Myrmicophila Yin and Li, 2011

Yin, Zi-Wei, 2021, A New Species of the Rare Myrmecophilous Genus Myrmicophila Yin and Li from Xizang, China (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 75 (3), pp. 684-688 : 684-688

Genus Myrmicophila Yin and Li, 2011

Myrmicophila Yin and Li in Yin et al. 2011: 176. Type species: Myrmicophila tangliangi Yin and Li, 2011 , by monotypy.

Comments. Two superficially similar species occurring exclusively in nests of Myrmica spp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are distributed in montane areas of Yunnan and Xizang ( Fig. 3 C). The diagnosis of Myrmicophila in Yin et al. (2011) still holds for the new species described in this paper.

Myrmicophila motuoensis Yin , new species zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:7CB30425-F9ED-43AF-8ED0-73A7B66440A3 ( Figs. 1 , 2A, C, E, F , 3C ) Chinese common name: ḆŔ梨ḎƤ

Type Material. Holotype: CHINA: ♂, “China: Xizang Prov., Motuo County (fiĸ县), 62 K, 28.viii.2011, 2780 m, [ant nest], Wen-Xuan Bi leg” (SNUC). Paratypes: CHINA: 1 ♂, 6 ♀♀, same collection data as the holotype (SNUC). Note: each of the two male specimens has one Myrmica worker pinned under the respective specimen.

Description. Male ( Fig. 1A ). Body generally stout; length (combined length of head, pronotum,

elytra and abdomen) 3.47–3.48 mm; color uniform- ly reddish-brown; dorsal surface of whole body covered with short decumbent setae.

Head sub-rectangular; length from anterior margin of clypeus to posterior margin of vertex 0.71– 0.72 mm, width across eyes 0.65–0.67 mm; with distinct asetose vertexal foveae at level of posterior margin of eyes; mediobasal ridge extending from head base toward approximately basal third of head length; frons broadly and shallowly impressed me- dially and between moderately raised antennal tubercles; postocular margins slightly rounded, posterolateral corners angulate; eyes moderately prominent, each composed of about 50 facets. Antenna moderately long; length 1.58–1.60 mm; lacking distinct club, with moniliform antennomeres; antennomere 1 (scape) thick, with deep dorso-ventral notch at apex; 2 (pedicel) and 3 much narrower than 1, elongate, successively wider and longer; 4 wider than 3, transverse; 5 ( Fig. 2A ) transverse, strongly expanded on mesal margin; 6–10 each transverse and of similar width; 11 con- ical, about as wide as 10. Gular area with foveae (posterior tentorial pits) close to each other, in shared opening, with thin gular ridge extending to mouthparts.

Pronotum sub-globose, widest at apical twofifths, length along midline 0.65–0.67 mm, maximum width 0.68–0.70 mm, with round lateral margins gradually narrowing from broadest point toward base, anterior margin nearly straight, posterior margin slightly arcuate; with short median longitudinal sulcus at base, and distinct, asetose lateral antebasal foveae.

686 Elytra wider than long, length along suture 1.05– 1.07 mm, maximum combined width 1.31–1.38 mm, with three large nude basal foveae, sutural striae complete, lacking discal and marginal striae. Metaventrite strongly convex lateral to midline.

Legs moderately elongate; foreleg simple; midleg has tibia with small protuberance at apex; hindleg has femur ( Fig. 2C ) broadly expanded on dorsal margin.

Abdomen slightly wider than long, widest at tergite 1 (IV), length along midline 1.01–1.02 mm, maximum width 1.21–1.24 mm. Tergite 1 (IV) at mid-length slightly longer than 2 (V), tergites 1 to 3 (VI) successively shorter, 4 (VII) approximately as long as 1. Sternite 2 (IV) to 5 (VII) successively shorter at mid-length.

Aedeagus ( Figs. 2E, F ) elongate, length 0.54 mm; median lobe with large, transverse basal capsule and foramen; ventral and dorsal lobe each composed of flattened, apically pointed and curved sclerites; parameres paired and weakly sclerotized, attached to ventral side of capsule.

Female ( Fig. 1B ). External morphology similar to male; antenna shorter and unmodified; pronotum and elytra relatively narrower at their bases; metafemur lacking expansion. Measurements (as for male): body length 3.29–3.50 mm, length/width of head 0.69–0.70/ 0.61–0.64 mm, pronotum 0.64–0.67/ 0.61–0.66 mm, elytra combined 0.93–1.01/ 1.21– 1.31 mm, abdomen 1.02–1.13/ 1.17–1.30 mm, length of antenna 1.44–1.54 mm, each eye composed of about 45–47 facets.

688 Comparative Notes. The two species of Myrmi- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS cophila are morphologically similar, sharing identical positions of the male sexual characters on antennomeres Wen-Xuan Bi collected the material used in this 5 and on the metafemora, which indicates a close rela- paper and kindly donated it to the SNUC. Two anon- tionship between these species. The male of M. motu-

ymous reviewers critically read the draft manuscript oensis may be separated from that of M. tangliangi by

and provided helpful comments. The present study antennomere 5 being more greatly extended on the mesal margin ( Figs. 2A, B ), antennomeres 6–11 more was supported by the National Natural Science transverse and of subequal width ( Figs.2A, B ), the larg- Foundation of China (No. 31872965), and Science er expansion on the dorsal margin of metafemur (Figs. and Technology Commission of Shanghai 2C, D), and by the different shape of the aedeagus (Figs. Municipality, China (No. 19QA1406600). 2E, F; Yin et al. 2011: figs. 13, 15). Distribution. Southwest China: Xizang ( Fig. 3C ). The discovery of the new species considerably extends the known range of Myrmicophila some 520 REFERENCES CITED km to the northwest. Yin, Z.-W., L.-Z. Li, and M.-J. Zhao. 2011. Contribu- Host Ant. Myrmica sp. ( Figs. 3A, B ). The host tions to the knowledge of the myrmecophilous ant of M. motuoensis obviously belongs to a differ- pselaphines ( Coleoptera , Staphylinidae , Pselaphi- ent species compared to that of M. tangliangi . The nae) from China. VIII. Myrmicophila tangliangi , Myrmica species from Motuo has a much larger a new genus and species of Batrisini from Yunhead, and bears much less distinct longitudinal ca- nan. Sociobiology 58: 175–183. rinae on the clypeus. Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the type (Received 11 August 2020; accepted 14 May 2021. locality of the new species, i.e., Motuo County. Publication date 7 December 2021.)

Figures

Fig. 3. Host ant (Myrmica sp.) of Myrmicophila motuoensis, new species (A, B), and distribution of Myrmicophila (C).A) Lateral habitus, B) Full-face view, C) M. tangliangi is distributed in the southern part of the Gaoligong Mountains (Yunnan), and M. motuoensis, new species in Motuo (Xizang). Scale bars: 2.0 mm in A; 1.0 mm in B.

Fig. 1. Dorsal habitus of Myrmicophila motuoensis, new species. A) Male, B) Female. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

Fig. 2. Male diagnostic characters of Myrmicophila motuoensis, new species (A, C, E, F) and M. tangliangi (B, D). A, B) Antennomeres 5–11, C, D) Metafemur, E, F) Aedeagus, dorsal (E) and ventral (F). Scale bar: 0.3 mm in A–D; 0.2 mm in E, F.