Baraxina wanati, Hlaváč & Jałoszyński, 2021

Hlaváč, Peter & Jałoszyński, Paweł, 2021, The Pselaphinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) of New Caledonia and Loyalty Islands. IV. Revision of the genus Baraxina Raffray, 1896, Zootaxa 4941 (2), pp. 193-216 : 214-215

Baraxina wanati sp. n.

(Figs 42–43)

Material studied: Holotype: ♁: NEW CALEDONIA, with one label: “ NEW CALEDONIA (N) / 21.1746 / 165.3097 / Aoupinié 700 m / up of gravelpit, sifting litter / 21.11.2010 nr. Hibbertia / leg. M. Wanat, R. Ruta“ [white, printed] ( MNHN) . Paratypes (3 ♁♁, 2 ♀♀): 1 ♀: same data as for holotype ( MNHW); 1 ♁, 1 ♀: two labels: “ NEW CALEDONIA / Prov. Nord, Aoupinié / upper site, 24 March 2007 “ [white, printed], “ TR Buckley, RAB / Leschen ,

R. Hoare / Fogging logs, TRB061 / 21°11S’ / 165°17’, 800 m “ [white, printed] ( NZAC) ; 1 ♁: one label: “ NEW CALEDONIA, 12279 / 21°11’S x 165°18’E / Aoupinie , top camp / 2 May 2005, GB. Monteith / pyrethrum 750 m “ [white, printed], “QUEENSLAND / MUSEUM LOAN / Date : January 2006 / No. LE 06.01 “ [green, printed] ( QMBA) ; 1 ♁: one label: “ NEW CALEDONIA, 8682 / 20°58’S x 165°17’E, 500 m / Pic d’Amoa, N slopes / 24 Nov 2001, GBMonteith / Pyrethrum, trees & logs “ [white, printed] ( PCPH).

Diagnosis. Profemora in males with straight basal spine; maxillary palpomere 2 with prominent round apical projection; antennomeres 9 and 10 each clearly transverse; transverse basal impression of first abdominal tergite well-defined, with discal carinae long, reaching basal third of tergite; aedeagus variable, constant structures include: symmetrical median lobe with undivided apex; four large, massive groups of endophallic sclerites, of which proximal median group is composed of 3 to 4 long sclerites; parameres with subtriangular apices bent mesad, and each bearing one external subapical seta.

Description. Body bicoloured, head and pronotum pitchy black, elytra and abdomen reddish-brown, but elytra lighter than abdomen; antennae and legs same colour as elytra; maxillary palpi slightly lighter than antennae. Body length 1.85–1.95 mm, maximum width 0.65–0.75 mm.

Head 1.00–1.10 times as long as wide. External apical margin of maxillary palpomere 2 with prominent round projection; palpomere 3 subrectangular, external margin rounded; palpomere 4 0.23–0.24 mm long, 3.55–3.70 times as long as wide.

Antennae 0.94–0.95 mm long, scape 2.50–2.65 times as long as pedicel; pedicel as long as antennomere 3; antennomeres 2–4, 6 and 7 subequal in length; antennomere 5 1.33 times as long as 6; antennomere 7 1.20 times as long as 8; antennomere 9 transverse, 1.33–1.42 times as wide as long; antennomere 10 transverse, 1.20–1.40 times as wide as long, 1.50–1.67 times as long as 9; antennomere 11 0.20–0.21 mm long, asymmetrical, with basal notch.

Pronotum 1.10–1.20 times as wide as long, about as long as head, and 1.20–1.25 as wide as head.

Elytra 1.40–1.50 times as long as pronotum, 1.20–1.25 times as wide as long.

First visible abdominal tergite (IV) with well-defined basal impression, discal carinae long, reaching basal third of tergite.

Profemora with basal spine straight; protibiae in apical fourth with spine.

Aedeagus (Figs 42–43) in dorsal view symmetrical, 0.44–0.45 mm long, variable among studied specimens (variants shown in Figs 42 and 43); constant structures include undivided apex of median lobe, four large, massive groups of endophallic sclerites, of which proximal median group is composed of 3 to 4 long sclerites, and three distal groups have a highly variable number of sclerites; parameres with subtriangular apices bent mesad, each bearing one external subapical seta.

Etymology: This species is dedicated to Marek Wanat (MNHW), a well-known specialist on Apionidae , and collector of a part of the type series.

Distribution. New Caledonia, Northern Province.

Remarks. Studied specimes were collected in rainforests by pyrethrum fogging and by sifting leaf-litter.