Quedius (Raphirus) hubeiensis, Cai, Yan-Peng & Zhou, Hong-Zhang, 2015

Cai, Yan-Peng & Zhou, Hong-Zhang, 2015, Taxonomy of the subgenus Quedius (Raphirus) Stephens (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylinini: Quediina) with descriptions of four new species from China, Zootaxa 3990 (2), pp. 151-196 : 153-157

Quedius (Raphirus) hubeiensis sp. nov.

( Figs. 2, 2-1 )

Type material. Holotype ♂, CHINA: Hubei Province: Shennongjia National Nature Reserve, Jiuchong, Gangou, 1240 m, 18. VII. 1998, coll. Junjian He.

Description. Head black; pronotum, scutellum and elytra dark brown; abdomen blackish brown, slightly iridescent, each tergite with posterior margin vaguely paler; pubescence of elytra brownish yellow; pubescence of abdomen dark brown, abdominal tergites III–VIII with distinct brownish yellow pubescence patch on each lateral portion; antennae yellowish brown, labrum and mandibles dark brown, maxillary and labial palpi yellowish brown; legs yellowish brown, with tibiae slightly darker.

BL = 4.8 mm, BW = 1.0 mm, HL/PL/EL = 1.00: 1.12: 1.39, HW/PW/EW/AW = 1.00: 1.08: 1.31: 1.15, HW/ HL = 1.07, HEL/HTL = 9.56, PW/PL = 1.03, EW/EL = 1.01, ESL/EL = 0.55.

Head ( Fig. 2 A) round, slightly wider than long; eye very large and convex, nearly occupying entire lateral side of head, in dorsal view tempora very short, markedly narrowed posteriad; no additional setiferous punctures between anterior frontal setiferous punctures; posterior frontal setiferous puncture situated before level of posteriomedial margin of eye, touching posteriomedial margin of eye; temporal setiferous puncture touching posterior margin of eye, with several small setiferous punctures arranged in an oblique curve behind and below it; one basal setiferous puncture situated about midway between posterior frontal puncture and nuchal constriction; head with fine and dense microsculpture of transverse waves and irregular meshes. Antenna moderately long, with segment I longer than segment II or III, segment II and III nearly equal in length, segments IV–XI slightly longer than wide.

Pronotum ( Fig. 2 B) about as wide as long, slightly narrowed anteriad, posteriolateral and posterior margins continuously rounded, lateral margins not explanate; three setiferous punctures in each dorsal and sublateral row, last sublateral row puncture situated slightly before level of large lateral setiferous puncture; surface of pronotum with microsculpture similar to that of head.

Scutellum ( Fig. 2 C) with several setiferous punctures, surface with very fine and dense microsculpture of transverse waves.

Elytra ( Fig. 2 C) moderately long, about as wide as long, vaguely broadened posteriad, each elytron with surface covered with fine and dense setiferous punctures, transverse interspaces between punctures slightly smaller than diameters of punctures; surface between punctures without microsculpture. Wings fully developed.

Abdominal tergite II impunctate; setiferous punctures of other tergites finer and denser than those of elytra, becoming slightly sparser toward posterior margin of each tergite, and in general toward apex of abdomen; tergite VII with whitish apical seam of palisade setae.

Male with first four segments of foretarsus moderately dilated, sub-bilobed, each heavily covered with tenent setae ventrally, segment II about as wide as apex of tibia; tergite VIII with basal ridge disrupted in middle, surface without long seta; sternite VIII ( Fig. 2-1 A) with basal ridge complete, nearly straight, with two long setae on each side, apical margin with a deep and moderately narrow medioapical emargination, a small triangular area in front of the emargination impunctate; sternite IX ( Fig. 2-1 B) with basal portion wide and curved, apical margin complete, widely rounded; tergite X ( Fig. 2-1 C) with basal side broadly and deeply concave, apical margin rounded; aedeagus in lateral view ( Fig. 2-1 D) with apex of paramere not quite reaching that of median lobe, median lobe with short median carina, forming a tiny hook below apex facing parameral side; aedeagus in parameral view ( Fig. 2-1 E) with paramere elongate, in general narrower than median lobe, apical 1/4 slightly dilated laterally to be wider than median lobe, and forming rounded apex, median lobe with apical portion distinctly narrowed, forming subacute apex ( Figs. 2 E, 2-1G), apical portion of paramere with four moderately long apical setae, and two similar subapical setae on each lateral side below apex, underside with 26 sensory peg setae arranged in two long irregular longitudinal groups along sides ( Figs. 2 D, 2-1F).

Female unknown.

Distribution. Quedius hubeiensis sp. nov. is at present known only from the type locality in western Hubei Province: Shennongjia National Nature Reserve, at an altitude of 1240 m. The specimen was collected by sifting leaf litter in July.

Diagnosis. This new species belongs to the muscicola group. It is similar to Q. impressiventris Smetana, 2012 discovered from Sichuan in the structure of the male genitalia. It can be distinguished from the latter by having male sternite IX with a rounded apex, aedeagus with paramere somewhat more dilated laterally in apical portion, with median lobe nearly parallel-sided in middle portion, not appreciably widened before apical portion, and apical portion not darkened; whereas Q. impressiventris Smetana has male sternite IX with a subtruncate to subemarginate apex, aedeagus with paramere somewhat less dilated in apical portion, with median lobe widely attenuate in middle portion, distinctly widened anteriorly before narrowed into apical portion, and apical portion darkened.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the type locality: Hubei Province.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Quedius (Raphirus) hubeiensis sp. nov.: A. head (0.5 mm); B. pronotum (0.5 mm); C. elytra (0.5 mm); D. underside of paramere (0.2 mm); E. apical portion of median lobe, parameral view (0.2 mm). (Scale in parentheses).