Euconnus (Euconophron) socotranus, Hlaváč, 2012

Hlaváč, Peter, 2012, New species of Euconnus, subgen. Euconophron (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae) from Socotra Island, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 52, pp. 135-139 : 137-138

Euconnus (Euconophron) socotranus sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–2 )

Material examined. HOLOTYPE: J ( NMPC), ‘ YEMEN, Soqotra Is., 2003, 5-6/xii., Noget plain, QAAREH (waterfall), 57m, N12°20′10″ E53°37′56″ [GPS], David Král lgt. [printed]’, ‘ YEMEN – SOQOTRA 2003 Expedition; Jan Farkač, Petr Kabátek & David Král [printed] ’, ‘ HOLOTYPE Euconnus (Euconophron) socotranus n. sp., P. Hlaváč det., 2011 [red label, printed]’.

Description. Body length about 1.6 mm, maximum width of elytra 0.7 mm, shiny, light yellowish-brown, head and pronotum slightly darker, maxillary palpi, antennae and legs as light yellowish-brown as elytra.

Head with temples strongly convergent posteriorly, about 1.15 times as wide as long, temples with dense, stiff, bristly setae; vertex with large, shallow depression and sparse setation; eyes strongly protuberant; frons triangular, pointed; labrum short, not visible in dorsal view, with long, erect setae, separated from clypeus; antennal tubercles well-defined; maxillary palpi with palpomere I very small comparing to II which is thin, only very slightly widened to apex, III pedunculate at base, swollen at apex, IV robust, pointed. Antennae short, about 0.75 mm long, all antennomeres with long setae, antennal club tetramerous, scape cylindrical, about 1.4 times as long as wide, pedicel slightly widened towards apex, slightly longer than scape, antennomere III quadrate, smallest, about 0.8 times shorter than IV, V and VI which are equal in length and width and slightly elongate, antennomere VII about 1.5 times as long as VI and about 0.66 times shorter than VIII, antennomeres VIII–X quadrate, subequal, terminal antennomere relatively short, only about 1.2 times as long as X.

Pronotum 1.05 times wider than long and 1.26 times as long as head, sides of pronotum with dense bristly setae, widest in middle, from middle parallel-sided to base and convergent anteriorly, with three antebasal foveae, central fovea much larger, and with two well-defined lateral foveae.

Elytra relatively short, widest in middle, with two basal foveae, about 1.25 times as long as wide and about 2.5 times as long as pronotum, humeri well-defined, basal width of elytra slightly wider than basal width of pronotum, apex of elytra roundly terminated, sides of elytra with longer setae, disc of elytra lacking setae.

Legs long, femora thin at base, clavate, tibiae enlarged distally, pro- and mesotibiae with dense brush-like setae at apex, apex of metatibiae lacking this setation.

Aedeagus ( Figs. 1, 2 ) decently sclerotized, symmetrical in dorsal view, elongated, about 0.2 mm long, dorsal opening small, circular, apex deeply bilobed, parameres short, reaching three fourth of aedeagus length, furnished with two strongly unequal apical setae.

Sexual dimorphism: female unknown.

Differential diagnosis. Euconnus socotranus sp. nov. can be undoubtedly recognised by the shape and structure of aedeagus. Due to the similar structure of aedeagus, the new species strongly resembles to E. specusus Vít, 2004 from La Gomera (Canary Islands) ( VÍT & OROMÍ 2004). However, aedeagi of both species are different especially in shape of apical lobe which is laterally broadly curved in E. specusus and pointed in E. socotranus (cf. VÍT 2005: 189, Figs. 1–2 ); both species can also be readily separated by the presence of well-developed eyes in E. socotranus sp. nov., whereas E. specusus is anophthalmous.

Etymology. Locotypic, derived from the name of the island of Socotra.

Distribution. So far known only from the type locality on the Socotra Island.

Figures

Figs. 1–2. Euconnus (Euconophron) socotranus sp. nov.: 1 – aedeagus in dorsal aspect; 2 – aedeagus in lateral aspect, parameres omitted. Scale bar = 0.1 mm.