Domene (Macromene) cuspidata Feldmann & Peng

Feldmann, Benedikt, Peng, Zhong & Li, Li-Zhen, 2014, On the Domene species of China, with descriptions of four new species (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae), ZooKeys 456, pp. 109-138 : 126

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Staphylinidae

Domene (Macromene) cuspidata Feldmann & Peng sp. n. Figs 1, 11B, 13

Type material

(10 ♂♂, 24 ♀♀). Holotype: ♂: "China: Shaanxi Prov., Hanzhong City, Nanzheng County, Yuanba Town, Liping National Forest Park / 32°50'N, 106°36'E, 15.VII.2012 1,400-1,600 m, Chen, Li, Ma, & Zhao leg. / Holotypus ♂ Domene cuspidata sp. n., det. B. Feldmann & Z. Peng 2014" (SNUC). Paratypes: 2 ♂♂, 11 ♀♀: same data as holotype (SNUC, cAss); 1 ♀: same data, but "16.VII.2012, Yu-Hong Pan leg." (SNUC); 1 ♀: same data, but "16.VII.2012, Li-Zhen Li leg." (SNUC); 3 ♀♀: same data, but “16.VII.2012” (SNUC); 1 ♀: "China, Shaanxi, Qinling Shan above Houzhenzi, 115 km WSW Xi’an, 1450 m, 33°50'N, 107°47'E, 5.VII.2001, A. Smetana [C95b]" (cSme); 1 ♂: "China [3] S-Gansu, N Chengxian, W-Qinling Shan, 34°08'24"N, 105°46'43"E, 1750 m, 28.VII.2012, V. Assing" (cAss); 1 ♂: "China: S-Gansu [CH 12-03], W Qinling Shan, 43 km N Chengxian, 34°08'24"N, 105°46'43"E, 1750 m, moist valley with creek and ponds, meadow with Artemisia, 28.VII.2012, leg M. Schülke” (cSch); 1 ♀: "China: S-Gansu [CH 12-05], W Qinling Shan, 47 km N Chengxian, 34°10'17"N, 105°42'56"E, 1850 m, mixed secondary forest margin, litter sifted, 29.VII.2012, leg M. Schülke” (cSch); 1 ♂, 1 ♀: "China, S-Gansu [CH 12-05], W. Qinling Shan, 47 km N Chengxian, 34°10'20"N, 105°42'19"E, 1830 m, (creek valley, loam deposit on meadow with tall herbaceous vegetation,raked/dug, 29.VII.2012, D. W. Wrase" (cSch, cFel); 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀: "China: W-Sichuan, Ya’an Pref., Shimian Co., Daxue Shan, road betw. Anshunchang–Wanba, 12 km W Shimian, 1300 m, 9.VII.1999, leg. A. Pütz” ( cPüt, cFel).

Etymology.

The specific epithet is an adjective derived from the Latin noun cuspis (cusp) and refers to the apically acute ventral process of the aedeagus.

Description.

Measurements (in mm) and ratios: BL 8.89-9.56, FL 5.12-5.34, HL 1.26-1.39, HW 1.20-1.30, AnL 3.17-3.61, NW 0.45-0.50, PL 1.48-1.57, PW 1.20-1.28, EL 1.42-1.50, EW 1.48-1.62, TiL 1.72-1.79, TaL 1.20-1.33, AW 1.35-1.49, AL 1.32-1.65, HL/HW 1.04-1.08, HW/PW 1.00-1.03, HL/PL 0.85-0.89, NW/HW 0.38-0.39, PL/PW 1.21-1.24, EL/PL 0.94-0.97.

External characters (Fig. 11B) as in Domene cultrata , distinguished only by the distinctly less coarse macropunctation and less rugose interstices of the elytra rendering the elytra more shiny in Domene cuspidata , and by the primary and secondary sexual characters:

Male. Sternites III–VI unmodified; sternite VII (Fig. 13F) distinctly transverse, with shallow postero-median impression, this impression with sparse strongly modified, short and stout black setae, posterior margin concave in the middle; sternite VIII (Fig. 13G) with extensive median impression, this impression with distinctly modified stout black setae, posterior excision less deep, V-shaped, on either side of the posterior excision with a dense cluster of dark setae; aedeagus as in Figs 13 H–J, ventral process distinctly sclerotized, with slender and very acute apical portion; dorsal fig with long, large and distinctly sclerotized apical portion, basal portion short; internal sac with membranous structures.

Female. Sternite VIII (Fig. 13D) oblong, posterior margin broadly convex; genital segments with asymmetric, large and moderately sclerotized structure (Fig. 13E).

Comparative notes.

Based particularly on the similar chaetotaxy and shape of the male sternite VIII and the shape of the ventral process of the aedeagus, Domene cuspidata belongs to the Domene malaisei species group and is closely allied to Domene cultrata . It is distinguished from other species of the group by the apically more acute ventral process of the aedeagus and by the large, moderately sclerotized structure in the female genital segments, from Domene malaisei and Domene reducta also by the shallower impression and less deep posterior excision of the male sternite VIII.

Distribution and natural history.

The species was recorded from the Qinling Shan and Dalou Shan (Fig. 1). The specimens were sifted from forest leaf litter and a loamy meadow with tall herbaceous vegetation at altitudes of 1300-1850 m. Six paratypes found in July are teneral.