Pselaphogenius cornus­­­Owens­­­&­­­Carlton, 2022

Owens, Brittany E. & Carlton, Christopher E., 2022, --- Revision- -- of- -- the- -- New- -- Zealand- -- species- -- of- -- the- -- Genus- -- Pselaphogenius Reitter- -- (Staphylinidae: --- Pselaphinae: --- Pselaphitae: --- Pselaphini) ---, Zootaxa 5155 (2), pp. 187-220 : 198-200

Pselaphogenius cornus­­­Owens­­­&­­­Carlton ,­­­sp.­­­nov.

(Fig. 9a–c)

Type­­­Material.­­­ Holotype: (1­­­male)­­­ New Zealand:AK: Mt. Dome , litter 15 Mar 1978 SB Peck ( NZAC) . Paratypes: (1­­­male,­­­1­­­female) holotype locality ( NZAC) .

Etymology.­­­ This specific epithet of this species refers to the horn-shaped, upturned median lobe of the aedeagus in males of this species.

Diagnosis.­­­ Externally, this species is difficult to distinguish from many other species of Pselaphogenius in New Zealand. The form of the aedeagus, particularly the wing-shaped lateral processes, is unique.

Description.­­­ MALE holotype. ­­­Integument: head, pronotum, elytra, abdomen, and appendages light brown, palpi lighter in color. Head:­­­ width between eyes equal to ½ length of head from base of vertex to apex of rostrum. Eyes small, composed of five facets. Frontal margin of rostrum acute, with sparse suberect setae in dorsal view. Gular mound modified, longer than wide, broad anteriorly and narrowed posteriorly; area of head posterior to gular mound flattened, slightly concave, nude. Maxillary palpomere IV longer than head, narrow, widened at base and distal 1/5, v-shaped sensory patches present. Thorax:­­­ pronotum basal sulcus absent, lateral antebasal foveae and median antebasal fovea reduced to minute pits. Mesoventrite with median shield unmodified. Metaventrite afoveate, medially flattened, metacoxae separated by extension of ventrite I. Legs unmodified. Elytra with two basal foveae and sutural fovea present; single discal stria, sutural striae present. Abdomen:­­­ tergites of usual form for tribe. Ventrite I covered in dense, shining setae; ventrite II with basal sulcus occupying length of ventrite, sulcus densely setose, shallow oval median depression reaching apex. Genitalia: aedeagus symmetrical. Median lobe compressed laterally, apical end upturned. Lateral processes almost as long as median lobe, bearing row of feather-like ventral extensions giving wing-like appearance. Ventral process narrow, straight, slight ventral curve, distally, about as long as median lobe. Parameres present, as long as median lobe.

Females.­­­ Integument,­­­ Head,­­­Thorax,­­­Abdomen:­­­ similar to male except ventrite II lacking median ovate depression.

Distribution.­­­ This species is known from several localities in Auckland AK.

Material­­­ Examined. AK: (1­­­ female) New Zealand: AK: Auckland, Lynfield Ground plants 6 Dec 1975, G Kuschel ( LSAM); (1­­­female) New Zealand: AK: Auckland, Lynfield Ground plants 13 Dec 1975, G Kuschel ( LSAM); (2­­­males,­­­1­­­slide-mounted) New Zealand:AK: Auckland, Lynfield Litter , 17 Oct 1975 G Kuschel, 75/155 ( LSAM); (3­­­females) New Zealand: AK: Mt. Dome , litter 15 Mar 1978 SB Peck ( LSAM); (6­­­males,­­­1­­­female) New Zealand: AK: Ponga Bush, Drury, nr. Pukekohe Litter , 4 Jan 1973 BM May, 73/1 ( LSAM); (1male) ­­­ New Zealand AK (illegible) Gully 5 Nov 1985 R.C. Craw // Sifted litter ( NZAC) .

Pselaphogenius delicatus ­­­(Broun),­­­1886

Pselaphus delicatus Broun (1886: 943) , transferred ( Jeannel 1951).

(Fig. 10a–c)

Type­­­Material­­­Examined.­­­ After examining the type series of Pselaphus delicatus in the NHM and specimens from the Broun collection in the NZAC, and reviewing Broun’s original description, the following specimen from the NZAC is here designated the lectotype (1­­­male)­­­ Near Howick, Auckland.// 1697.// Pselaphus delicatus, Broun, 1886 ( NZAC) (lectotype). In Broun’s original description (1886) he mentioned “near Howick” as the locality, but did not indicate number of specimens in the type series. The manuscript number and locality of this specimen in the NZAC most closely matches that found in Broun’s original description.

Diagnosis.­­­ Externally, P. delicatus is difficult to distinguish from other Pselaphogenius in New Zealand. The form of the aedeagus, with the two pairs of short, curved lateral processes and the spatula-like ventral process, is unique.

Redescription.­­­ MALE. ­­­Integument: head, pronotum, elytra, abdomen, and appendages light brown, palpi lighter in color. Head:­­­ width between eyes equal to ½ length of head from base of vertex to apex of rostrum. Eyes small, composed of five facets. Frontal margin of rostrum acute, with sparse suberect setae in dorsal view. Gular mound modified, longer than wide, narrowly rounded posteriorly; area of head posterior to gular mound flattened, slightly concave, nude. Maxillary palpomere IV longer than head, narrow, widened at base and distal 1/5, v-shaped sensory patches present. Thorax:­­­ pronotum basal sulcus absent, lateral antebasal foveae present, median antebasal fovea reduced, pit like. Mesoventrite with median shield unmodified. Metaventrite afoveate, medially depressed, metacoxae separated by extension of ventrite I. Legs unmodified. Elytra with two basal foveae, sutural fovea present; discal stria and sutural striae present. Abdomen:­­­ tergites of usual form for tribe. Ventrite I covered in dense, shining setae; ventrite II with basal sulcus occupying length of ventrite, sulcus densely setose, large shallow oval median depression not reaching apex. Genitalia: aedeagus asymmetrical. Median lobe distally displaced towards left, curved ventrad and slightly towards midline. Two pairs of lateral processes, more dorsal pair horn-like and curved inward, more ventral pair slightly expanded distally, also curved inwards, slightly. Ventral process straight and flattened, longer than median lobe, constricted distally to small, spatula-shaped extension. Parameres present, slightly longer than median lobe.

Females.­­­ Integument,­­­ Head,­­­Thorax,­­­Abdomen:­­­ similar to male except ventrite II lacking median ovate depression.

Distribution.­­­ This species is known from several localities in AK and ND.

Material­­­ examined.­­­AK:­­­ (1­­­ male,­­­ 1­­­ female)­­­ New Zealand AK Kirks Bush Papakura 26.5.92// JT Nunn Collection ( JN); (2­­­males) 1697.// ♂ // Hunua Maketu // New Zealand Broun Coll. Brit. Mus. 1922–482; (1­­­female) TYPE (red/orange label)// Paparoa // New Zealand Broun Coll. Brit. Mus. 1922–482; (1­­­ female) 1697.// ♀ // Hunua // New Zealand Broun Coll. Brit. Mus. 1922–482; (2­­­females)­­­ 1697.// ♀ // Hunua Maketu // // New Zealand Broun Coll. Brit. Mus. 1922–482; (1­­­male) 1697.// ♂ // Hunua Clevedon // // New Zealand Broun Coll. Brit. Mus. 1922–482; (1­­­male)­­­ NEW ZEALAND ND Waitangi SF 2 Nov 1981 G. Kuschel // Litter and decayed wood 81/117 ( NZAC); (1­­­male)­­­ Titirangi Wairakere Rg. Auckland // 1694// coll. A.E. Brookes 26.2-1915// Pselaphus delicatus Broun ( NZAC); (2­­­males,­­­2­­­females)­­­ Hunua Ra. Clevedon Auckland // Ex. Broun Collection // 1697// Pselaphus delicatus Broun ( NZAC) ; ­­­(1­­­male)­­­ Lynfield , AK Tropicana Dr. 9.6.74 G. Kuschel // Pselaphus delicatus Broun, 1886 ( NZAC); (5­­­males) ­­­ New Zealand AK Lynfield WB 2 May 1981 G. Kuschel // Pselaphus delicatus Broun, 1886 ( NZAC); (1­­­male) ­­­ New Zealand AK Lynfield 4 Sep 1976 // ground plants// Pselaphus delicatus Broun, 1886 ( NZAC); (1­­­male) ­­­ New Zealand AK Lynfield Wattle Bay 29 Jun 1980 G. Kuschel // Litter at hollow Metrosideros escelsa// Pselaphus delicatus Broun, 1886 ( NZAC); (1­­­male) ­­­ New Zealand AK Omeru SR 15-22 Dec 1998 # 162 P. Paquin & N. Duperre Pit traps ( NZAC); (2­­­males) ­­­ Titirangi, Waitakere Rg Auckland // 1697// Coll. A.E. Brookes 26.2.1915 // Pselaphus delicatus Broun ( NZAC); (1­­­male,­­­1­­­female) ­­­ Ex. Broun Collection // Hunua Rg. Cleveden , Auckland // 1697.// Pselaphus delicatus Broun, 1886 // A.E. Brookes Collection ( NZAC) . ­­­