Pseudolathra magna, Rougemont, 2015

Rougemont, Guillaume de, 2015, New Oriental and Papuan Pseudolathra (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Paederinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 47 (2), pp. 1785-1799 : 1785-1786

Pseudolathra magna nov.sp.

( Figs 1 fb, 1 s7, 1 s8, 1 al, 1av)

Material examined Holotype: 12 IX 79, PNG /EHProv., Umg. Kainantu, Onerunka / PAPUA Nlle. Guinée, W.G. Ullrich [ MHNG].

Description: Length: 13.6 mm; length of fore-body: 7.5 mm. Body deep black, glossy; femora and tibiae black, palpi, antennae and tarsi dark brown. Fore-body: Fig. 1 . Head transverse (1.6 x 2 mm), bearing a large foveate puncture near anterior margin near bases of antennae, a puncture on inner margin of eye anteriorly and two more posteriorly, half a dozen punctures near posterro-lateral angles, a single row of closely set punctures along posterior margin, the disc impunctate. Pronotum slightly elongate (2.1 x 2 mm), with discal series of 6-7 small punctures and strongly arcuate lateral series of 3-4 punctures.

Elytra elongate (2.3 x 2 mm), the disc of each elytron with 5 longitudinal series of numerous rather small punctures. Abdomen fairly coarsely and densely punctured, the interstices devoid of microsculpture.

Male: posterior margin sternite VII with a small shallow median emargination, laterally with a single marginal row of ca.15 stout black bristles; sternite VIII with a deep narrow emargination extending 3/8 ths the length of sternite; aedoeagus: Figs 1 al, 1av.

This new species is the giant of the genus in our regions (there are comparably large ones in Australia) and as such easy to recognise. Its facies, sculpture and sexual characters show that it belongs to the P. nigerrima group.

Figures

Figs 1-2: Fore-body (fb), aedoeagus in lateral view (al), aedoeagus in ventral view (av), male sternite VII (s7), male sternite VIII (s8) of: 1: P. magna; 2: P. ullrichi Fig. 1: P. magna 1fb 1al 1av 1s7 1s8