Eupines (Byraxis) brevis, Shen & Leschen, 2020

Shen, Jia-Wei & Leschen, Richard A. B., 2020, Revision of Eupines King of New Zealand (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae: Goniaceritae), Zootaxa 4777 (1), pp. 1-84 : 14-15

Eupines (Byraxis) brevis sp. nov.

Fig. 6 ; map Fig. 49

Diagnosis: Head with vertexal foveae punctiform; antennae 10-segmented with 3-segmented antennal club; A4, A5, A6, A7, A8 and A10 unmodified, A6 prolonged, about 1.5 × longer than A5, A8 slightly asymmetrical, A9 largest and asymmetrical, strongly impressed at outer side, with laminate upper margin, A10 conical and slightly shorter than A9. Abdominal ventrite 2 with pair of barely visible discal protuberances, inserted with slightly curved small apical setae; ventrite 6 with pair of barely visible median struts. Protrochanters with long and acute ventral spine, about four-fifths of protrochanteral width; protibiae with medium-sized apical protuberance; mesotibiae unmodified.

Description: Body length 1.37–1.45 mm; body colour reddish brown with lighter coloured elytra and legs. Head wider than long; frons not narrowed at end, about three-fourths width of head at eye level; eyes well developed and prominent, with about 33 facets; vertexal foveae punctiform; antennal tubercles weak; lacking postantennal notches; postantennal cavities large, about as long as antennal tubercles in dorsal view; antennae 10-segmented with 3-segmented antennal club; A4, A5, A6, A7, A8 and A10 unmodified, A6 prolonged, about 1.5 × longer than A5, A8 slightly asymmetrical, A9 largest and asymmetrical, strongly impressed at outer side, with laminate upper margin, A10 conical and slightly shorter than A9. Pronotum slightly longer than wide, narrower than head at eye level; lacking lateral antebasal foveae. Elytra as long as wide, widest at apical two-thirds; humeral calli weakly developed, slightly prominent in dorsal view; sutural stria shallowly extending from base to apex. Abdomen with tergite 1 about 1.5 × longer than tergite 2; ventrite 2 with pair of barely visible discal protuberances, inserted with slightly curved small apical setae; ventrite 6 with pair of barely visible median struts. Legs with protrochanters modified with long and acute ventral spine, about four-fifths of protrochanteral width; protibiae with medium-sized apical protuberance; mesotibiae unmodified. Aedeagus about 0.23 mm long, with long parameres curved towards each other at apex, slightly sinuate, widest at about apical three-fourths, with three pairs of long subapical setae and two pairs of long apical setae; median lobe with two short and straight sclerites, curved downwards at apex, widest near base, about two-fifths length of parameres.

Comments: This species is similar to E. (B.) setifera based on the similar A9 and apical triangular spine on the protibiae, but can be separated by possessing an enlarged A6, much larger than A7, while A6 is obviously smaller than A 7 in E. (B.) setifera ( Fig. 45B ).

Distribution: North Island. AK, WO, TO.

Etymology: This specific epithet is a Latin adjective meaning ‘short’, referring to the short sclerites of the aedeagus.

Type material ( NZAC): Holotype. ♂, specimen entire, point-mounted: “ NEW ZEALAND, AK, Noises Is. , Otata I., 7 Dec–10 Dec 1979 // J.C. Watt & C.F. Butcher, Malaise”. Paratypes . 18 ex.: WO : 1, Onewhero , 13/ Jan/1985, R.A. Galbreath and S. Grant // Malaise Trap, North in Beilschmiedia tarairi forest; TO : 2, P544 & P547, 27/Nov/1951, moss, Huka Falls , Taupo, N.I.; 12, P532–P543, 28/Nov/1951, moss, Huka Falls, Taupo, N.I.; 3, P528–P530, 27/Nov/1951, moss, Huka Falls, Taupo, N.I .

Figures

FIGURE 6. Diagnostic characters of E. (B.) brevis sp. n. A) Habitus. B) Antenna, in dorsal view. C) Same, in lateral view. D) Same, in ventral view. E) Protrochanter. F) Protibia. G) Ventrite 2. H) Ventrite 6. I) Aedeagus, in dorsal view. J) Same, in lateral view. K) Same, in ventral view. Scale bars: A = 1 mm, B–G = 0.2 mm, H–K = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 45. Diagnostic characters of E. (B.) setifera (Broun, 1893). A) Habitus. B) Antenna, in dorsal view. C) Same, in lateral view. D) Same, in ventral view. E) Protrochanter. F) Protibia. G) Ventrite 2. H) Ventrite 6. I) Aedeagus, in dorsal view. J) Same, in lateral view. K) Same, in ventral view. Scale bars: A = 1 mm, B–G = 0.2 mm, H–K = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 49. Geographic distributions of E. (B.) anisarthra (Broun, 1914), E. (B.) bisulcifrons (Broun, 1914), E. (B.) brevis sp. n., E. (B.) caesta sp. n., E. (B.) carinata sp. n., E. (B.) coalita sp. n., E. (B.) complector sp. n. and E. (B.) conspicua (Broun, 1893) in New Zealand.