Afropselaphus diktianus BRACHAT, 2019

Assing, Volker, Brachat, Volker & Meybohm, Heinrich, 2019, Monograph of the Staphylinidae of Crete (Greece). Part II. Descriptions of new species (Insecta: Coleoptera), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 69 (2), pp. 239-289 : 280

Afropselaphus diktianus BRACHAT spec. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:AF308CB8-7539-4626-8E2C-DD2A7E9B5052

( Fig.154 )

Type material: Holotype ♂: “GR – Crete [12a], NW Dikti Oros , Limnakaro , 35°08'16"N, 25°28'52"E, 1140 m, under stones, 28.III.2012, V. Assing / Afropselaphus diktianus spec. nov. ♂, det. Brachat 2.2019 / Holotypus” ( cBra) . Paratypes: 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀: same data as holotype (cBra).

Etymology: The specific epithet is an adjective derived from Dikti Oros, the mountain range where the species is probably endemic.

Description: Similar to A. dornfeldae and A. assingi , distinguished as follows: body length 1.65–1.80 mm. Coloration reddish-brown with yellowish maxillary palpi. Head 0.37–0.40 mm long and 0.24–0.26 mm broad; frontal foveae separated by approximately their diameter. Eyes small, composed of 6–8 ommatidia. Pronotum with very small postero-median impression.

♂: metaventrite less convex, with a minute fovea near posterior margin; sternite IV in postero-median portion with nearly obsolete shallow impression; aedeagus ( Fig. 154 ) 0.32–0.34 mm long, apically convexly tapering and weakly bent ventrad; internal sac with two long, slender, and weakly sclerotized rod-like structures; parameres apically each with three short setae.

Comparative notes: This species is distinguished from the otherwise similar A. dornfeldae and A. assingi only by the shape of the male metaventrite and by the morphology of the aedeagus.

Distribution and natural history: Afropselaphus diktianus is most likely endemic to the Dikti Oros, East Crete. The specimens were were collected from under stones near snow at an altitude of 1140 m.

Figures

Figs 143–155: Stenichnus creticus (143), S. hummleri (144), S. basimpressus (145), S. aegialioides (146), Leptomastax cretica (147–149), L. thriptica (150), L. bisetosa (151), Afropselaphus doernfeldae (152), A. assingi (153), A. diktianus (154), and A. thripticus (155): aedeagus in lateral and dorsal view (143–145, 148–150, 152–155); male profemur (146); labium (147, 151). Scale bars: 0.1 mm.