Homalota mikado Likovsky , 1984

Kim, Yoon-Ho & Ahn, Kee-Jeong, 2014, Taxonomy of the genus Homalota Mannerheim in Korea (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae), ZooKeys 447, pp. 109-123 : 111

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Staphylinidae

Homalota mikado Likovsky, 1984 Figs 2, 15- 20

Homalota mikado Likovský, 1984: 6 [Replacement name]; Smetana 2004: 448.

Epipeda granigera Sharp, 1888: 375 [Homonym].

Homalota granigera : Fenyes 1914: 45.

Specimens examined.

KOREA: Gangwon Prov., Pyeongchang-gun, Pyeongchang-eup, Noron-ri, Mt. Sambangsan, 13 VII– 15 VIII 2001, KJ Ahn, SJ Park, CW Shin, ex FIT (2 exx., 1♀ on slide); Mt. Bokjusan, Seo-myeon, Cheolwon-gun, N 38°08'38.2"E 127°28'26.7" 138 m, 25 IX 2005, YB Cho (2 exx.); Jeonnam Prov., Jangseong-gun, Mt. Naejangsan, Baekyangsa Area, 25 VI 2000, HJ Kim, ex sifting (3 exx., 1♂ on slide); Chungbuk Prov., Mt. Sokrisan, Beobjusa Temple, Naesokri-myeon, Boeun-gun, ex FIT, 1-31 V 2007, YB Cho, 36°32'21.5"N, 127°50'10.4"E (1 ex.).

Description.

Body (Fig. 2) length about 1.8-2.1 mm. Body dorsoventrally slightly flattened, widest at posterior margin of elytra; surface punctuate, subglossy, slightly pubescent; light brown to brown, abdominal tergite VI dark brown. Head. Subquadrate, slightly narrower than pronotum; eyes moderate in size, as long as tempora; head narrowed from behind of eyes to apical half of tempora but rarely narrowed to occipital construction; antennomere (Fig. 15) 4 slightly transverse, 5-10 transverse, slightly incrassate toward. Mouthparts. Labrum transverse, 8 pairs of macrosetae present, sensilla of antero-medial sensory area distinct, shallowly and width moderately emarginated; α-sensillum with a setose process, β and γ minute and conical, ε with a minute setose process, distinctly shorter than α, two lateral sensilla present on lateral margins of epipharynx, transverse row of sensory pores absent on basal region of epipharynx; right mandible with small median tooth, prostheca well developed, divided into 3 distinct area; maxillary palpomeres 2-3 dilated distally, 4 without small spine at apex; labium with ligula slender and elongated, bifid at apical third, almost as long as labial palpomere 1, labial palpus with two palpomeres, 1 longer than 2, two medial setae contiguous on prementum, side by side, median pseudopore field of prementum narrow and with pseudopores, mentum strongly emarginated in anterior margin. Thorax. Pronotum transverse, about 1.3 times wider than long, widest at apical third, surface pubescent, without distinct macrosetae; hypomeron broadly visible in lateral aspect; prosternum with a median knob; elytra (Fig. 16) wider than pronotum, postero-laterally sinuate; wings fully developed; mesoventrite (Fig. 17) without longitudinal carina, mesoventral process truncate at apex; metaventral process round at apex, longer than metaventral process; isthmus present; mesocoxae moderately separated; tarsomere 1 of front leg as long as 2, 1 slightly longer than 2 in middle and hind legs, without empodial setae between tarsal claws. Abdomen. Tergites III–VI transversely impressed; tergite X with medial setal patch subquadrate, with 3 macrosetae on each side. Genitalia. Spermatheca (Fig. 18) simple and elongate at base, duct short; median lobe (Fig. 19) bulbous at base, apical process slender and elongate, longer than basal bulb, flagellum well sclerotized and short; paramere (Fig. 20) with apical lobe of paramerite with four setae, two setae longer than others, condylite subequal in length to apex of paramerite. Secondary sexual characteristics. Absent.

Distribution.

Korea (South), Japan, Taiwan.

Remarks.

The taxonomic position of Homalota mikado is unclear, considering the numerous characters that distinguish it from other Homalota species, including the type species Homalota plana : body not subparallel-sided; surface with numerous large punctures; labrum with 8 pairs of macrosetae; ligula slender and elongate, mentum deeply emarginated in anterior margin; mesocoxae moderately separated. However, we are not sure what other aleocharine genus it may belong to. Therefore, the position of Homalota mikado in Homalota is tentatively maintained here, pending further comprehensive research of this species.