Scaphisoma affabile, Lobl, 2015

Löbl, Ivan, 2015, On the Scaphidiinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) of the Lesser Sunda Islands, Revue suisse de Zoologie 122 (1), pp. 75-120 : 99-101

Scaphisoma affabile sp. nov.

Figs 76-77

Holotype: MHNG; ♂; Indonesia, Indo: Timor (13) NTT: 16 km N Soe 30.3.91, evegrfor. D. Agosti, F91653 .

Etymology: The species epithet is a Latin adjective, meaning obliging, kindness.

Description: Length 1.55 mm, width 1.07 mm. Head and most of body uniformly dark reddish-brown, apical parts of elytra light, yellowish, somewhat transparent. Light apical area of elytra extended from apical margin to middle third near lateral margins, narrower near sutural striae. Appendages light reddish-brown. Sternite 1 near base and apical sternites as dorsum of body, most of sternite 1 darkened. Antennae long, length/width ratio of antennomeres as follows: III 12/9: IV 35/6: V 40/7: VI 37/7: VII 45/10: VIII 32/10: IX 43/13: X 40/13: XI 48/14. Antennomere III subtriangular. Pronotum and elytra lacking microsculpture, very finely punctate, punctures on elytra larger and deeper between midlength and light apical area than on remaining elytral surface. Lateral margins of pronotum evenly rounded, lateral margin carinae not visible in dorsal view. Point of scutellum exposed. Elytra with lateral margin carinae not visible in dorsal view, apical margins weakly convex, inner apical angle rounded, not prominent, situated posterior level of outer angles, sutural margin not raised, sutural striae fairly deep, parallel, at base somewhat curved, not extending laterad pronotal lobe, adsutural areas flat. Hypomera smooth. Mesepimeron about as long as interval to mesocoxa. Metaventrite not microsculptured, lacking mesal impressions or sulci. Submesocoxal areas 0.05 mm, as long as half of interval to metacoxa, submesocoxal lines convex, with very fine marginal punctures. Metanepisternum flat, hardly narrowed toward angles, with inner margin almost straight and impressed below margin of metaventrite. Tibiae straight. Abdomen with microsculpture consisting of transverse striae. Submetacoxal areas 0.06 mm, submetacoxal lines convex, with short margin striae.

Male: Protarsal segments 1 to 3 hardly widened. Aedeagus (Figs 76-77) 0.53 mm long, moderately sclerotized. Median lobe weakly asymmetrical, with small basal bulb, articular process robust, not prominent, apical process strongly curved, tapering apically, tip acute in lateral view, blunt in dorsal view. Parameres symmetrical, widened in apical halves, inner margins membranous, pores scattered in proximal halves of parameres. Internal sac with moderately sclerotized flagellum, apical parts of membranes with very fine denticulate structures.

Distribution: Indonesia: Timor.

Type locality: Timor, 16 km N Soe.

Comments: The aedeagal characters suggest relationships with the New Guinean S. pseudofasciatum Löbl, 1975 and S. triste Löbl. 1975 , though S. pseudofasciatum possesses apical process of the median lobe abruptly narrowed and internal sac extruded in repos. Both species may be easily distinguished by their body colour. Scaphisoma triste is larger, its body is over 2.1 mm long and has elytra with sutural striae extended along bases to form basal striae; it differs also conspicuously by the strongly prominent articular process of the median lobe.