New species group and two new species of the genus Hesperus from China (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Philonthina) Author Cai, Yu-Jie 0000-0001-8823-6904 cyj6991@sina.com Author Li, Yue-Yang 0000-0001-8823-6904 cyj6991@sina.com Author Tang, Liang 0000-0001-8823-6904 cyj6991@sina.com text Zootaxa 2024 2024-07-02 5474 5 550 562 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5474.5.6 journal article 299718 10.11646/zootaxa.5474.5.6 1e092b6e-f81a-4318-bb9a-05da10d922ae 1175-5326 12730952 6B9033A2-DF32-43AB-A06F-FD9392BB718A Hesperus flexibilis sp. nov. (Chinese name: NJã刃Ḇdzûà ) ( Figs 3, 4 , 14, 20 , 30–34) Type material. Holotype . China : ♂ glued on a card with labels as follows: “ China : Xizang Prov. , Motuo County , Renqingbeng Temple , 29°18′5″N , 95°20′39″E , alt. 2000m , 15.VI.2023 , Tang, Peng, Song, Zhang & Cai leg.” “Holotype / Hesperus flexibilis / Cai, Li & Tang” [red handwritten label] ( SHNU ). Description. Measurements of male: BL: 15.10 mm , FL: 6.79 mm . HL: 1.64 mm , HW: 2.95 mm , EYL: 0.81 mm , TL: 0.65 mm , PL: 2.26 mm , PW: 2.26 mm , EL: 3.35 mm , EW: 3.47 mm . HW/HL: 1.79, TL/EYL: 0.81, PL/ PW: 1.00, EL/EW: 0.96. The species is extremely similar to H. watanabei , so only a comparative description is given here. From H. watanabei , H. flexibilis differs by antennomeres 8–11 creamy white ( Fig. 14 ) (only three antennomeres (9-11) creamy white in H. watanabei ); posterior portion of head with less dense punctation ( Fig. 20 ); aedeagus ( Figs 30, 31, 32 ) with paramere slenderer, peg setae more regularly arranged toward base. In addition, it differs by bigger eyes, slightly slenderer fore body: HW/HL about 1.79 ( 1.78–1.81 in H. watanabei ), TL/EYL about 0.81 ( 0.84–1.03 in H. watanabei ), PL/PW about 1.00 ( 0.93–0.96 in H. watanabei ), EL/EW about 0.96 ( 0.90–0.92 in H. watanabei ). Etymology. The holotype had escaped quickly from the gaps of the breeding container twice without the first author’s knowledge, thus the species is named flexibilis which means flexible. Distribution. This species is only known in Xizang province , southwestern China . Bionomics. The species was collected by a rotten fungi trap.