Eupines (Byraxis) ovalis, 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 : 61-62

Eupines (Byraxis) ovalis sp. nov.

Fig. 39 ; map Fig. 53

Diagnosis: Head with vertexal foveae punctiform; antennae 10-segmented with 2-segmented antennal club; A4, A6, A7, A8 and A10 unmodified, A4 asymmetrical, A5 largest and ovoid, dorsal side broadly impressed, A9 cylindrical and elongate, slightly asymmetrical at apex, A10 conical, about 1.5 × longer than A9. Abdominal ventrite 2 with pair of flat and wide discal protuberances, with strongly curved large apical setae; ventrite 6 with pair of short median struts, about one-fourth of ventral length. Protrochanters with short ventral spine, about one-seventh of protrochanteral width; protibiae and mesotibiae unmodified.

Description: Body length 1.50 mm; body colour dark brown with lighter coloured elytra and tarsi. Head as long as wide; frons slightly narrowed at end, about half length of head at eye level; eyes moderately developed, slightly prominent in dorsal view, with about 31 facets; vertexal foveae punctiform; antennal tubercles weak; lacking postantennal notches; postantennal cavities large, slightly longer than antennal tubercles in dorsal view; antennae 10-segmented with 2-segmented antennal club; A4, A6, A7, A8 and A10 unmodified, A4 asymmetrical, A5 largest and ovoid, dorsal side broadly impressed, A9 cylindrical and elongate, slightly asymmetrical at apex, A10 conical, about 1.5 × longer than A9. Pronotum slightly longer than wide, wider than head at eye level, with punctiform lateral antebasal foveae. Elytra about as long as wide, widest near middle; humeral calli 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, with strongly curved large apical setae; ventrite 6 with pair of short median struts, about one-fourth of ventral length. Legs with protrochanters modified with short ventral spine, about one-seventh of protrochanteral width; protibiae and mesotibiae unmodified. Aedeagus about 0.27 mm long, with wide and stout parameres, slightly sinuate, bent downwards in lateral view, apex slightly curved, with pair of long subapical setae; median lobe with two large sclerites slightly entwined at apex, widest near middle,

much narrower than parameres.

Comments: This species can be distinguished from all other species by its A5 large and ovoid ( Figs. 39 B–D).

Distribution: South Island. BR.

Etymology: The specific epithet refers to the oval-shaped antennomere 5.

Type material ( NZAC): Holotype. ♂, specimen entire, glued on card, aedeagus + one antenna mounted on acetate card: “ NEW ZEALAND, BR, Sewell Peak , 15 Jan 2014, T. Buckley, M. Gimmel, R. Leschen // ant nests under rock, 810 m, 42°24.497'S, 171°20.457'E ”.

Figures

FIGURE 39. Diagnostic characters of E. (B.) ovalis sp. n. A) Habitus. B) Antenna, in dorsal view. C) Same, in lateral view. D) Same, in ventral view. E) Protrochanter. F) Abdomen, in ventral view. G) Ventrite 6. H) Aedeagus, in dorsal view. I) Same, in lateral view. J) Same, in ventral view. Scale bars: A = 1 mm, B–F = 0.2 mm, G–J = 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.