Eupines (Byraxis) mundula ( Schaufuss, 1888 )

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 : 55-56

Eupines (Byraxis) mundula ( Schaufuss, 1888)

Fig. 35 ; map Fig. 53

Bryaxis mundus Broun, 1880: 129 .

Bryaxis mundula Schaufuss, 1888: 29 . New name for Bryaxis mundus ( munda , misspelling) Broun, 1880: 129, preoccupied by Bryaxis mundus Sharp, 1874 b: 122 .

Bryaxis mundulus Broun, 1893a: 1417 . New name for Bryaxis mundus Broun, 1880: 129 . Unnecessary replacement name.

Eupines (Byraxis) munda : combination and subgeneric assignment by Raffray 1904: 207. Raffray 1911: 83, 1924: 157; Hudson 1923: 364, 1934: 182; Nomura and Leschen 2006: 255; Maddison 2010: 417; Shen and Leschen 2019: 269.

Bryaxis forficulida Broun, 1890: 232 . Bryaxis forficulida : reprint from Broun 1890 by Broun 1893a: 1047. Eupines (Byraxis) forficulida : combination and subgeneric assignment by Raffray 1904: 207. Raffray 1911: 83, 1924: 157; Hudson 1923: 364, 1934: 183; Nomura and Leschen 2006: 254; Maddison 2010: 417; Shen and Leschen 2019: 264. Type locality: [AK] Clevedon. Type depository: BMNH HT ♂. NEW SYNONYMY.

Type locality: [CL] Tairua.

Type depository: BMNH LT ♂, 4 PLT .

Diagnosis: Head with vertexal foveae punctiform; antennae 10-segmented with 3-segmented antennal club; A4, A5, A6, A7 and A8 unmodified, A9 large and trapezoidal, with anterolateral impression in ventral view, with minute lateral tubercle in dorsal view, A10 largest, bean-shaped, base obliquely truncate. Abdominal ventrite 2 with pair of median struts, inserted with strongly curved short anterolateral setae; ventrite 6 with pair of short median struts, slightly shorter than one-fourth of ventral length. Protrochanters with small ventral spine, about one-third of protrochanteral width; protibiae and mesotibiae unmodified.

Redescription: Body length 1.57–1.63 mm; body colour reddish brown with lighter coloured tibiae and tarsi. Head slightly wider than long; frons slightly narrowed at end, about half width of head at eye level; eyes well developed, with about 29 facets; vertexal foveae punctiform; antennal tubercles weak, postantennal notches small and distinct; postantennal cavities medium-sized, about half length of antennal tubercles in dorsal view; antennae 10-segmented with 3-segmented antennal club; A4, A5, A6, A7 and A8 unmodified, A9 large and trapezoidal, with anterolateral impression in ventral view, with minute lateral tubercle in dorsal view, A10 largest, bean-shaped, base obliquely truncate. Pronotum slightly wider than long, wider than head at eye level; lacking lateral antebasal foveae. Elytra about as long as wide, widest near middle; humeral calli slightly prominent; sutural stria distinctively extending from base to apex. Abdomen with tergite 1 about 1.5 × longer than tergite 2; ventrite 2 with pair of median struts, inserted with strongly curved short anterolateral setae; ventrite 6 with pair of short median struts, slightly shorter than one-fourth of ventral length. Legs with protrochanters modified with small ventral spine, about one-third of protrochanteral width; protibiae and mesotibiae unmodified. Aedeagus about 0.36 mm long, with parameres stout and wide, slightly sinuate, bent downwards in lateral view, apex curved towards each other, with two pairs of subapical setae, subequal in length; median lobe with two asymmetrical sclerites, strongly curved inwards, left one longer than right one in dorsal view.

Comments: The holotype of E. (B.) forficulida was compared with the lectotype and one paralectotype of E. (B.) mundula and were found to represent a single species based on the identical forms of A9, A10 and ventrite 2. These names are here synonymized, with the former name treated as the junior synonym. This species is similar to E. (B.) hoarei by having similar modifications of A9 and A10 and can by distinguished by the protrochanter having a ventral spine, which is lacking in E. (B.) hoarei ( Fig. 23D ).

Distribution: North Island. AK, CL, TO, BP, GB, HB, WN, WA.

Additional material examined: 42 ♂♂, AK: 1, Ex. Broun Collection, Hunua Rg., Clevedon, Auckland, 239; 20, moss nr. Warkworth, 29/Jun/1951; CL: 1, Ex. Broun Collection, Tairua, E. coast North Is., 236; 1, Otama FP., 24/Oct/1993, M.C. Lariviere, litter; TO: 7, 1 km Ohakune Mtn. Rd., 19/Nov/1995; BP: 1, Hicks Bay, 50 m, 29/ Apr/1993, J.S. Dugdale, litter; 1, LUNZ, Te Koau, 360 m, 26/Oct/1992, J.W.M. Marris; GB: 2, Te Urewera NP., Lake Waikaremoana, station 6, Apr/2005; HB: 1, White Pine Bush, 18/Nov/1984, J.G. Charles, steam bank litter; WA: 2, Putangirua stm., Palliser Bay, 23/Oct/1995, in forest litter; WN: 1, Wellington 30/Apr/1950, R. Hornabrook; 4, JNPC, Greens Road, Tiritea, 02/Jun/2004, in rewarewa litter on stream. Associated females (3 ♀♀): AK: 2, Ex. Broun Collection, Hunua Rg., Clevedon, Auckland, 239; CL: 1, Ex. Broun Collection, Tairua, E. coast North Is., 236.

Figures

FIGURE 23. Diagnostic characters of E. (B.) hoarei sp. n. A) Habitus. B) Antenna, in dorsal view. C) Same, in lateral view. D) Protrochanter. E) Aedeagus, in dorsal view. F) Same, in lateral view. G) Same, in ventral view. Scale bars: A = 1 mm, B–D = 0.2 mm, E–G = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 35. Diagnostic characters of E. (B.) mundula (Schaufuss, 1888). A) Habitus. B) Antenna, in dorsal view. C) Same, in lateral view. D) Protrochanter. E) Ventrite 2. F) Ventrite 6. G) Aedeagus, in dorsal view. H) Same, in lateral view. I) Same, in ventral view. Scale bars: A = 1 mm, B–E = 0.2 mm, F–I = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 53. Geographic distributions of E. (B.) minuta sp. n., E. (B.) monstrosa (Reitter, 1880), E. (B.) mundula (Schaufuss, 1888), E. (B.) nemoralis (Broun, 1886), E. (B.) novem sp. n., E. (B.) obtusa sp. n., E. (B.) ovalis sp. n. and E. (B.) paganus (Broun, 1881) in New Zealand.