Batriscenaulax Jeannel, 1958

Yin, Zi-Wei, 2022, The Batrisini of Tibet: unveiling an enigmatic ant-loving beetle diversity at Earth’s “ Third Pole ” (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Pselaphinae), Zootaxa 5111 (1), pp. 1-211 : 68-69

Batriscenaulax Jeannel, 1958

Chinese common name: ậḇà甲¤

Batriscenaulax Jeannel, 1958: 57 ; Newton & Chandler 1989 (catalog); Nomura 1991 (description, key to Japanese species). Type species: Batrisus modestus Sharp, 1874: 116 (original designation).

The genus Batriscenaulax includes five species distributed in Japan, all share modified protibiae and tergite 1 (IV) in the male and a constricted basal capsule of the aedeagus ( Nomura 1991). The three Japanese species of the genus Physomerinus Jeannel having the similar forms of the aedeagi and exhibiting male sexual characters on metafemora may be congeneric with Batriscenaulax . The major problem is the type species of Physomerinus, Batrisus septemfoveolatus Schaufuss, L. W., 1877 distributed in Thailand and Vietnam, has an enlarged basal capsule of the aedeagus and apicolateral trichomes on first antennomeres ( Jeannel 1952; Nomura pers. comm.), a condition congruent with members of Batrisiella Raffray. Reexamination of the type and all included species of Physomerinus would help to clarify the identities of its included members.

One new species of Batriscenaulax is described here, which appears to fit well the current concept of the genus.