Paraploderus hammondi, Makranczy, 2016

Makranczy, György, 2016, Review Of The Genus Paraploderus Herman, 1970 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Oxytelinae), Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 62 (1), pp. 59-116 : 95-97

Paraploderus hammondi sp. n.

(Figs 63–67, 100)

Typematerial – Holotype (m): INDIA: Madras [= TamilNadu], Nilgiri, Coonoor, 1600 m [11°20’09”N, 76°48’00”E], 22.XI.1972, leg. C. Besuchet, I. Löbl, R. Mussard (43), tamisagesdanslaforêtendessousdelaville (MHNG); Paratypes (86): Kerala, Thekkady , Peryar W.L.S., 2.IX.1989, leg. A Riedel (7, SMNS) ; same data as holotype (1 m, MHNG, 1 m, NHMW) ; Madras [= TamilNadu], AnaimalaiHills , 18 kmNValparai, 1250 m [10°24’48”N, 76°57’03”E], 18.XI.1972, leg. C. Besuchet, I. Löbl, R. Mussard (35), tamisages en forêt (1 f, MHNG) , Kerala, Cardamom Hills , 5 km à l’ouest [W] de Kumily, 1000 m [9°37’22”N, 77°06’58”E], 6.XI.1972, leg. C. Besuchet, I. Löbl, R. Mussard (12), tamisages en forêt (1, MHNG) ; Kerala, CardamomHills , entrePambanaretPeermade, 950 m [9°34’35”N, 77°01’21”E], 5.XI.1972, leg. C. Besuchet, I. Löbl, R. Mussard (11), tamisagesenforêt, près d’unerivière (1, MHNG) , samebut 9.XI.1972 (18) (1, MHNG) ; TamilNadu, Anaimalai Hills , 700–1000 m, 17.I.1972, leg. R. Mussard (4) (2, MHNG, 1, FMNH) ; Tamil Nadu, Ko- daikanal, 1200 m, 10.I.1972, leg. R. Mussard (1) (20, MHNG, 1, NIBR), same but (6) (53, MHNG, 1, BMNH, 1, AMNH) .

Redescription – Measurements (in mm, n = 10): EW = 0.60 (0.555–0.65); TW = 0.60 (0.54–0.65); PW = 0.63 (0.58–0.68); SW = 0.68 (0.62–0.75); AW = 0.75 (0.67–0.83); HL = 0.39 (0.36–0.43); EL = 0.13 (0.12–0.14); TL = 0.14 (0.125–0.16); PL = 0.41 (0.37–0.45); SL = 0.62 (0.56–0.67); SC = 0.58 (0.52–0.62); FB = 1.49 (1.36–1.60); BL = 3.02 (2.58–3.43). Habitus as in Fig. 100 . Bodymoreorlessunicolorousreddishmediumbrown, headsometimesslightly darkerthanrest, elytraalittlelighterthanpronotum, abdomenusuallythesamecolouras elytra. Legs, mouthpartsandantennaemediumtolightbrown. Impressedpartsonhead andapicesofmandiblesoftendarker, infuscate. Head transversewithrounded, bulging templesjustslightlywiderthaneyes. Clypeusappearsimpunctate, withathinanteriorrim alsoonsides, almostnotracesofmicrosculpture, smoothandshiny. Epistomalsutureposteriortoimaginarylineconnectingsupraantennalprominences. Medialportionofoccipital groovemoreorlessstraight, neckmediallyoftenshiny, laterallywithtracesofcoriaceous microsculpturewithisodiametriccells. Vertexwithveryfewpunctures (ortracesofthem), almosttotallyshiny; variouslysized (mostlysmall) puncturesonlateralpartsandtemples obscuringpostocularridge. Faintlongitudinalimpressionsrunningonbothsidesofver- texfromepistomalsuturetooccipitalgroove, becomingmoremarkedposteriorly. Head surfaceotherwiseshiny, withoutmicrosculpture. Pronotum withcomplete, thinmarginal bead. Surfaceshiny, withoutanymicrosculpturebutmuchmorestronglypuncturedthan head, indefinite-bordered, mostlyratherlargepits (slightlyumbilicate) almosteverywhere onsurfaceexceptalongmidlineandalongposteriorandanteriormargins. Longitudinal midlinemarkedinposterior 1/2. Onbothsidesofmidlinemiddleofdiscstronglyimpressed to the anterior 1/3 of sides. Elytra with disc almost flat, two very thin and shallow longitudinalimpressionsalongsuturebehindscutellum, anteriorhalfofdiscverygen- Figs 63–67. Paraploderus hammondi sp. n. 63 = aedeagus, lateral view, 64 = aedeagus, frontal view (parameral setation shown on left), 65 = sternite VIII, male, 66 = sternite VIII, female, 67 = spermatheca. Scales: 0.1 mm for Fig. 67, 0.165 mm for Figs 63–64, 0.3 mm for Figs 65–66. tlyimpressed. Epipleuralridgepresentonalmostentirelength. Thinmarginalbeadwith obscureconnectiontoepipleuralridgecontinuingalongposteriormargin, notreaching suturalcorner, slightlycurvinganteriorlybeforeit. Alongsutureveryfinemarginalbead onlyconspicuousbecauseofdarkercolour. Elytralpunctationsimilartomorepunctate partsofpronotum, rathercoarseandequallyspaced, dense (interspacesaboutequalto puncturediameters). Abdomen shinyandsmoothwithonlytinyinsertionpointsofsetae andnotracesofmicrosculpture. MalesterniteVIIIasinFig. 65, aedeagusasinFigs 63–64, femalesterniteVIIIasinFig. 66, spermathecaasinFig. 67.

Distribution – ThespeciesiscurrentlyonlyknownfromsouthernIndia.

Etymology – NamedafterPeterM. Hammondwhostartedthisprojectmanydecades ago; healsorecognizedthisspeciestobeundescribed, evidencedbyhishandwrittennote ononeofthetypespecimens (“ Paraploderus ; sp. n.”) withoutdate.

Remarks – Mostoftheparatypesareheavilydiscoloured, appeartobe

darkbrowntoblack, mostlikelyapreservationartifact.

Figures

Figs 99–101. Habitus of Paraploderus species. 99 = P. fauveli sp. n., 100 = P. hammondi sp. n., 101 = P. loebli sp. n.