedeagus, dorsal view; 4) apex of paramere, ventral view; 5) male abdominal sternite 9, ventral view (setae not shown); 6) female abdominal tergite 10, dorsal view (setae not shown); 7) ovipositor: right gonocoxites and stylus, ventral view (setae, except apical one on stylus, not shown). Scale bars: 1 mm.