Epirotyphlus dusicae Hlaváč, Janák & Baňař, sp. nov.

Figs 25–54, 85

Material studied. Holotype, ♂: MONTENEGRO with one label “MONTENEGRO SW013, Đurovići / 42°11’56’’N, 18°58’44’’E / 60 m, 23.III.2024, soil / washing near oak tree, P. Baňař lgt” [white, printed] (MMBC) . Paratypes: 7♂, 7♀, same data as holotype: (3♂, 4♀ in MMBC, 4♂, 3♀ in JJRC) . 4♂, 5♀: “MONTENEGRO SW009, Đurovići, 2.v.2023, 42°11‘56‘‘N, 18°58‘44‘‘E, 60 m, soil washing near oak tree, P. Baňař & P.Hlaváč lgt.” [white, printed] (BMNH, MMBC, JJRC) . 1♂: MONTENEGRO SW002, Rumija, road from Bar → Mikulići, 30.iv.2023, 42°07‘01‘‘N, 19°09‘35‘‘E, 675 m, soil washing near oak tree, P. Baňař lgt.” [white, printed] (MMBC). 5♀: MONTENEGRO SW010, Rumija, road from Bar → Mikulići, 21.iii.2024, 42°07‘01‘‘N, 19°09‘35‘‘E, 674 m, soil washing near Carpinus tree, P. Baňař lgt.” [white, printed] (MMBC) . 2♂, 2♀, “MONTENEGRO SW014, Đurovići / 42°11‘55‘‘N, 18°58‘46‘‘E / 58 m, 23.III.2024, soil / washing close stream, P. Baňař lgt” [white, printed] (MMBC) . 1♂, 2♀: “MONTENEGRO SW006, Đurovići, 2.v.2023, 42°11‘57‘‘N, 18°58‘49‘‘E, 70 m, soil washing near olive tree, P. Baňař lgt.” [white, printed] (MMBC) . 2♀: MONTENEGRO SW007, near Blizikuće, near petrol station, 29.iv.2023, soil washing near Juniperus tree, P. Baňař & P. Hlaváč lgt. [white, printed]” (MMBC) .

Diagnosis. Head longer than wide (Fig. 28), longer than pronotum; maxillary palpi with palpomeres 2 and 3 dilated, 3 larger than 2 (Fig. 29, 45); ligula indistinct (Fig. 44); mandibles falciform (Fig. 45); labrum dentate (Fig. 30); gular suture confluent anteriorly in about midlength of head capsule (Fig. 31). Antennae with 11 antennomeres, antennal club composed of 5 antennomeres, with sensorial appendages which are inserted on lower part and oriented towards upper part of antennomere, antennomeres 3–10 strongly transverse (Figs 32, 49). Elytra tetragonal, dilated posteriad (Fig. 33), shorter than pronotum. Procoxal cavities (Figs 34, 50) rounded on anterior margin, lacking excision, prosternum and proepisternum fused.Abdominal sternites lacking deep, transversal sulcus, visible sternite 2–5 with shallow basal impression (Figs 27, 46). Tarsal formula 3-3-3, tarsomere 1 minuscule, 2 slightly longer, 3 longest, clearly longer than 1 and 2 combined (Figs 38–40, 52). Aedeagus elongate, slender and nearly symmetrical (Fig. 41, 42); lacking parameres, lateral protrusions of median lobe long (Fig. 42d, arrows). Terminal abdominal segments of female (Fig. 37) with one paired longitudinal sclerite.

Description. Body (Figs 25, 26, 46, 48) depigmented, most part of surface shagreened (Figs 43, 47, 54), body length about 0.95 mm.

Head capsule (Fig. 28, 43) wider than long, about 1.2 times as wide as long, shorter than pronotum; maxillary palpi (Fig. 29, 45) with palpomeres 2 and 3 dilated, 3 larger than 2; ligula indistinct (Fig. 29, 44); mandibles falciform (Fig. 45); labrum dentate (Fig. 30); gular suture confluent anteriorly behind midlength of head capsule, after meeting point again separated to two divergent arms (Fig. 31).

Antennae (Fig. 32, 49) with 11 antennomeres, scape bulbous, larger than pedicel, pedicel dilated distad, distally truncate, antennomeres 3–10 strongly transverse, antennomere 5 larger than 4 and 6, antennal club composed of 5 antennomeres, with sensorial appendages which are inserted on lower part and oriented towards upper part of antennomere.

Pronotum (Fig. 33, 43) wider than long, convergent posteriad.

Elytra (Fig. 33, 47, el) tetragonal, dilated posteriad, shorter than pronotum, external posterior angles rounded, internal ones right-angled.

Venter, procoxal cavities (Fig. 34, 50) rounded on anterior margin, anterior margin with inconspicuous excision (50, arrow), lacking suture separating proepisternum from prosternum, lateral portions of prosternum shagreened, medium portion smooth.

Abdominal sternites (Fig 27, 46, 48) lacking deep, transversal sulcus, visible sternite 2–6 with shallow basal impression (Fig. 27).

Legs (Figs 38–40, 52, 53) short, all tibiae dilated distad, tarsal formula 3-3-3, tarsomere about half of length of 3, tarsomere 2 shortest, about 3 times shorter than 1.

Aedeagus (Figs 41, 42) about 0.17 mm long, median lobe with long lateral protrusions (Fig. 42d, arrows).

Terminal abdominal segments of female (Fig. 37) with one paired longitudinal sclerite.

Etymology. Named after our friend Dušica Šoljaga, owner of a beautiful house which is a base of our expeditions to the coastal part of Montenegro.

Natural History. The majority of specimens (holotype and 27 paratypes) of newly described species was collected by the soil washing of a sample taken near and around a solitary oak (Fig. 85) on the border of terrace garden together with Ubychia ganglbaueri (Reitter, 1912) and an undesribed species of Cephennium and Tychobythinus in May 2023 and March 2024. Several specimens were collected in Rumija Mts. in about 675 m a.s.l. and two females also in coastal Mediterranean forest under junipers tree near Blizikuće village.

Distribution. Montenegro.