Eupines (Byraxis) insolita, 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 : 45-46

Eupines (Byraxis) insolita sp. nov.

Fig. 28 ; map Fig. 52

Diagnosis: Head with vertexal foveae punctiform; antennae 10-segmented with 2-segmented antennal club; A7, A8 and A10 unmodified, A4 disc-shaped, about half length of A3, with long spine at lateral side, A5 largest, with large excavation at middle, outer side slightly impressed, with long and laminate basal projection, inner side impressed at apex, A6 enlarged and strongly asymmetrical, outer side with scoop-shaped impression, A9 cylindrical and slightly asymmetrical at apex in dorsal view, A10 conical, about 1.5 × longer than A9. Abdominal ventrite 2 with pair of flat and wide discal protuberances, inserted with strongly curved large apical setae, nearly meet at middle; ventrite 6 with pair of short and stout median struts, about two-fifths of ventral length. Protrochanters with minute ventral spine, about one-ninth of protrochanteral width; protibiae unmodified; mesotibiae with short subapical spine and long apical spine.

Description: Body length 1.47–1.49 mm; body colour dark brown with lighter coloured legs. Head wider than long; frons not narrowed at end, about three-fourths width of head at eye level; eyes moderately developed, slightly prominent in dorsal view, with about 30 facets; vertexal foveae punctiform; antennal tubercles weakly developed; lacking postantennal notches; postantennal cavities large, about as long as antennal tubercles in dorsal view; antennae 10-segmented with 2-segmented antennal club; A7, A8 and A10 unmodified, A4 disc-shaped, about half length of A3, with long spine at lateral side, A5 largest, with large excavation at middle, outer side slightly impressed, with long and laminate basal projection, inner side impressed at apex, A6 enlarged and strongly asymmetrical, outer side with scoop-shaped impression, A9 cylindrical and slightly asymmetrical at apex in dorsal view, A10 conical, about 1.5 × longer than A9. Pronotum as long as wide, wider than head at eye level; lacking lateral antebasal foveae. Elytra as long as wide, widest near middle; humeral calli weak, barely visible 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 flat and wide discal protuberances, inserted with strongly curved large apical setae, nearly meet at middle; ventrite 6 with pair of short and stout median struts, about two-fifths of ventral length. Legs with protrochanters modified with minute ventral spine, about one-ninth of protrochanteral width; protibiae unmodified; mesotibiae with short subapical spine and long apical spine. Aedeagus about 0.31 mm long, with symmetrical and large parameres, slightly sinuate, widest at middle, apex bent downwards in lateral view and curved towards each other, with two pairs of long subapical setae and pair of short subapical setae; median lobe with two highly curved sclerites, widest near base, much narrower than parameres, right one longer than left one in dorsal view.

Comments: This species can be distinguished from all other Eupines by having the mesotibia modified with a long apical spine and A6 modified ( Figs. 28 B–D, 28H).

Distribution: North Island. TO.

Etymology: This specific epithet is a Latin adjective meaning ‘unusual’, referring to the unusual antennal form of this species.

Type material ( NZAC): Holotype. ♂, specimen entire, card-mounted: “28.xi.51, moss, Huka Falls , Taupo P550 [handwritten]”.

Figures

FIGURE 28. Diagnostic characters of E. (B.) insolita sp. n. A) Habitus. B) Antenna, in dorsal view. C) Same, in lateral view. D) Same, in ventral view. E) Protrochanter. F) Mesotibia. 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 52. Geographic distributions of E. (B.) impar (Sharp, 1874), E. (B.) impressifrons (Broun, 1880), E. (B.) insolita sp. n., E. (B.) lewisi Broun, 1910, E. (B.) longiceps Raffray, 1904, E. (B.) mayae sp. n., and E. (B.) micans (Sharp, 1874) in New Zealand.