Pselaphodes simplicicornis Champion, 1925

Yin, Zi-Wei & Li, Li-Zhen, 2015, Review of some species in the genera Pselaphodes Westwood and Labomimus Sharp (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae), Zootaxa 4040 (3), pp. 331-344 : 337-340

5. Pselaphodes simplicicornis Champion, 1925

( Fig. 5 )

Pselaphodes simplicicornis Champion, 1925: 262 .

Type material examined. Lectotype (fixed by present designation; in BMNH): INDIA: ♂, with nine labels ( Fig. 5 B): ‘Assam Patkai Mts. (handwritten) / Doherty (handwritten) / Fry Coll. 1905. 100. (printed) / ♂ (printed) / Pselaphodes simplicicornis type ♂ Ch. (handwritten) / Pselaphodes simplicicornis Ch (printed) / E.M.M. 1925. det. G.C.C. (printed) / Type H. T. (round printed label with a red rim) / Lectotype ♂, Pselaphodes simplicicornis Champion , des. Z.-W. Yin, 2015 (handwritten)’ (left antenna with antennomeres IX–XI missing).

Lectotype designation. This species was described by Champion (1925: 262) based on one male and one female without designating a holotype. Although a round type label with the text ‘ Type H. T.’ is attached under the male here examined, both specimens are treated as syntypes. Here we designate this male as a lectotype, and the female becomes a paralectotype, to ensure the stability of nomenclature and provide a unique name-bearing type for the name.

Diagnosis of male. Reddish brown; length over 3.0 mm; postgenae rounded laterally; antennal club composed of enlarged antennomeres IX–XI; pronotum rounded at anterolateral margins; metathorax with long metaventral processes; trochanters and femora of fore and middle legs ventrally spinose; aedeagus with slightly asymmetric median lobe.

Redescription of male. Habitus as in Fig. 5 A. Body length 3.36 mm. Head longer than wide, HL 0.73 mm, HW 0.66 mm; each eye composed of about 45 facets. Antennal club ( Fig. 5 C) composed of three apical antennomeres, antennomeres IX–X each elongate and cylindrical, unmodified. Pronotum about as long as wide, PL 0.65 mm, PW 0.63 mm, rounded at anterolateral margins. Elytra wider than long, EL 0.98 mm, EW 1.22 mm.

Metaventral processes large, apically narrowed ( Fig. 5 D). Protrochanters, profemora ( Fig. 5 E), mesotrochanters, and mesofemora ( Fig. 5 F) spinose ventrally. Abdomen broad at base and narrowed posteriorly, AL 1.0 mm, AW 1.22 mm. Length of aedeagus 0.47 mm; aedeagus ( Figs 5 G, 5H) with slightly asymmetric median lobe, endophallus composed of two sclerites.

Comparative notes. This species shares with Pselaphodes hanmiensis Yin, Li & Zhao, 2011 (south-western China: Xizang) a similar form of the antennal club and pronotum, but can be readily separated by the much shorter postgenae, different spination of the legs, and a different form of the aedeagus.

Distribution. Pselaphodes simplicicornis is known only from Assam, northeastern India.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Lectotype of Pselaphodes simplicicornis, male. A. dorsal habitus. B. Labels of the lectotype. C. Antennal club. D. Metaventral process. E. Protrochanter and profemur. F. Mesotrochanter and mesofemur. G. Aedeagus, in dorsal view. H. Same, in lateral view. Scales: A = 1.0 mm; C – F = 0.3 mm; G, H = 0.2 mm.