Batraxis tuberculata Wang and Yin

Wang, Dan & Yin, Zi-Wei, 2016, Supplement to the knowledge of the genus Batraxis Reitter (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae) of China, Zootaxa 4179 (1), pp. 111-114 : 111-112

Batraxis tuberculata Wang and Yin , new species

( Figs 1 A, 2A‒C, 2G)

Type material (5 exs). Holotype: CHINA: Ƌ, labeled ‘ CHINA: Yunnan province, 2 km S of HABA, 18.VI.2007, Haba Xueshan Mts. (哈巴雪山), 27°21.7'N, 100°08.2'E, 3000 m, J. Hájek & J. Růžička leg. [Ch34] / individually collected inside rotten wood of fallen log; sparse mixed forest (with dominant Pinus and Rhododendron ) above dry brook valley.’ ( NMPC) . Paratypes: CHINA: 4 ƋƋ, same label data as holotype ( NMPC, SNUC) .

Diagnosis of male. Body with distinct pubescence; frons narrow, with complete subantennal transverse sulcus; vertexal foveae distinct; antennomeres XI obliquely subconical; median gular carina distinct, with two distinct, close gular foveae; protrochanters with long ventral protuberance; tergite IV with relatively narrow basal sulcus, discal carinae long, nearly parallel; aedeagus elongate.

Description. Male ( Fig. 1 A). Body reddish-brown, pubescent, length 2.19‒2.32 mm. Head rectangular, slightly longer than wide, HL 0.48‒0.50 mm, HW 0.45‒0.47 mm, vertex convex, with two distinct vertexal foveae; frons flattened, with complete transverse subantennal sulcus, U-shaped vertexal sulcus distinct only in anterior half, merging with subantennal sulcus; each eye composed of about 30 facets; antennomeres III–VI elongate, VII slightly elongate, VIII‒IX as long as wide, X transverse, XI largest, widest at basal 1/3; median gular carina prominent, gular foveae distinct and close. Pronotum almost as long as wide, PL 0.43–0.45 mm, PW 0.44–0.47 mm, with distinct median antebasal fovea. Elytra wider than long, EL 0.60–0.64 mm, EW 0.81–0.86 mm, each elytron with two distinct foveae at base. Protrochanters strongly protuberant at ventral margin ( Fig. 2 G). Exposed portion of abdomen in dorsal view slightly wider than long, AL 0.68–0.76 mm, AW 0.72–0.76 mm; tergite IV (first visible tergite) with relatively narrow basal sulcus, discal carinae long, nearly parallel, extending to half of tergal length, width between carinae 0.29‒0.32 mm at apices, marginal carinae complete. Aedeagus ( Fig. 2 A‒C) 0.42‒0.46 mm in length, elongate, parameres slightly shorter than median lobe, apically narrowed, each with two apical setae; endophallus with five pairs of symmetric sclerites, and series of membranous structures.

Female. Unknown.

Comparative notes. Batraxis tuberculata is most similar to B. robusta Wang & Yin from Jiangxi ( Wang & Yin 2016: Figs. 1 , 2 A) by the long pubescence on the body surface, the form of antennomeres III–XI, lack of pronotal basal impression, and complete marginal carinae of tergite IV. The new species can be distinguished from B. robusta by larger compound eyes, a long protuberance of protrochanter in male, relatively more widely separated discal carinae of tergite VI, and a more slender aedeagus. In B. robusta , the eyes are smaller, the male protrochanter lacks any protuberance, the discal carinae of tergite VI are relatively closer, and the aedeagus is much stouter.

Distribution. Southwestern China: Yunnan.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the long protuberance of the male protrochanters.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Dorsal habitus of Batraxis males. A. B. tuberculata. B. B. frontalis. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 2. Male diagnostic features of Batraxis males. (A, B, D, E. Aedeagus, in dorsal view. C, F. Same, in lateral view. G, H. Protrochanter, in lateral view). A – C, G. B. tuberculata. D – F, H. B. frontalis. Scale bars: A ‒ F = 0.1 mm; G, H = 0.05 mm.