Pselaphodes olexai, Yin & Li, 2021

Yin, Zi-Wei & Li, Ning, 2021, Eight new species and additional records of the Pselaphodes complex from Laos and Vietnam, with a key to known species (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (Acta. Ent. Mus. Natl. Pragae) 61 (1), pp. 35-53 : 48-50

Pselaphodes olexai sp. nov.

( Figs 10 A , 11 )

Type material (1 specimen). HOLOTYPE: VIETNAM: ♂, ‘ Tam Dao, 20-27.6, N. VIETNAM, A. Olexa, 1990’ ( MHNG) .

Diagnosis. Male length 3.08 mm. Antennomere 9–11 elongate and forming distinct club, antennomere 9 with large disc-like protuberance near apex. Protrochanter with hook-like ventral spine, profemur strongly expanded at middle, with long, thin ventral spine, protibia with broad and apically truncate projection; mesotrochanter with acute ventral spine. Horn-like metaventral processes short and apically blunt. Median lobe of aedeagus asymmetric, narrowing and curved rightwards at apex in dorsal view; parameres broad; endophallus composed of two elongate sclerites. Female unknown.

Description. Male ( Fig. 10 A ). Body length 3.08 mm. Head slightly wider than long, HL 0.56 mm, HW 0.59 mm; eyes prominent, each composed of about 42 facets. Antennomeres 2–8 similarly moniliform, antennomeres 9–11 ( Fig. 11 A ) forming distinct club, antennomere 9 with large disc-like protuberance near apex, antennomere 10 subcylindrical, antennomere 11 sub-oval, narrowing from middle toward apex. Pronotum ( Fig. 11 B ) slight longer than wide, PL 0.61mm, PW 0.57 mm, with lateral margins rounded and narrowing apically at apical 1/3. Elytra much broader than long, EL 0.81 mm, EW 1.10 mm. Horn-like metaventral processes ( Fig. 11 C ) short and straight, blunt at apices. Protrochanter ( Fig. 11 D ) with hook-like ventral spine, profemur strongly expanded and with acute and long ventral spine near middle, protibia ( Fig. 11 E ) with large, apically truncate projection before apex; mesotrochanter ( Fig. 11 F ) with short ventral spine; mesofemur ( Fig. 11 F ), metatrochanter and metafemur ( Fig. 11 G ) simple. Abdomen broad at base and narrowed apically, AL and AW 1.0 mm. Sternite 7 ( IX) ( Fig. 11 H ) hemi-membranous, roundly elongate. Aedeagus ( Figs 11 I – E ) 0.55 mm long, median lobe asymmetric dorso-ventrally, narrowing and curved rightwards at apex in dorsal view; parameres each with two long and two short apical setae; endophallus with one elongate sclerites at middle and another elongate one at base. Female. Unknown.

Comparative notes. Antennomere 9 with a distinct disclike protuberance, thickened protibia with a large, apically truncate projection, and broad profemur of the male collectively provide a ready separation of P. olexai sp. nov. from all known congeners.

Etymology. The new species is named after the Czech entomologist Aldo Olexa, collector of the holotype.

Distribution. Northern Vietnam.

Figures

Fig. 10. Dorsal habitus of Pselaphodes males. A – Pselaphodes olexai sp. nov.; B – Pselaphodes parapectinatus sp. nov. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Fig. 11. Male diagnostic features of Pselaphodes olexai sp. nov. A – left antennal club, in lateral view; B – pronotum; C – metaventral process, in lateral view; D – protrochanter and profemur; E – protibia; F – mesotrochanter and mesofemur; G – metatrochanter and metafemur; H – sternite 7 (IX); I–K – aedeagus, in dorsal (I), lateral (J), and ventral (K) view. Scale bars: 0.3 mm in A, B, D, E, F, G; 0.2 mm in C, I, J, K; 0.1 mm in H.