Phymatura bigranipennis ( Bernhauer, 1915 ) Bernhauer, 1915

Kim, Yoon-Ho & Ahn, Kee-Jeong, 2016, Taxonomy of the genus Phymatura J. Sahlberg (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) in the Korean Peninsula, Zootaxa 4061 (2), pp. 189-196 : 190-191

Phymatura bigranipennis ( Bernhauer, 1915) comb. nov.

(Figs. 1, 4–11)

Atheta bigranipennis Bernhauer, 1915: 79 .

Atheta (Mischgruppe II) bigranipennis: Benick, 1980: 339 (as valid species). Atheta (Atheta) bigranipennis: Smetana, 2004: 373 (as valid species).

Redescription. Body length 1.9–2.4 mm. Body more or less broad, widest at posterior margin of elytra; glossy, slightly pubescent; reddish-brown to yellowish-brown, antennomeres 4–11 and posterior half of abdominal tergites VII–VIII brown, head, postero-lateral margin of elytra and abdominal tergites V–VI dark brown. Head. Subquadrate, narrower than pronotum; eyes moderate in size, almost as long as temples; infraorbital carina well developed, complete; neck absent; antennomere 4 transverse, 5–7 slightly transverse, 8–10 transverse, 5–10 slightly incrassate toward apex (Fig. 4). Mouthparts. Labrum transverse, 8 pairs of macrosetae present, sensilla of antero-medial sensory area distinct, shallowly and narrowly emarginate, α-sensillum with setose process, slightly convergent distally, β and γ minute and conical, ε with minute setose process, distinctly shorter than α, two lateral sensilla present on lateral margins of epipharynx, transverse row of sensory pores absent in basal region of epipharynx; right mandible (Fig. 5) with distinct median tooth, prostheca well developed, divided into two distinct areas, condylar molar patch width about 2/5 of basal area of mandible, composed of small rounded lobe-like structures, without distinct rows; lacinia elongate, spines on inner margin closely placed in a row, without forming distinct apical comb, maxillary palpomere 2 slender and elongate, shorter than 3, 3 elongate, dilated subapically, 4 without spine at apex; labium (Fig. 6) with ligula moderate in length and divided in apical half, ligula slightly shorter than labial palpomeres 1–2 combined, two medial setae moderately separated on prementun, mentum not emarginate in anterior margin. Thorax. Pronotum transverse, about 1.33 times as wide as long, widest at basal third and slightly convergent apically, base slightly bisinuate, surface pubescent, directed posteriorly in narrow midline, other setae directed postero-laterally, without distinct macrosetae, hypomeron narrowly visible in lateral aspect; prosternum transverse, with distinct median knob; elytra wider than pronotum, postero-laterally sinuate; hind wings fully developed, venation almost reduced, with setose lobe on flabellum; mesoventrite without longitudinal carina, mesoventral process extended to slightly beyond middle of mesocoxal cavities, apex pointed; metaventral process narrowly round, shorter than mesoventral process; isthmus present; mesocoxal cavities narrowly separated; pro- and mesotarsomere 1 almost as long as 2, metatarsomere 1 longer than 2, with one empodial seta between tarsal claws. Abdomen. Tergites III–VI transversely impressed; tergite X with chevron-shaped medial setal patch, with five macrosetae on each side. Genitalia. Spermatheca (Fig. 9) elongate and with U-shaped tube, duct sclerotized and straight, tube elongate and twisted; median lobe (Fig. 10) bulbous at base, apical process elongate and slender, flagellum well sclerotized and developed, moderately long, tapering to apex; paramere (Fig. 11) with apical lobe of paramerite subcylindrical, with 4 setae, condylite short, not reaching apex of paramerite. Secondary sexual characteristics. Males: elytron with small knob at suture about 0.4 length of elytron from posterior margin; postero-median margin of tergite VII (Fig. 7) with distinct tubercle; tergite VIII (Fig. 8) broadly emarginate, with four denticles present on each side of midline, outer denticles slightly curved, pointed at apex, median margin of tergite VIII with distinct tubercle; sternite VII with large patch of numerous pores, width about 2/3 of sternite VII.

Material examined. KOREA: Gangwon Prov.: 1 male, 1 female, Sokcho-city, Mt. Seolak, Hwa-amsa, 21.vi.2002, SJ Park, CW Shin, ex fungus on log; Gyeongbuk Prov.: 1 male, Sangju-city, Hwanam-myeon, imgokri, Mt. Chuntaeksan, 27.vii.2001, MH Kim, ex mushroom ( Polyporaceae ); Jeonbuk Prov.: 28 exx (1 male, 1 female on slides), Gochang-gun, Asan-myeon, Mt. Seonunsan, N35°29’44.0” E126°34’36.7”, 30.vi.2010, IS Yoo, YH Kim, fungus on logs; 14 exx (2 males on slides), Jeongeub-city, Mt. Naejangsan, Naejangsa Area, Geumseon Valley, 25.vi.2000, KJ Ahn, ex fungus log.

FIGURES 1–3. Habitus. 1, Phymatura bigranipennis , 2.1 mm; 2, P. brevicollis , 2.2 mm; 3, P. gonggaensis , 3.0 mm.

Distribution. Korea (South), Russia (eastern Siberia).

Remarks. Phymatura bigranipennis is similar to P. brevicollis , but can be distinguished by the following characters: male elytron with small knob at the suture; male tergite VII with distinct tubercle; and the distinct structure of median lobe. This species was originally placed in the genus Atheta . But, here we propose the assignment of A. bigranipennis to Phymatura based on the following characters: tarsal formula 4-4-5; mandible with large patch of densely arranged denticles in ventral molar region; medial setae of prementum one directly behind the other; median pseudopore field of prementum very narrow, without pseudopore; and male sternite VIII with posterior triangular projection.