Himallaphus bhaai, Löbl & Kodada, 2021

Löbl, Ivan & Kodada, Ján, 2021, On the Himalayan Pselaphini (Insecta: Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae), Biodiversität und Naturausstattung im Himalaya VII, Erfurt: Naturkundemuseum, pp. 349-368 : 354-355

Himallaphus bhaai n. sp. ( Figs 17-19 )

Holotype ♂: INDIA Darjeeling Distr., Tonglu 3100 m, 16.X.1978, LÖbl & Besuchet #16b under shrubs ( MHNG) .

Paratypes: 15 ♂, 5 ♀, INDIA, with the same locality data as the holotype ( MHNG, PCPH) ; 4 ♂, 2 ♀, with the same data but 2700 m ( MHNG) ; 10 ♂, 4 ♀, NEPAL, Koshi Zone, Panchthar District, Dorpar Kharka , mature Rhododendron -Lithocarpus forest, 2700 m, 13.-16.IV.1988, J. Martens & W. Schawaller ( SMNS, MHNG) .

Etymology. The species epithet means younger brother in Nepali.

Description. Length 1.60-1.78 mm. Head about 1.5 times as long as wide. Frontal ridges extended to near level of posterior eye margins, narrowed posteriad. Frontal sulcus widened posterior antennal tubercles, parallel-sided, reaching minute tubercle about at level of eye mid-length and delimited by narrow striae joined posteriad to form vertexal sulcus. Vertexal sulcus nearly reaching neck constriction, followed by short mesal carina. Setose patch in frontal sulcus about 0.05 to 0.06 mm long. Eyes in level of head mid-length, hardly prominent, with eight or nine facets. Temples not explanate, with contours rounded in dorsal view. Temples and vertex above temples with oblique striae. Neck and area near neck without striae. Glabrous genal area not extended behind eyes. Temples and vertex anterior neck with conspicuous oblique appressed pubescence. Segment IV of maxillary palpus long as head, its apical thickened area somewhat longer than peduncle. Length/width ratio of antennomeres as: I 24/9: II 10/7: III 9/6: IV 7/6: V 8/6: VI 8/6: VII 8/6: VIII 7/6: IX 10/7: X 12/8: XI 26/12. Gular mound rounded. Gular setose patch reaching level of narrowest neck area. Pronotum slightly longer than wide, strongly convex, long nearly as head, with evenly rounded lateral margins; antebasal sulcus sharply delimited, longitudinal striae dense, reaching almost anterior pronotal margin, carinae between striae broader than carinae. Pubescence rather long apically. Elytron not impressed toward base, with sutural and discal carinae converging apically, discalcarina slightly wider than sutural carina; basal third of lateral margin oblique, not carinate, pubescence similar to pronotal pubescence.

Male characters. Metaventrite with mesal impression delimited by admesal ridges diverging apically, not overlapping metacoxae, their inner sides not clearly delimited, bearing fine setae not forming compact patches. Middle of ventrite II throughout narrowly and shallowly impressed. Aedeagus ( Figs 17-19 ) 0.48-0.53 mm long. Ventral process narrow, at apex broad as fifth to tenth of median lobe, bent. Parameres widened apically in dorsal and lateral views. Internal sac with two admesal sclerites to part overlapping very finely denticulate membranes.

Measurements of the holotype (in mm). Total length 1.63; length/width of head 0.37/0.25, pronotum 0.36/0.31, elytra 0.45/0.63 (0.22), tergite I 0.50/0.78; length of maxillary palpomere IV 0.37, length of aedeagus 0.50.

Diagnosis. Temples and vertex with oblique striae. Contours of temples rounded. Eyes hardly prominent. Vertexal sulcus nearly reaching neck constriction, followed by short carina. Maxillary palpomere IV with peduncle slightly shorter than thickened apical area. Base of elytra not impressed, lateral elytral margins not carinate. Ventral process of aedeagus narrow, wide as fifth to tenth of median lobe. Parameres widened apically in dorsal and lateral views. Internal sac with admesal sclerites and finely denticulate membranes.

Distribution. India, West Bengal: Darjeeling District: Eastern Nepal.

Comments. The sclerites in the internal sac are expanded and definitively larger in specimens from Dorpar Kharka ( Fig. 19 ) than in specimens from Tonglu ( Fig. 17 ). Thus, it seems uncertain the whither the populations from the two sampled localities are comnspecific.

Figures

Figs 17-23. Aedeagi in dorsal and lateral views; 17-19. Himallaphus bhaai n. sp., 17, 18. Paratype from Tonglu; 19. Paratype from Dorpar Kharka, sclero- tized part of the internal sac; 20, 21. Pselaphaulax eklai n. sp.; 22, 23. Pselaphaulax sherpa n. sp.; Scales = 0.1 mm.