Sunius cursor, Assing, 2011

Assing, V., 2011, The Sunius species of the Palaearctic region (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 43 (1), pp. 151-193 : 164-165

Sunius cursor nov.sp. ( Figs 38-42 )

T y p e m a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: Holotype: "223 Gorkha/Dhading Dist., Buri Gandaki, Jagat bis gegenüber Pangshing, 1300-1650 m, 31 Juli 83 Kulturland, Martens & Schawaller leg. / Holotypus Sunius cursor sp.n., det. V. Assing 2011" (SMNS). Paratype: " Nepal Ilam. Mai Pokhari 1800 m, V.1989, P. Morvan" (cAss).

D e s c r i p t i o n: Small species; body length 3.1-3.4 mm. Habitus as in Fig. 38 . Coloration: head; pronotum and elytra dark-brown; abdomen dark-brown to blackishbrown; legs yellowish; antennae pale-reddish.

Head ( Fig. 39 ) transverse, 1.10-1.15 times as broad as long; punctation coarse and moderately sparse (interstices on average broader than diameter of punctures) in anterior half, very sparse and very fine in posterior half of dorsal surface; interstices without microsculpture. Eyes large and convex, much longer than postocular region in dorsal view.

Pronotum ( Fig. 39 ) approximately as long as wide and slightly narrower than head; punctation similar to that of anterior portion of head; midline rather broadly impunctate; interstices without microsculpture.

Elytra very short, 0.55-0.60 times as long as pronotum, distinctly dilated posteriorly; humeral angles weakly pronounced ( Fig. 39 ); punctation dense, shallow, and not well defined; interstices without microsculpture. Hind wings completely reduced.

Abdomen distinctly broader than elytra; punctation fine and moderately dense; interstices with shallow microsculpture; posterior margin of tergite VII without palisade fringe.

: sternite VII with slightly denser pubescence in posterior median portion and with weakly concave posterior margin, but otherwise without appreciable modifications ( Fig. 40 ); sternite VIII with rather small V-shaped posterior excision ( Fig. 41 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 42 , approximately 0.55 mm long, with ventral process of distinctive shape, without distinctly sclerotized internal structures.

E t y m o l o g y: The specific epithet is a noun in apposition (Latin: runner) and refers to the remarkably extensive distribution of this micropterous species.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: With the species of the S. manasluensis group, S. cursor shares external characters such as the large eyes, the similar punctation of the head, and the extremely short elytra. It is distinguished from them by smaller size and particularly by the morphology of the aedeagus (slender shape; absence of distinctly sclerotized internal structures).

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d n a t u r a l h i s t o r y: The species was collected in two localities, one at the border of Dhading and Gorkha districts in central Nepal and the other in Ilam district in eastern Nepal. On the one hand, such an extensive distribution would seem surprising for a micropterous Sunius species. On the other hand, the localities are at relatively low altitudes (1300-1800 m) and the holotype was even collected in arable land, both of which would be rather unusual for a species with a restricted distribution.

Figures

Figs 38-42: Sunius cursor nov.sp.: (38) habitus; (39) forebody; (40) male sternite VII; (41) male sternite VIII; (42) aedeagus in lateral view. Scale bars: 38: 1.0 mm; 39: 0.5 mm; 40-42: 0.2 mm.