Scaphisoma fenestratum, Löbl, 2002

Löbl, I., 2002, New Species Of Scaphisoma Leach (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scaphidiinae) From Mt. Wilhelm, Papua New Guinea, Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 48 (3), pp. 181-189 : 184-185

Scaphisoma fenestratum sp. n.

( Figs 3–4 )

Holotype male, labelled: NewGuinea /NE/ Mt. Wilhelm Field Stat. 3200 m, 14.IX.1968 / No. NG-M. R.21/ leg. Dr. I. Loksa ( HNHM).

Paratypes: 1 male 4 females with same data as holotype ( HNHM, MHNG) , 1 female with same data but NG-M. R .20 (HNHM).

Description. Length 2.0– 2.1 mm. Body dark brown to black. Elytra each with one small, round, ochreous spot situated posterior mid-length, in outer part of disc. Anterior margin of spots reaching elytral mid-length, posterior margin of spot reaching apical third of elytron; apical fourth of elytra ochreous. Apical abdominal segments lighter than most of body surface. Femora and tibiae reddish-brown or ochreous, antennae and tarsi ochreous. Length ratio of antennal segments as: III 6, IV 8, V 13, VI 13, VII 22, VIII 16, IX 18, X 17, XI 28; segment IV narrow, cylindrical, about 3 times as long as wide, narrower than segment III; segments V and VI subequal, each about 3 times as long as wide, distinctly wider than segment IV, segment VII moderately widened, about 4 times as long as wide, segment VIII comparatively narrow, 4 times as long as wide; segment XI oval, 3 times as long as wide (holotype). Eyes conspicuously large, covering lateral parts of head. Pronotum moderately long,widestatbase,stronglynarrowedanteriorly,withlateralcontoursobliquenearbase,slightlyarcuate in anterior half. Lateral pronotal ridges not visible in dorsal view. Pronotal punctation sparse, extremely fine and shallow. Tip of scutellum exposed. Elytra very weakly narrowed toward base, widest posterior basal fourth, from widest point moderately narrowed toward apices. Lateral elytral contours slightly arcuate in apical third, straight in middle third. Sutural margin raised in apical half to apical two-thirds. Inner apical angle posterior level of outer apical angles; apical margins edentate, arcuate. Sutural striae fairly deep, diverging from apices about up to mid-length, parallel in most of anterior half, extending anteriorly almost to or up to line of scutellar tip, not or shortly curved outwards, if curved not extending along basal margins of elytra. Lateral margin ridge visible in dorsal view; lateral striae curved at base, extending shortly along basal margin. Punctation of elytra similar to but slightly less fine than that of pronotum. Metathoracic wings strongly reduced, present as filament-like rudiments. Ventral side of thorax lacking microsculpture and very finely punctate. Mesepimeral ridge about as long as interval to mesocoxa. Metasternum comparatively short, very weakly convex in median part, lacking impressions. Mesocoxal lines parallel to coxae, indistinctly punctate. Mesocoxal areas narrow, 0.02–0.03 mm long, about as long as third of shortest interval to metacoxae. Metepisterna wide, moderately narrowed anteriorly, with inner margin straight, hardly impressed belowplane of metasternum. Abdomen very finely punctate and with punctulate microsculpture, latter absent from 1st exposed sternite. Metacoxal lines parallel, 0.03 mm long, with distinct marginal punctures. Tibiae straight, slender.

Male sexual characters. Protarsi hardly widened. Aedeagus ( Figs 3 & 4 ) 0.75 mm long. Median lobe with long, arcuate apical process (lateral view) and basal bulb weakly sclerotized, prominentandwidenedapically.Apicalprocessstronglycurvedventrally,aboutequallywideatdorsaland lateralviews,taperingatlateralview.Parameresasymmetrical,stronglywidenedandweaklysclerotized. Internal sac with extruded part of flagellum very long.

Comments. This species resembles S. papua and S. coeruleum in most diagnostic characters but lacks metallic shine, has a characteristic small elytral spot, comparatively shorter 3rd antennal segment and larger body. The aedeagus of S. fenestratum differs conspicuously from that of its allied S. frontale except, by the very large, weakly sclerotized parameres.

Figures

Figs 1–4. Aedeagus of Scaphisoma species: 1–2 = S. coeruleum sp. n., scale bar = 0.1 mm; 3–4: S. fenestratum sp. n., scale bar 0.2 mm