Scaphisoma centripunctulum, Ivan Löbl & Ryo Ogawa, 2016

Ivan Löbl & Ryo Ogawa, 2016, On the Scaphisomatini (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scaphidiinae) of the Philippines, IV: the genera Sapitia ACHARD and Scaphisoma LEACH, Linzer biologische Beiträge 48 (2), pp. 1339-1492 : 1390

5.2.13.3. Scaphisoma centripunctulum nov.sp. ( Figs 123, 124)

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype 6: Burungkot, Upi, Cotabato Prov., Mindanao Elev. 1500 ft. I, 1-9, 1947 / Lot 154: taken on polypores / CNHM-Philippine Zool. Exped. (1946-47) F.G.Werner leg. (FMNH).

D e s c r i p t i o n: Length 1.45 mm, width 0.93 mm. Head and body dark reddishbrown, metaventrite darker, almost blackish, sternite 1 light reddish-brown, following sternites and apical tergites lighter, ochreous, about as appendages. Pronotum and elytra not microsculptured and not iridescent. Length/width ratio of antennomeres as: III 12/8: IV 18/7: V 30/8: VI 35/10: VII 46/15: VIII 33/9: IX 48/12: X 46/12: XI 60/12. Pronotum very finely and sparsely punctate, with lateral margins evenly rounded, lateral margin carinae not visible in dorsal view, lateral striae impunctate. Exposed tip of scutellum minute. Elytra convex, with lateral margin carinae hardly exposed in dorsal view, apical margins rounded, inner apical angles not prominent, situated in level with outer angles; sutural margin raised, sutural striae deep, almost angular near base, not extended along basal margins to form basal striae, strongly converging in basal fifth, moderately, gradually converging posteriad basal fifth to apices, very finely punctate; adsutural areas broad at bases, flat, each with single row of very fine punctures, lateral striae finely punctate. Prevailing surface of elytral disc with punctation very fine, shallow, poorly delimited, to part as fine as that on pronotum; punctation on small, elongate laterocentral areas conspicuously dense and coarse, partly confluent. Hind wings fully developed. Hypomera and mesanepisterna smooth. Mesepimera slightly shorter than intervals to mesocoxae, about three times as long as wide. Metaventrite not microsculptured. Median part of metaventrite slightly convex, lacking impressions, densely, finely punctate. Lateral parts of metaventrite with extremely fine and sparse punctation; antecoxal puncture rows absent. Submesocoxal areas 0.04 mm, about as third of intervals to metacoxae, submesocoxal lines convex, very finely punctate, punctures not extended by striae. Metanepisternum flat, not narrowed anteriad, straight except at rounded posterior angles, sutures deep. Tibiae straight. Abdomen with punctulate microsculpture and very finely and sparsely punctate; submetacoxal areas 0.04 mm, about as fourth of intervals to apical margin of sternite, submetacoxal lines convex, very finely punctate.

M a l e: Protarsomeres 1 to 3 weakly widened. Aedeagus ( Figs 123, 124) 0.41 mm, strongly sclerotized. Median lobe asymmetrical, with small basal bulb, robust and prominent articular process and long, narrow apical process. Latter strongly inflexed and curved in lateral view, subparallel and with rounded apex in dorsal view. Parameres symmetrical, slightly sinuate and in apical halves somewhat narrowed in lateral view, almost regularly curved in dorsal view. Internal sac simple, with flagellum.

E t y m o l o g y: The species epithet is a Latin adjective, referring to the pattern of elytral punctation.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: The aedeagal characters suggest close relationships of S. centripunctulum and S. biliranense. The new species may be readily distinguished from S. biliranense, as from other Philippine congeners, S. subpunctulum excepted, by its unusual pattern of elytral punctation. Besides, it differs clearly by the gradually widened antennomeres IV to VII, the sutural striae not extended along basal margins of the elytra and sternite 1 lacking microsculpture.