Labomimus flammicornis Yin and Zhang, 2019

Yin, Zi-Wei & Zhang, Yu-Qing, 2019, First Species of Labomimus Sharp (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae) from Nepalese Himalaya, The Coleopterists Bulletin 73 (3), pp. 722-726 : 723-725

Labomimus flammicornis Yin and Zhang , new species

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( Figs. 1 , 2 , 3A , 4 )

Type Material. Holotype ♂: “ NEPAL, distr. Kathmandu, Godwari , 1600 m, Löbl , 31.III.84” ( MHNG).

Diagnosis of Male. Body length ca. 3.5 mm. Antennomeres 9–11 greatly modified, antennomere 9 strongly expanded and broadly impressed on upper surface, antennomere 10 oblique, antennomere 11 curved. Metaventral process long and broad. Protibia with distinct preapical protuberance, profemur and mesotrochanter spinose ventrally. Aedeagus strongly asymmetrical dorso-ventrally; median lobe narrowed at apex. Description. Male ( Fig. 1 ). Body length 3.51 mm. Head about as long as wide, length from anterior margin of clypeus to base 0.63 mm, maximum width (across eyes) 0.62 mm; eyes prominent, each composed of about 40 facets, with short, angulate canthus. Antenna with antennomere 1 about 3 times as long as wide, and about as long as next 3 antennomeres combined, antennomeres 2–7 moniliform, antennomere 8 shorter and strongly transverse, antennomeres 9–11 forming distinct clubs (Figs. 2A, 3A), antennomere 9 markedly expanded and broadly excavated on dorsal surface, with tuft of setae inside excavation, antennomere 10 distinctly oblique and transverse, broadly and shallowly impressed on dorsal surface at basal half, antennomere 11 strongly elongate and curved, narrowest at base and broadest slightly anterior to middle. Maxillary palpomere 1 small, palpomere 2 pedunculate at basal half and broadened apically, palpomere 3 shorter than 2, narrowed at base and broadening toward apex, palpomere 4 elongate and fusiform, palpomeres 2–4 each slightly roundly projected on lateral margin. Pronotum ( Fig. 2B ) about as long as wide, length along midline 0.64 mm, maximum width 0.63 mm, anterolateral corner roundly angulate. Elytra much broader than long, length along suture 0.90 mm, maximum width 1.17 mm. Metaventral process (Fig. 2C) long and broad, in lateral view with sinuate anterior margin and emarginate apex. Protrochanter weakly protuberant on ventral margin, profemur with large and blunt ventral spine ( Fig. 2D ), protibia (Fig. 2E ) with distinct preapical tubercle; mesotrochanter with thin, sharp ventral spine, mesofemur simple; metacoxa, metatrochanter, and metafemur ( Fig. 2G ) simple. Abdomen broad at base and narrowing posteriorly, length of dorsally visible part along midline 1.34 mm, maximum width 1.25 mm. Tergite IV longest, more than twice as long as tergite V. Sternite IX ( Fig. 2H ) semi-membranous and elongate. Length of aedeagus ( Fig. 2I–K ) 0.65 mm; median lobe asymmetrical dorso-ventrally, narrowing apically; parameres short, narrow, and curved at apices; endophallus comprised of 1 broad and 2 slender sclerites.

Female. Unknown.

Distribution. Nepal: Kathmandu ( Fig. 4 ).

Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun combined from Latin ‘ flamma ’ (flame) and ‘ cornus ’ (horn), referring to the unique modification of the male antennomere 9.

Comparative Notes. The male of L. flammicornis is most similar to those of two Chinese congeners, L. qiujianyuae from Xizang ( Zhang et al. 2019a: figs. 19A, 20) and Labomimus wuchaoi Zhang, Yin and Li from Yunnan ( Zhang et al. 2019a: figs. 22A, 23). These species share angulate anterior corners of the pronotum,a strongly expanded antennomere 9, and similar antennal clubs ( Fig. 3 ). Labomimus flammicornis can be readily separated by the antennomere 9 being broadly excavated on the dorsal surface, the excavation with tufted setae of unique shape and position, and antennomere 10 strongly oblique, transverse, and expanded mesally. In contrast, antennomeres 9 and 10 of L. qiujianyuae ( Fig. 3B ) and L. wuchaoi ( Fig. 3C ) are of distinctly different shapes and structures (i.e., antennomere 9 of L. qiujianyuae is simply elongate and that of L. wuchaoi is roundly triangle; antennomere 10 of L. qiujianyuae and L. wuchaoi is much less expanded, and the shape of the excavation and the placement of tufted setae are different). Additionally, the profemur of L. flammicornis bears a large, blunt ventral spine (simple in L. qiujianyuae and L. wuchaoi ), the protibia has a preapical tubercle (protibia with an apical spur in L. qiujianyuae ; simple in L. wuchaoi ), and the median lobe of the aedeagus is narrowed apically and has a round apex (median lobe broadening apically in L. qiujianyuae ; apically broadened and shallowly forked in L. wuchaoi ).

Figures

Fig. 1. Male habitus of Labomimus flammicornis. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

Fig. 2. Male diagnostic features of Labomimus flammicornis. A) Antennal club, B) Pronotum, C) Metaventral process, lateral view, D) Protrochanter and profemur, E) Protibia, F) Mesotrochanter and mesofemur, G) Metatrochanter and metafemur, H) Sternite IX, I–K) Aedeagus, dorsal, lateral, and ventral views, respectively. Scale bars= 0.3 mm in A, B, D–G; 0.2 mm in C, I–K; 0.1 mm in H.

Fig. 3. Male antennal club of three related Labomimus species. A) L. flammicornis, B) L. qiujianyuae, C) L. wuchaoi.

Fig. 4. Distribution of Labomimus species in the Himalayas, and L. wuchaoi in Yunnan, southwestern China.