Orphnebius tuberipennis, Assing, 2008

Assing, V., 2008, A new species of Orphnebius from India (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae: Lomechusini), Linzer biologische Beiträge 40 (1), pp. 275-278 : 276-278

Orphnebius tuberipennis nov.sp. ( Figs 1-9 )

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype: " India, Goa , Canacona distr., Cortigao Sanctuary, 100 m, primary forest, 6.-10.I.1997, leg. Schulz & Vock / Holotypus Orphnebius tuberipennis sp.n. det. V. Assing 2008" (cAss).

D e s c r i p t i o n: Measurements (in mm) and ratios: AL: 1.24; HL: 0.51; HW: 0.77; PW: 0.65; PL: 0.47; EL: 0.54; AW: 1.09; TiL: 0.91; TaL: 0.80; ML: 0.45; TL: 4.2; HW/HL: 1.50; PW/HW: 0.84; PW/PL: 1.39; EL/PL: 1.16; TiL/TaL: 1.13.

Distinctly bicoloured species: head blackish brown, except for the reddish frons and clypeus; remainder of body pale yellowish brown; legs, antennae, and mouthparts yellowish.

Head strongly transverse (see ratio HW/HL); posterior margin almost straight, in the middle weakly concave in dorsal view; puncturation very fine and sparse; pubescence whitish, suberect to depressed; microsculpture absent. Eyes very large and bulging, almost reaching posterior margin of head. Antennae slender and symmetric; antennomere III distinctly longer than II; IV approximately as long as wide; V-X weakly incrassate; X rather weakly transverse, less than 1.5 times as wide as long; XI short, approximately as long as the combined length of IX + X ( Fig. 1 ).

Pronotum small in relation to head and moderately transverse (see ratios PW/HW, PW/PL, and Fig. 1 ), widest anteriorly (a short distance behind anterior angles) and moderately convex in cross-section; lateral margins almost straight and converging posteriad; anterior angles each with one stout black seta, lateral margins without long black setae; puncturation and pubescence similar to those of head; microsculpture absent.

Elytra longer and distinctly wider than pronotum (see ratio EL/PL and Fig. 1 ); puncturation fine and sparse, but more distinct than that of head and pronotum; slightly before middle with distinct tubercle on either side of suture (possibly a male secondary sexual character); pubescence whitish and mostly depressed; interstices without microsculpture. Hind wings fully developed. Legs long and slender; metatarsus almost as long as metatibia; metatarsomere I approximately as long as the combined length of II + III.

Abdomen widest at base, gradually tapering posteriad ( Fig. 2 ); paratergites of segments III-VI sharply edged, those of segments III-IV strongly elevated, those of posterior segments gradually decreasing in size and elevation; tergites III-V impunctate except for 2 setiferous punctures in posterior angles; posterior margin of tergite VI with 4 setiferous punctures; tergite VII with transverse row of 8 setiferous punctures near posterior margin, almost completely covered with dense, puncturation-like sculpture, posteriorly with pair of setiferous granula, posterior margin with pronounced palisade fringe ( Fig. 3 ).

: posterior angles of sternite III and expecially those of sternite IV distinctly projecting caudad ( Fig. 2 ); posterior margin of tergite VIII concave and serrate ( Fig. 4 ), that of sternite VIII broadly convex, with stout submarginal and latero-apical setae ( Fig. 5 ); segments IX-X weakly modified, tergite IX with rather stout black setae ( Fig. 6 ); median lobe of aedeagus as in Figs 7-8 ; paramere weakly modified ( Fig. 9 ).

: unknown. C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: In the key to the Orphnebius species of India and adjacent regions ( CAMERON 1939), O. tuberipennis would key out at couplets 8 and 9, together with O. cingulatus CAMERON , O. ferrugineus CAMERON , and O. termitis MOTSCHULSKY from Sri Lanka. From all of them, it is distinguished by the coloration of the forebody (head distinctly darker than and sharply contrasting with pronotum and elytra) and by the presence of tubercles on the elytra. In addition, it is separated from O. cingulatus by much larger size, the head exceeding the width of the pronotum, the different puncturation of the head, the more slender antennae, the different shape (straight lateral margins) and puncturation of the pronotum, the different puncturation of the elytra, the absence of microsculpture on the elytra, the uniformly reddish abdomen, the different sculpture of tergite VII, and the different shape of the male tergite VIII. From O. ferrugineus , it is also distinguished by larger size, the head exceeding the width of the pronotum, the more transverse pronotum, the straight lateral margins of the pronotum, the differently shaped abdomen, and the concave posterior margin of tergite VIII. From O. termitis it additionally differs by much larger size, the head exceeding the width of the pronotum, the straight lateral margins of the pronotum, the absence of long black setae on the sides of the elytra, and by the concave and serrate posterior margin of tergite VIII. The new species is of somewhat similar body shape as O. siwalikensis CAMERON (Uttarranchal) , but distinguished by paler coloration, a larger and more transverse head, larger eyes, more slender antennae, different modifications of the elytra, the presence of a pair of setiferous granula on tergite VII, and the different shape of tergite VIII. For illustrations of O. siwalikensis see ASSING (2006a).

E t y m o l o g y: The name (Latin, adjective) refers to the conspicuous tubercles on the elytra.

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d b i o n o m i c s: The type locality is situated in Goa province, southwest India. The holotype was collected in a primary forest at an altitude of 100 m.

Figures

Figs 1-9: Orphnebius tuberipennis nov.sp.: (1) forebody; (2) abdomen; (3) tergite VII; (4) male tergite VIII; (5) male sternite VIII; (6) male abdominal segments IX-X; (7-8) median lobe of aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view; (9) apical lobe of paramere. Scale bars: 1-2: 1.0 mm; 3-6: 0.2 mm; 7-9: 0.1 mm.