Scopaeus niger Cameron, 1918

Frisch, Johannes & Narakusumo, Raden Pramesa, 2022, Revision of Scopaeus Erichson, 1839 (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Paederinae) of Indonesia, with description of 19 new species, Soil Organisms 95 (1), pp. 23-73 : 60

Scopaeus niger Cameron, 1918

( Figs 25 , 179 )

Scopaeus niger Cameron, 1918: 77 , 78.

Type specimens examined: Lectotype ♀, Singapore, Mandai, by present designation; labeled ‘Type’ (round, printed label with red margin), ‘Type’ (red, handwritten), ‘Mandai, / Singapore. / Dr. Cameron.’ (printed), ‘Bank of Stream’ (printed), ‘M. Cameron. / Bequest. / B.M.1955- 147.’ (printed), ‘ Syntype / S. niger Cam. / (original det. label / missing? / M. T. O. Brendell. ii. 2000 ’ (handwritten); ‘ Lectotype / Scopaeus niger / Cameron 1918 / label by J. Frisch, 2022 ’ (red, printed) ( NHML). Paralectotypes: 3 ♀, same labels as lectotype except for type label; subsequent paratype label ‘ Paratype / Scopaeus niger / Cameron 1918 / label by J. Frisch, 2022 ’ (red, printed) ( NHML).

Cameron (1918: 77, 78) described Scopaeus niger based on four female specimens without designating a holotype, which thus are syntypes. As no male syntype is available, I designate a female specimen as lectotype to stabilize the name S. niger Cameron, 1918 according to ICZN 1999, Article 74.1.

Redescription: Habitus as in Fig. 25 . Head subcircular. Penultimate antennal segment elongate. Mesotibia slender. Body surface subnitid with fine, dense, setose punctation; microreticulation absent. Pubescence of body surface short, decumbent, without conspicuous macrosetae. Body color of type specimens reddish medium brown to dark brown; maxillary palpi medium brown; antennae medium brown proximally, gradually lighter towards yellow-brown terminal segments; legs yellow-brown with light brown femora. Type specimens probably bleached during last century, because Cameron (1918: 77) described the coloration as follows: ‘Black, moderately shining; antennae with first six segments pitchy-testaceous, the others clear testaceous; legs testaceous, the femora more or less infuscate.’ Total body length 3.4 – 4.0 mm; forebody length 2.0 – 2.1 mm.

Male: Unknown.

Female: Chamber segment of sperm pump short, circular, not projecting from large apopysis towards bursal duct ( Fig. 179 ); bursa membranous.

Phylogeny: Judging from the body shape with long, slender antennae and legs, Scopaeus niger is expected to belong to the S. gracilis species group ( Frisch et al. 2002: 39). Male specimens are needed to confirm this hypothesis.

Distribution: Scopaeus niger is hitherto known from Singapore only, but might be found in Sumatra as well, which is why it is included in this contribution.

Figures

Figures 23–26. Habitus of Scopaeus cuspidatus, paratype, Jawa Barat: Mt Salak (23); S. sulawesianus, paratype, Sulawesi Tengah: Tambarana (24); S. niger, paralectotype, Singapore (25); S. borneensis, holotype, Kalimantan Barat: Pontianak (26).

Figures 179–181. Sperm pump (179, 181) and bursal duct (180) of ♀ of S. niger, lectotype, Singapore (179); S. borneensis, holotype, Kalimantan Barat: Pontianak (180, with lateral gonocoxal plates; 181). Long scale bar: 179, 181; short scale bar: 180.