Neuraphes (Pararaphes) anophthalmus, Hlaváč, Peter & Blažej, Lukáš, 2016

Hlaváč, Peter & Blažej, Lukáš, 2016, Endogean and cavernicolous beetles of the Balkans. XVI. A new, anophthalmous species of Neuraphes Thomson, 1859 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae) from Albania, Zootaxa 4147 (5), pp. 597-600 : 599

Neuraphes (Pararaphes) anophthalmus sp. nov.

( Figs 1–3 )

Material studied. Holotype: male: ALBANIA: Skadar prov., Krabbe Mts., Truen env., N 42.160519°, E 20.154010°, 820-850 m, 3.6.2014, Fagetum, L. Blažej lgt. ( CPH) . Paratatype: 1 male: same data as holotype ( CPH) .

Etymology. The specific name reflects the complete absence of eyes.

Diagnosis. Smal size, shiny reddish-brown, golden pubescence on whole body long, especially dense on sides of pronotum and elytra, eyes absent, replaced by bunch of erect golden setae.

Description. Body ( Fig. 1 ) 1.27–1.28 mm long, 0.51–0.53 mm wide, uniformly light reddish-brown, maxillary palpi, antennae and legs lighter; whole body shiny, entirely covered by golden, long, sparse setae. Head capsule divided by deep occipital constriction into large anterior and smaller posterior part (i.e., 'neck region'), the posterior part largely retracted into pronotum, anterior part of head triangular, about 1.05 times as wide as long; clypeus large, strongly prolonged anteriorly and rounded, not demarcated from frons by frontoclypeal groove; eyes absent, each replaced by bunch of erect golden setae; vertex at base with two shallow depressions; supraantennal tubercles well-defined. Antennae 0.7 mm long, with long erect setae, 5-segmented antennal clubs well-defined, scape cylindrical, about as wide as long and slightly longer than pedicel, antennomeres III–V subequal in length, VI slightly shorter then those, VII 1.25 times as long as V, VIII and IX subequal in length and about 1.1 times as long as VII, X 1.1 times shorter than IX, antennomeres IX and X transverse, XI pointed at apex, twice as long as X and about 1.55 as long as wide, relative lengths of antennomeres 1.00: 0.89: 0.39: 0.44: 0.44: 0.39: 0.56: 0.61: 0.61: 0.56: 1.11.

Pronotum approximately hexagonal, with slightly rounded anterior portion, moderately convex, about as long as wide; base with deep, large lateral impressions; sides in anterior half convergent, rounded, sides in posterior half parallel; sublateral carinae well-defined, prominent; anterior corners evanescent; posterior corners sharp.

Elytra elliptical, with rounded apices; humeri well-defined, lacking denticles or calli; elytral base with one welldefined, deep circular and setose basal fovea, setation on disc sparse, denser on sides and apex, apex of elytra simple, lacking any sexual character (for comparison see Figs 1–2 in Blattný & Blattný, 1914).

Legs long and slender, covered with long setae, without any special characters. Aedeagus ( Figs 2–3 ) small, 0.15 mm in length, in dorsal view 1.5 times as long as wide, broadening from base to apex, slightly curved at base in lateral view.

Sexual dimorphism. Female unknown.

Differential diagnosis. The new species is easily recognized from all its congeners by the total anophthalmy in male, where eyes are replaced by bunch of erect golden setae.

Biology. The two studied specimens were collected together with an undescribed species of the genus Winklerites Jeannel, 1937 ( Carabidae : Trechinae , Anyllini) under deeply embedded stones located close to water leaks in a small valley in remainders of a beach and fir forest ( Figs 4–5 ). The beetles were taken from the underside part of a stone.

Distribution. Albania (Province Shkodër, Mal Krabbe).

Figures

FIGURE 1 – 5. Neuraphes (Pararaphes) anophthalmus sp. nov. (male). 1. Habitus, dorsal view. Scale 0.5 mm; 2. Aedeagus, dorsal view. Scale 0.1 mm; 3. Aedeagus, lateral view. Scale 0.1 mm; 4. Habitat; 5. Finding place.