Pselaphaulax ramsayi Owens & Carlton, 2022

Owens, Brittany E. & Carlton, Christopher E., 2022, Revision of the New Zealand species of the Genus Pselaphaulax Reitter (Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae: Pselaphitae: Pselaphini), Zootaxa 5155 (2), pp. 221-244 : 237-238

Pselaphaulax ramsayi Owens & Carlton , new species

( Fig. 10a–c )

Type Material. Holotype (male) New Zealand: NN: Farewell Spit Lighthouse Litter , 28 Jan 1967 AK Walker, 67/47 ( NZAC).

Etymology. This species is named in honor of GW Ramsay, collector of the holotype.

Diagnosis. This species is the only species in the genus with a completely reduced (absent) ventral process of the aedeagus. The median lobe is broad, also uncharacteristic for the genus.

Description. MALE holotype. Integument: head, pronotum, elytra, abdomen, and appendages light brown, palpi lighter in color. Head: wide, width between eyes greater than ½ length of head from base of vertex to apex of rostrum. Eyes rounded, composed of 19 facets. Frontal margin of rostrum in dorsal view straight with sparse suberect setae. Gular mound modified, ovate, narrowed posteriorly and anteriorly, longer than wide; area of head posterior to gular mound flattened, slightly concave, nude. Maxillary palpomere IV as long as head, widened at base and distal 1/3, apical swelling roughened, v-shaped sensory patches present, margined by carinae. Thorax: pronotum with basal sulcus distinct, delimited by lateral antebasal foveae; median antebasal foveae margined by small longitudinal carinae, present in groove alongside basolateral pits. Mesoventrite with median shield bearing patch of spongeose setae in small concavity behind margin of procoxae. Metaventrite afoveate, raised into median tumosity; metacoxae separated by extension of ventrite I. Legs unmodified. Elytra with two basal foveae, single sutural fovea; single discal stria, sutural striae present; sparse apical fringe of setae present. Abdomen: tergites of usual form for tribe. Ventrite II with median area slightly flattened throughout length of ventrite, apically margined by short, sparse setae. Genitalia: aedeagus asymmetrical. Median lobe distally curved downwards, broad. Ventral process reduced, apparently absent. Parameres present, as long as median lobe.

Females. Integument, Head, Thorax, Abdomen: similar to male except eyes slightly smaller and ventrite II lacking median flattened area.

Distribution. This species is only known from the holotype from Nelson.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Pselaphaulax ramsayi, sp. nov.a) localities where specimens have been collected; b) aedeagus, lateral; c) aedeagus, dorsal.