Pselaphogenius caecus (Broun), 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 : 193-195

Pselaphogenius caecus (Broun) ,­­­1886,­­­comb.­­­nov.

Pselaphus caecus Broun (1886: 943) , syn.

(Fig. 6a–c)

Type­­­Material­­­Examined.­­­ After examining the type series of Pselaphus caecus in the NHM and reviewing Broun’s original description, the following specimen from the NHM is here designated the lectotype (1­­­male)­­­ TYPE (red/ orange label)// 1696.// Howick// New Zealand Broun Coll. Brit. Mus. 1922-482 (lectotype). This specimen bears the manuscript number “1696”, as indicated by Broun (1886). In Broun’s original description, he mentioned “near Howick” as the locality, but did not indicate number of specimens in the type series .

Diagnosis.­­­ Externally, this species is difficult to distinguish from others in species group 1. The form of the curled inner lateral processes and the ventral process with the ventral surface carinate is unique to the aedeagus of this species.

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 three facets. Frontal margin of rostrum rounded, with sparse suberect setae in dorsal view. Gular mound modified, longer than wide, narrowed anteriorly and posteriorly, glabrous; 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, apical area lightly rugose, v-shaped sensory patches present. Thorax:­­­ pronotum basal sulcus absent, lateral antebasal foveae and median antebasal fovea reduced, absent. Mesoventrite with median shield unmodified. Metaventrite afoveate, medially depressed; metacoxae separated by extension of ventrite I. Legs unmodified. Elytra with one basal fovea, sutural fovea present; discal stria absent, 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 ovate median depression reaching apex. Genitalia: aedeagus symmetrical. Median lobe short, simple. Dorsal processes simple, narrow, curved towards midline. Inner lateral processes curled, distally; outer lateral processes simple, elongate (subequal to median process). Ventral process curved ventrad, distally, ventral surface carinate. Parameres present, as long as ventral process.

Females.­­­Integument,­­­Head,­­­Thorax,­­­Abdomen:­­­ Females are similar to males except eyes slightly smaller and ventrite II lacking median ovate depression.

Distribution.­­­ This species is known from the locality of the type series in AK.