Pseudopsis (Pseudopsis)

Yin, Zi-Wei, 2021, Two new species and additional records of Pseudopsis Newman from China (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pseudopsinae), Journal of Natural History 55 (15 - 16), pp. 933-951 : 948-950

Pseudopsis (Pseudopsis) sp.

( Figures 9 , 12 (f))

Material examined (4 exx.)

4 ♀♀, ‘ China: Sichuan, Baoxing County, Fengtongzhai N . R. (凤桐寨), Dengchigou (邓池 沟), 30°32 ′ N, 102°56 ʹ E, 1870 m, 1 .viii .2016, Zhou, Jiang, Liu , Gao leg .’ ( SNUC).

Description

Female. Body ( Figure 9 (a)) length (combined length of head, pronotum, scutellum, elytra and abdomen) 3.8–5.0 mm, fore body length (length of body minus abdomen) 2.0– 2.2 mm. Vertex of head and elytral disc black, pronotal disc dark brown, frons, sides of pronotum and elytra, most parts of abdomen, antennae, mouthparts and legs reddish brown. Length of head ( Figure 9 (b)) from anterior margin of clypeus to anterior margin of pronotum 0.57–0.67 mm, maximum width across eyes 0.68–0.70 mm. Length of antennae 0.79–0.85 mm. Pronotum ( Figure 9 (b)) transverse, length along midline 0.69–0.75 mm, maximum width 1.05–1.10 mm; sides distinctly serrate. Elytra ( Figure 9 (c)) transverse, length along suture (excluding scutellum) 0.74–0.77 mm, maximum width 1.20–1.26 mm; epipleural carinae not visible in dorsal view. Length of abdomen along middle 1.76–2.82 mm.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution

China: Sichuan ( Figure 12 (f)).

Remarks

This species has serrate lateral margins of the pronotum. It is markedly larger than S. serrata sp. nov. in Yunnan and S. smetanai in Sichuan, and therefore could possibly represent a distinct species. However, the identity of this species cannot be confirmed until male specimens from the same locality become available.

Key to Chinese species

1 Lateral margins of pronotum serrated or weakly emarginate... ........................................ 2

- Lateral margins of pronotum entirely rounded, not serrated or emarginate.. ............ 5

2. Lateral margins of pronotum weakly emarginate ( Zerche 1998, fig. 12); habitus more slender; posterior 3/5 of elytral epipleuron visible in dorsal view. (Sichuan; Figure 11 (f)).. ........................................ ....................................... P. schuelkei Zerche, 1998

- Lateral margins of pronotum serrated; habitus more robust; elytral epipleuron not dorsally visible, or only short, narrow region near posterior end visible in dorsal view... ......................................................................................................................................................... 3

3. Elytral epipleuron dorsally visible for short and narrow region near posterior end ( Figure 5 (a,c)). (Yunnan; Figure 11 (g)).. ..................................................... P. serrata sp. nov.

- Elytral epipleuron not dorsally visible... ...................................................................................... 4

4. Head entirely dark brown, pronotum and elytra darker in colour; aedeagus with endophallus lacking large spines, composed of numerous setulae ( Zerche 1998, fig. 4). (Sichuan; Figure 11 (h)).. ..................................................... P. smetanai Zerche, 1998

- Head with vertex dark reddish brown, frons and clypeus reddish brown, pronotum and elytra much lighter in colour; aedeagus composed of two large stout, darkly pigmented spines at basal half ( Herman 1983, fig. 6). (Sichuan; India; Nepal; Figure 12 (b)).. ................................................................. P. susae Herman, 1983

5. Basal part of aedeagal endophallus thread-like and winding ( Zerche 2003, fig. 1). (Shaanxi, Sichuan; Figure 10 (f)).. ........................................................... P. filum Zerche, 2003

- Aedeagal endophallus lacking a thread-like and winding structure as above... ........ 6

6. Apex of aedeagal median lobe sharply pointed, needle-like, parameres exceptionally exceeding apex of median lobe and with thick, long apical seta, endophallus with two turns at base ( Zerche 1998, fig. 6). (Sichuan; Figure 11 (a)).. ....................... ................................................................................................................ P. hermani Zerche, 1998

- Apex of aedeagal median lobe briefly pointed or truncate, parameres not exceeding apex of median lobe and with much shorter and thinner apical seta, endophallus lacking turns at base.. ....................................................................................................................... 7

7. Apex of aedeagal median lobe with broad and arcuate apical margin in dorso-ventral view... ...................................................................................................................................................... 8

- Apex of aedeagal median lobe pointed in dorso-ventral view.. ..................................... 9

8. Apical portion of aedeagal median lobe relatively much broader, parameres relatively longer, apical part of endophallus composed of many minute spines overlapping one another on left side ( Figure 6 (a,b)). (Shanxi; Figure 11 (c)).. ............... P. pengi sp. nov.

- Apical portion of aedeagal median lobe relatively much narrower, parameres distinctly shorter, apical part of endophallus composed of one to two rows of much larger, triangular spines ( Zerche 1998, fig. 7). (Gansu, Shaanxi; Figure 10 (g)).. ............. ............................................................................................................... P. gansuensis Zerche, 1998

9. Apical part of aedeagal median lobe gradually narrowing towards apex, parameres each with long apical seta exceeding apex of median lobe, basal part of endophallus with row of large, long darkly pigmented spines on left side ( Figure 8 (a,b); Herman 1983, fig. 10); posterior margin of male sternite IX deeply emarginate ( Figure 8 (f)). (Xizang; India; Nepal; Figure 12 (a)).. ............................................... P. suchi Herman, 1983

- Apical part of aedeagal median lobe abruptly narrowed at apex, parameres each with much shorter apical seta not exceeding apex of median lobe, basal part of endophallus lacking row of large, long darkly pigmented spines on left side; posterior margin of male sternite IX weakly emarginate to flat... ................................................... 10

10. Endophallus of aedeagus straight at base.. ........................................................................... 11

- Endophallus of aedeagus curved at base.. ............................................................................ 12

11. Endophallus of aedeagus relatively much shorter in relation to median lobe, middle and basal portion composed of many moderately large spines ( Zerche 1998, fig. 1). (Shaanxi; Figure 11 (e)).. ................................. P. puetzi Zerche, 1998

- Endophallus of aedeagus relatively much longer in relation to median lobe, middle and basal portion composed of numerous small and few larger spines ( Zerche 2003, fig. 2). (Shaanxi; Figure 10 (e)).. ................................................. P. dabaensis Zerche, 2003

12. Head much darker in colour; endophallus of aedeagus U-shaped at base, apical seta of paramere relatively much longer ( Zerche 1998, fig. 3). (Sichuan; Figure 10 (h)).. ................................................................. P. gonggaensis Zerche, 1998

- Head much lighter in colour; endophallus of aedeagus L-shaped at base; apical seta of paramere relatively much shorter ( Zerche 1998, fig. 2). (Yunnan; Figure 12 (e)).. ......... ............................................................................................................ P. yunnanensis Zerche, 1998

Figures

Figure 5. Pseudopsis serrata sp. nov. (a) Dorsal habitus; (b) head and pronotum; (c) right elytron. Scale bars: a, b = 0.5 mm; c = 0.3 mm.

Figure 6. Aedeagus (a, c) and enlarged endophallus (b, d) of Pseudopsis pengi sp. nov. (a, b) and P. serrata sp. nov. (c, d). Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Figure 8. Aedeagus (a), enlarged endophallus (b), and abdominal segment IX of Pseudopsis suchi (f), P. gansuensis (c), P. pengi sp. nov. (d), and P. serrata sp. nov. (e). Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Figure 9. Pseudopsis sp. from Baoxing County, Sichuan. (a) Dorsal habitus; (b) head and pronotum; (c) right elytron. Scale bars: a, b = 0.5 mm; c = 0.3 mm.

Figure 10. Distribution of Pseudopsis in Asia. (a) General distribution; (b) P. acuta Zerche, 1992; (c) P. atratula Zerche, 1992; (d) P. crenata Zerche, 2000; (e) P. dabaensis Zerche, 2003; (f) P. filum Zerche, 2003; (g) P. gansuensis Zerche, 1998; (h) P. gonggaensis Zerche, 1998.

Figure 11. Distribution of Pseudopsis in Asia. (a) P. hermani Zerche, 1998; (b) P. himalayensis Herman, 1975; (c) P. pengi sp. nov.; (d) P. prolixa Herman, 1975; (e) P. puetzi Zerche, 1998; (f) P. schuelkei Zerche, 1998; (g) P. serrata sp. nov.; (h) P. smetanai Zerche, 1998.

Figure 12. Distribution of Pseudopsis in Asia. (a) P. suchi Herman, 1983; (b) P. susae Herman, 1983; (c) P. torta Zerche, 1992; (d) P. watanabei Herman, 1975; (e) P. yunnanensis Zerche, 1998; (f) P. sp.