Formicocephalus uranoscopus Heller, 1916

Théry, Thomas & Lecoq, Jean-Claude, 2011, Redescription of the genus Formicocephalus Heller, and description of two new species (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae), Zootaxa 2764, pp. 61-68 : 65-66

Formicocephalus uranoscopus Heller, 1916

( Figs. 4 ; 5; 8a–b; 11; 14; 15a–b–c).

Formicocephalus uranoscopus ; Blackwelder, 1939: 118

Type locality. “Mt Humboldt, 1200 m ”.

Even though only one specimen was founded in the collections of SMTD, we have chosen to designate a lectotype for this species. Indeed there is no indication about the number of specimens of the type series in the original description and it is possible some others could be housed in other collections.

Lectotype (present designation): male specimen (fig. 8a), 18 mm, dissected, the aedeagus included in Euparal (separate transparent and rectangular label). With the following indications (fig. 8b): “Drs.F.Sarasin&J.Roux / Neukaledonien / Mt. Humboldt” (rectangular mauve label, both printed and hand written) // “1914 / 6” (square mauve label, both printed and hand written) // “Staatl. Museum für / Tierkunde Dresden” (square white printed label) // “ Formicocephalus / uranoscopus / Heller. / Typus ” (rectangular red label, both hand written and printed) // “LEC- TOTYPE” (rectangular red printed label). SMTD.

Redescription. Body length 18 mm, the tegument brown-red, quite matt, appendices paler. Apterous. Pubescence brown-red, more or less dark, golden on anterior three-quarters of the protibiae.

Head large, globular, slightly longer than wide (L/W=1.2); eyes very small, flattened; temples very long and well rounded, the distance between the posterior edge of eye to neck around 3.5 times the distance between the anterior edge of eye to the anterior margin of frons; the base of head large. Genae clearly rounded, almost as wide as temples. Frons almost flat. Antennal tubercles prominent; disc of head slightly convex with two small elevations, barely visible located immediately posterior of frons between eyes. Surface clearly microreticulate, punctation consisting of small round umbilicate and shallow punctures (fig. 14), regularly spaced, much less dense (around 20) and slightly less marked on frons; pubescence suberect but with some longer setae on sides and notably on margin of genae that are conspicuously punctate at sides. Antennae quite long, reaching midpart of pronotum; scape thin, reaching the midpart of head, first article of funicle about 2 times shorter than the following one, the eight first articles of funicle elongate, the two most apical articles short. Mandibles elongate and dorsally widened, constricted before apex. Notch of labrum angulose, lateral teeth acute (fig. 11).

Pronotum 1.3 times longer than wide, narrower than head, widest in anterior third; disc flattened; lateral margins almost parallel in anterior part of pronotum, then converging and slightly sinuate at medial point; surface and pubescence similar to those of head with some long well developed setae on margins and front; punctation slightly denser with a longitudinal median impunctate area, a longitudinal sulcus present on the basal third of the pronotum.

Elytra together short, about 1.2 times shorter than pronotum, as long as wide, posteriorly wider than pronotum, lateral margins almost straight, slightly divergent, their widest part before apex; surface almost smooth with dense, regular punctation and finely wrinkled; pubescence more dense than that of pronotum. Scutellum finely reticulate with a few setae.

Abdomen with lateral sides evenly curved, widest at tergite VI; punctation finer than that of elytra; pubescence a bit less dense than on elytra. Second (IV) and third sternites (V) each bearing a single tuft of erect setae (fig. 5).

Male. Aedeagus as in fig. 15a–b–c.

Female unknown.

Distribution. New Caledonia.

Figures

FIGURES 3 – 5. Anatomic details in Formicocephalus Heller: 3, Left maxillary palpus of Formicocephalus uranoscopus Heller; 4, Sternal tufts of setae in Formicocephalus raptor n. sp.; 5, Sternal tufts of setae in Formicocephalus uranoscopus Heller.