Rugilus lucens ASSING 2012

Assing, V., 2013, A revision of Palaearctic and Oriental Rugilus. III. Five new species from the Palaearctic region and additional records (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 45 (1), pp. 171-190 : 186-188

Rugilus lucens ASSING 2012

( Figs 23-25 , Map 4 )

Material examined: Laos: 6 exs., Champasak province, Bolaven plateau, Muang Paxong, Ban Thongvay, 15°14'N, 106°32'E, 1000-1200 m, disturbed primary rain forest, leg. Solodovnikov & Pedersen ( ZMUC, cAss).

Comment: The original description of this conspicuous species is based on two females from Nepal ( ASSING 2012a). The above first record from Laos suggests that the species is widespread in the East Palaearctic and Oriental regions ( Map 4 ). The subgeneric affiliations are still unclarified, but its hypothesized close relationship to R. saudicus (see the following section) suggests that both species may have their closest relatives in the Afrotropical region. The previously unknown male sexual characters are as follows:

♂: sternite VII transverse and with broadly concave posterior margin; sternite VIII ( Fig. 23 ) with dense pubescence, posteriorly with broad and shallow excision; aedeagus ( Figs 24-25 ) approximately 0.5 mm long, with pair of long apical structures.

Figures

Map 4: Distributions of Rugilus pygmaeus (KRAATZ) (triangles) and R. lucens ASSING (circles), based on examined records.

Figs 23-30: Rugilus lucens ASSING (23-25) and R. saudicus nov.sp. (26-30): (23, 27) male sternite VIII; (24, 28) aedeagus in lateral view; (25, 29) aedeagus in ventral view; (26) forebody; (30) apical portion of aedeagus in lateral view. Scale bars: 26: 1.0 mm; 23, 27: 0.2 mm; 24-25, 28-30: 0.1 mm.