Eupines (Byraxis) protibialis, 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 : 68-69

Eupines (Byraxis) protibialis sp. nov.

Fig. 44 ; map Fig. 54

Diagnosis: Head lacking vertexal foveae; antennae 10-segmented with 2-segmented antennal club; A4, A6, A7 and A8 unmodified, A5 greatly enlarged and asymmetrical, about 2.5 × longer than A4, A8 short, about half length of A7, A9 largest, about 1.4 × longer than A10, slightly impressed at base in dorsal view, widest near apex, A10 beanshaped, slightly impressed near base in lateral side. Abdominal ventrite 2 with pair of long discal protuberances curved towards middle, inserted with strongly curved small apical setae; ventrite 6 with pair of long median struts, about half of ventral length. Protrochanters with long and acute ventral spine, about two-thirds of protrochanteral width; protibiae with large triangle apical protuberance and apical long spine; mesotibiae unmodified.

Description: Body length 1.59–1.63 mm; body colour black with lighter coloured tibiae and tarsi. Head wider than long; frons slightly narrowed at end, about half width of head at eye level; eyes weakly developed, slightly prominent in dorsal view, with about 23 facets; lacking vertexal foveae; antennal tubercles barely visible; lacking postantennal notches; postantennal cavities long and wide, slightly shorter than antennal tubercles in dorsal view; antennae 10-segmented with 2-segmented antennal club; A4, A6, A7 and A8 unmodified, A5 greatly enlarged and asymmetrical, about 2.5 × longer than A4, A8 short, about half length of A7, A9 largest, about 1.4 × longer than A10, slightly impressed at base in dorsal view, widest near apex, A10 bean-shaped, slightly impressed near base in lateral side. Pronotum as long as wide, wider than head at eye level; lacking lateral antebasal foveae. Elytra about as long as wide, widest near middle; humeral calli weak; sutural stria shallowly extending from base to apex. Abdomen with tergite 1 about 1.5 × longer than tergite 2; ventrite 2 with pair of long discal protuberances curved towards middle, inserted with strongly curved small apical setae; ventrite 6 with pair of long median struts, about half of ventral length. Legs with protrochanters modified with long and acute ventral spine, about two-thirds of pro- trochanteral width; protibiae with large triangle apical protuberance and apical long spine; mesotibiae unmodified. Aedeagus about 0.29 mm long, with long and stout parameres curved towards each other, almost meet at apex, bent downwards in lateral view, with four pairs of small subapical setae; median lobe with two short sclerites, strongly curved at apex, much narrower than parameres.

Comments: This species is similar to E. (B.) dugdalei by sharing with it the dark body colour and the similar antennal modification and the aedeagal structures but differs from it by having A9 subparallel-sided ( Fig. 44B ).

Distribution: South Island. SL, SI.

Etymology: This specific epithet refers to the protibiae of this species with long apical spine.

Type material: Holotype ( NZAC). ♂, body parts mounted on acetate card: “ NEW ZEALAND, SI, Stewart I., Codfish I., North Hut , 6 Dec 1981 // B.A. Holloway, Mat plants 81/208” . Paratype ( JNPC). 1 ex.: SL: Spence Burn Basin, 1150 m, Takitimu Mtns, 17/Jan/2000 // in tussock litter // J.T. Nunn collection .

Figures

FIGURE 44. Diagnostic characters of E. (B.) protibialis sp. n. A) Habitus. B) Antenna, in dorsal view. C) Same, in lateral view. D) Protrochanter. E) Protibia. F) Ventrite 2. 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 54. Geographic distributions of E. (B.) pannicula sp. n., E. (B.) petila sp. n., E. (B.) platyarthra (Broun, 1893), E. (B.) protibialis sp. n., E. (B.) setifera (Broun, 1893), E. (B.) waikaremoana sp. n., E. (B.) whirinaki sp. n. and E. (B.) undecim sp. n. in New Zealand.