Pselaphodes daii Yin & Hlavac

Yin, Zi-Wei, Hlavac, Peter & Li, Li-Zhen, 2013, Further studies on the Pselaphodes complex of genera from China (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Pselaphinae), ZooKeys 275, pp. 23-65 : 39-42

Pselaphodes daii Yin & Hlavac sp. n. Figs 10A11

Type material

(19 ♂♂, 10 ♀♀). Holotype: ♂, labeled 'CHINA: Sichuan, Tianquan County / Er’lang Shan Mt., pass near summit / ca. 8 km SE Luding, 29°51'48"N, 102°17'32"E, 2800 m, (mixed leaf / litter, moss, sifted), 2012.vii.13 / C. C. Dai, Z. Peng & Z. W. Yin leg.' (SNUC). Paratypes: 6 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀, same label data as holotype; 2 ♂♂, same label data, except ' 29°52'12"N, 102°17'03"E / 2700 m, 2012.vii.11' (SNUC); 1 ♂, same label data, except ' 29°52'N, 102°18'E / 2900 m, 1999.VI.22 / leg. M. Schülke’ (pcMS); 2 ♂♂, labeled 'P. R. CHINA, SichuaN, NE slope Gongga Shan / 29°48'15"N, 102°03'E / 44", 20.vi.2011, 2765 m / sift22. V. Grebennikov’ (pcPH, SNUC); 5 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, same label data, except ' 29°50'50"N, 102°02'E / 28", 21.vi.2011, 3170 m / sift23' (pcPH, SNUC); 1 ♂, 1 ♀ same label data, except ’18.VI.2011’ (pcPH, SNUC); 1 ♀, same label data, except ' 29°49'29"N, 102°03'E / 24', 2986 m, sift 25 '’ (SNUC); 1 ♀, same label data, escept ' 29°52'10"N, 102°02'01"E / 12.VI.2011, 3620 m, sift16' (pcPH); 1 ♂, labeled 'P. R. CHINA, Sichuan / E slope Gongga Shan / 29°34'31"N, 102°00'E / 31", 23.vi.2011, 2832 m / sift26, V. Grebennikov’ (pcPH).

Other material examined.

1 ♂, labeled 'CHINA: Sichuan, Luding County / Hailuogou N. R., 28°35'47"N, 102°03'05"E, 2200-2300 m / (mixed leaf litter, sifted) / 2006.vii.27, Hu & Tang leg.' (SNUC).

Diagnosis.

Reddish brown; length 3.50-4.43; postgenae rounded laterally; antennomeres IX–XI enlarged; antennomeres IX modified in male; pronotum rounded at anterolateral margins; male with long, sharp metaventral processes; metacoxae simple; aedeagus with asymmetric median lobe.

Description.

Male (Fig. 10A). Length 3.50-3.76. Head longer than wide, HL 0.78-0.81, HW 0.62-0.65; eyes each composed of about 30 facets. Antennal clubs as in Fig. 11A. Pronotum (Fig. 11B) slightly longer than wide, PL 0.74-0.78, PW 0.66-0.69, rounded at anterolateral margins. Elytra wider than long, EL 0.86-0.92, EW 1.33-1.34. Metaventral processes long, apically narrowed (Fig. 11C). Protrochanters and profemora spinose ventrally (Fig. 11D), protibiae with tiny apical spur (Fig. 11E); mesotrochanters with small ventral spines, mesofemora simple (Fig. 11F); metatro chanters and metafemora simple (Fig. 11G). Abdomen broad at base and narrowed apically, AL 1.12-1.25, AW 1.40-1.46. Sternite IX as in Fig. 11H. Aedeagus length 0.61, with asymmetric median lobe (Figs 11 I–K).

Female. Similar to male in general; BL 3.69-4.43, HL 0.77-0.84, HW 0.63-0.65, PL 0.76-0.81, PW 0.69-0.73, EL 0.88-0.89, EW 1.34-1.41, AL 1.28-1.89, AW 1.42-1.50. Eyes each composed of about 25 facets. Antennae unmodified; metaventral processes absent.

Comparative notes.

The new species can be separated from the other members of the group primarily by the long, sharp metaventral processes, the aedeagus with a short, apically truncate median lobe, the structure of aedeagal endophallus, and its distribution.

Distribution.

Southwest China: Sichuan.

Biology.

Adults were sifted from moss and mixed leaf litter in forests.

Etymology.

The new species is named after Cong-Chao Dai, co-collector of the type series.

Comments.

The single male from Hailuogou has the aedeagal endophallus being slightly different to the males from Er’langshan Mountain. Though this difference is currently considered to be intraspecific variation, we choose a conservative approach here and exclude this specimen from the type series.