Percussiopalpus inusitatus Jałoszyński & Hlaváč, 2023

Jałoszyński, Paweł, Hlaváč, Peter & Anlaş, Sinan, 2023, Percussiopalpus gen. n. from Turkey, a free-living relative of cave-dwelling Thaumastocephalus, and revised placement of Thaumastocephalini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae), Zootaxa 5277 (1), pp. 71-90 : 79-82

Percussiopalpus inusitatus Jałoszyński & Hlaváč , sp. n.

( Figs 1–40 )

Material studied. Holotype: ♁: TURKEY, with one label: “TURKEY, Balıkesir, Erdek / Kirazlı Manastırı yolu, 358 m / 40°26.742″N, 27°54.182″E / 15–20.x.2017, M. E. Bulut & S. Sak lgt.″ [white, printed] ( AZMM) . Paratypes (7 ♁♁, 16 ♀♀): 1 ♁, 3 ♀♀: same data as for holotype ( AZMN, PCPJ) . 1 ♁, 3 ♀♀: with one label: “TURKEY, Balıkesir, Erdek / Kirazlı Manastiri yakınları, 202 m / 40°27.610″N 27°54.605″E / 15.x.2017, M. E. Bulut & S. Sak lgt.″ [white, printed] ( AZMM, PCPH) . 1♁: with one label: “TURKEY, Balıkesir / Erdemit , 202 m / 40°27.610“N, 27°54.605“E / 10.7.2018, M. E. Bulut & S. Sak ” [white printed] ( AZMM) . 2 ♀♀: with one label: “TURKEY, Balıkesir, Bandırma / Çakıl Köy yakınları, 262 m / 40°20′56.1″N, 28°08′39.7″E / 15.x.2017, M. E. Bulut & S. Sak ” [white, printed] ( AZMM, PCPH) . 1 ♁, 3 ♀♀: with one label: “TURKEY, Balıkesir, Erdek / Kirazlı Manastırı yolu, 375 m / 40°27′36.7″N, 27°54′17.8″E / 10.iv.2016, S. Sak & M. E. Bulut ” [white, printed] ( PCPJ) . 3 ♀♀: with one label: “TURKEY, Balıkesir / Erdek Kirazlı Manastırı yakınları, 202 m, 10.xi.2017 / 40°27.610″N 27°54.605″E / S. Sak & M. E. Bulut ” [white, printed] ( AZMM) . 3 ♁♁, 2 ♀♀: with one label: “TURKEY, Balıkesir / Erdek Kirazlı yolu, 375 m, 30.iv.2018 / 40°27.610″N 27°54.605″E / S. Sak & M. E. Bulut ” [white, printed] ( AZMM, PCPH, PCPJ) .

Diagnosis. As for the genus; vide supra.Aedeagus with projecting distally rounded and symmetric apex of dorsal wall of median lobe; distal region of ventral wall of median lobe asymmetric, strongly elongate and subtriangular with narrowly rounded apex; endophallus with sclerotized tubular structure distinctly sinuate in dorsal view.

Description. Body of male ( Fig. 1 ) uniformly dark brown, antennae and legs lighter, maxillary palpi yellowishbrown; setae yellowish, cuticle glossy. BL 1.60–1.70 mm.

Head ( Figs 3–7 ) indistinctly elongate, broadest at eyes; HL 0.30–0.33 mm, HW 0.28–0.29 mm. Fronto-vertexal sulcus forming broad inversely cordiform figure with posterior arms distictly broadened and with rounded posterior margins, region between lateral arms of sulcus weakly elevated and distinctly broadening anterad. Eyes minute, each composed of two cornea lenses. Lateral and median regions of vertex and frons with inconspicuous fine punctures; setae sparse, long and suberect, those on sides of dorsum directed towards midline. Antennae ( Figs 8–9 ) indistinctly shorter than head and pronotum combined, AnL 0.50 mm, scape nearly twice as long as broad, subcylindrical with slightly narrowing distal region; pedicel slightly elongate, nearly barrel-shaped; antennomeres 3–6 subequal in shape and size, moniliform, each slightly transverse; 7 slightly larger than 6, indistinctly transverse; 8 indistinctly broader but not longer than 7, slightly transverse; 9 broader but indistinctly longer than 8, distinctly transverse; 10 clearly broader but indistinctly longer than 9, strongly transverse; 11 broader than 10, longer than antennomeres 7–10 combined, with proximal region slightly broadening distad and with rapidly narrowing distal subconical region tapering to pointed apex.

Pronotum ( Fig. 14 ) weakly transverse, PL 0.33–0.35 mm, PW 0.35–0.38 mm. All longitudinal sulci narrow and sharply marked, distance between median and lateral sulcus much wider than between lateral sulcus and side of pronotum; posterior pair of oval impressions distinctly larger than anterior pair. Punctures on disc similar to those on frons and vertex, inconspiucously fine; setae sparse and long, suberect, sides of pronotum lacking long macrosetae.

Elytra ( Fig. 24 ) longer than pronotum but shorter than abdomen, transverse, subtrapezoidal, broadest slightly behind middle, EL 0.38–0.40 mm, EW 0.58–0.59 mm. Elytral base distinctly concave, humeral denticle minute but distinct; sides strongly rounded; posterior elytral margin concave with shallow emargination above base of paratergites IV. Basal elytral foveae broadly separated; sutural striae slightly converging posteriorly; discal striae arcuate and decreasing in depth posteriorly, vanishing near middle of elytral length. Punctures on disc as inconspicuous as those on head and pronotum; setae sparse, long and suberect.

Hind wings completely reduced.

Abdomen broadest near middle, AbL 0.55–0.60 mm, AbW 0.60–0.63 mm. Abdominal tergites with punctures and setae similar to those on elytra.

Legs ( Fig. 1 ) slender and long, protarsomere 2 distinctly broadened; protibia with small ventral tooth near middle.

Aedeagus ( Figs 34–38 ) elongate, asymmetric; AeL 0.34 mm; median lobe in dorsal view rounded at base, broadest near middle, distal margin of dorsal wall forming broad and rounded lobe projecting distally, distal region of ventral wall forming elongate subtriangular projection; endophallus with sclerotized tubular component distinctly sinuate in dorsal view; parameres asymmetric, reaching apex of median lobe, broad with curved and subtrianguar apices, each with three thick and long subapical setae.

Female. Externally similar to male except for slender protarsomere 2, unmodified protibiae, and sternite IX not exposed.

Natural history. All specimens of Percussiopalpus inusitatus were collected from soil by soil washing or sifting of leaf litter in deciduous forests using Berlese funnels ( Figs 39, 40 ). No other details concerning the ecology of this species are known.

Etymology. The name inusitatus is a Latin adjective meaning unusual, uncommon, extraordinary, referring to the unusual structure of the maxillary palpi.

Distribution. Northwestern Turkey (Balıkesir province).

Figures

FIGURES 1–2. Percussiopalpus inusitatus sp. n. Dorsal habitus of male (1) and female (2).

FIGURES 3–7. Percussiopalpus inusitatus sp. n. Head in dorsal (3), lateral (4, 6), and ventral (5, 7) views. Abbreviations: ce, compound eye; fs, frontal sulcus; gal, galea; gp, gular plate; lr, labrum; md, mandible; mxp, maxillary palp; ptp, posterior tentorial pit; smb, submental bulge; t, tentorium.

FIGURES 8–13. Percussiopalpus inusitatus sp. n. Right antenna in dorsal view (8, 9), anteromedian region of head in ventral view (10), mandibles and labrum in ventral view (11), left maxillary palp in ventral view (12), distal region of sensory process of maxillary palpomere 3 in ventral view (13). Abbreviations: bst, basistipes; cd, cardo; gal, galea; hr, hypostomal ridge; lr, labrum; lp1‒2, labial palpomere 1‒2; md, mandible; mn, mentum; mst, mediostipes; mxp1‒4, maxillary palpomere 1‒4; pd, pedicel; pls, peg-like sensillum; ptp, posterior tentorial pit; sa, sensory appendage; sc, scape; smb, submental bulge; sp, sensory process.

FIGURES 14–18. Percussiopalpus inusitatus sp. n. Prothorax in dorsal (14), ventral (15, 16), and left lateral (17, 18) views. Abbreviations:bst, basisternal region of prosternum; fs, furcasternalregion of prosternum;hg, hypomeral groove; hy, hypomeron; hyr, hypomeral ridge; laf, lateral fovea; lls, lateral longitudinal sulcus; maf, median antebasal fovea; mls, median longitudinal sulcus. Arrowheads indicate ventral foveae.

FIGURES 19–23. Percussiopalpus inusitatus sp. n. Pterothorax in ventral (19, 20) and left lateral (22, 23) views, anterior region of mesoventrite in ventral view (21). Abbreviations: amtvp, anterior metaventral process; cx3, metacoxa; lfa, lateral furcal arm; mscxc, mesocoxal cavity; msff, mesofurcal fovea; msvp, mesoventral process; mtvp, metaventral process; pp, prepectus; v2‒3, meso- and metaventrite. Arrowheads indicate ventral foveae.

FIGURES 24–30. Percussiopalpus inusitatus sp. n. Pterothorax and abdomen in dorsal view (24), elytral base in dorsal view (25), abdomen in ventral view (26), base of abdomen in ventral (27) and dorsal (28) views, abdomen in anterior view (29), abdominal apex of male in ventral view (30). Abbreviations: bef, basal elytral fovea; ds, discal stria; hd, humeral denticle; sc2+scl2, mesoscutum + mesoscutellum; ss, sutural stria; stIII‒IX, sternite III‒IX; tIII‒VII, tergite IV‒VII.Arrowheads indicate foveae.

FIGURES31–38. Percussiopalpusinusitatussp. n. Protarsusin ventral(31) andlateral (32) views, metatarsus inlateral view (33), aedeagus in abparameral (34, 36), parameral (37) and lateral (35, 38) views. Abbreviations: pr, paramere; t1‒3, tarsomere 1‒3.

FIGURES 39–40. Percussiopalpus inusitatus sp. n. Habitat in Balıkesir Province in Turkey. Collecting site in Erdemit, 202 m, 40°27.610”N, 27°54.605” (39); collecting site in Erdek, Kirazlı Manastırı road, 358 m, 40°26.742”N, 27°54.182” (40).