Protocypus admirabilis, He, Liang & Zhou, Hong-Zhang, 2017

He, Liang & Zhou, Hong-Zhang, 2017, Taxonomy of the genus Protocypus J. Müller, 1923 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylinini) and two new species from China, Zootaxa 4291 (3), pp. 458-480 : 463-466

2. Protocypus admirabilis sp. nov.

( Figs. 2-1, 2-2 )

Type locality: CHINA, Hubei, Shennongjia.

Type material. Holotype male, CHINA: Hubei Province, Shennongjia, Hongshitougou , 1870 m, pitfall traps, 28.VII–10.VIII.1998, coll. Hongzhang Zhou (IZ-CAS) . Paratypes: CHINA: Hubei Province: 4 males, 7 females, same data as holotype (IZ-CAS) ; 3 males, 2 females, Shennongjia, Jiuhuping , 1920 m, pitfall traps, 24.VII–8.VIII.1998, coll. Xiaodong Yu (IZ-CAS) ; 1 male, Shennongjia, Pingqiangangou , 1610 m, pitfall traps, 1–8.VIII.1998, coll. Xiaodong Yu (IZ-CAS).

Measurements. Body length: 19.3–24.2 mm. CL: 0.76; EL: 3.09; ELS: 1.27; EW: 3.91; HL: 3.05; HW: 3.79; PO: 1.42; PL: 3.86; PW: 3.61.

Description. Large sized species. Body relatively robust, black to brownish black; maxillary and labial palpi dark brunneous; antennae brownish black; legs brownish black, except protibia much paler and tends to be yellowish-brown; pubescence of dorsal side of head and pronotum brownish black, and that of elytra and abdominal tergites almost the same.

Head of transversely oval shape, with curved lateral sides, slightly dilated posteriad and broadest at about posterior third, distinctly wider than long (ratio 1.24); eyes small and flat, considerably shorter than tempora (ratio 0.54) in dorsal view; punctation and pubescence on dorsal surface of head dense and fine, punctation gradually becoming sparser toward clypeus; puncture intervals smaller than diameters of punctures, with fine and dense microsculpture; no impunctate midline present. Antennae moderately long, segment 3 longer than segment 2 (ratio 1.22), segments 4 to 9 distinctly longer than wide (ratio greater than 1.20), segment 10 vaguely longer than wide, last segment short and wide. Pronotum vaguely longer than wide (ratio 1.07), with almost parallel sides and widely rounded posterior angles; narrow marginal groove disappearing downwards at anterior third of pronotal length; impunctate midline present only on posterior half of pronotal disc; punctation and pubescence on disc about same as that on dorsal surface of head. Pronotal hypomeron with only a few setae. Scutellum finely punctate and setose on entire surface except central basal parts, with microsculpture on entire surface. Elytra short, vaguely dilated posteriad and distinctly depressed at base; elytral length shorter than pronotum along midline, with a ratio of 0.33 along suture and a ratio of 0.80 along sides; elytral punctation fine and dense, combined with dense granulose microsculpture. Wings markedly reduced and budlike. Abdominal tergite 2 densely and finely punctate and pubescent on entire surface; all visible abdominal tergites finely and densely punctate and pubescent, punctuation gradually becoming sparser and coarser toward apex of abdomen; no yellowish tomentose pubescence on visible tergites 4 and 5.

Male. Abdominal sternite 8 with triangular medioapical emargination moderately wide and obtuse ( Fig. 2-2 J). Sternite 9 with moderately deep, obtuse apical emargination, tapered basal portion rather wide and long ( Fig. 2-2 H). Tergite 10 relatively narrow, evenly narrowed toward widely arcuate apex, sparsely setose ( Fig. 2-2 A). Aedeagus relatively long and simple ( Fig. 2-2 B, C & D); median lobe distinctly asymmetrical as in Fig. 2-2 F; apical portion of paramere tongue-shaped, with sensory peg setae almost symmetrically arranged along lateral sides ( Fig. 2-2 G); lateral view of paramere not closely cling to median lobe near apex ( Figs. 2-1 B, 2-2 B & D).

Female. Second gonocoxite robust, shaped as in Fig. 2-1 E. Tergite 10 relatively wide, shaped as in Fig. 2-2 E.

Distribution. Protocypus admirabilis sp. nov. is at present known only from Shennongjia in western Hubei Province.

Notes. Most specimens of Protocypus admirabilis sp. nov. were taken from the same pitfall traps together with specimens of Protocypus latro Smetana, 2005 and Protocypus pilifer Smetana, 2005 , so it is possible that these three species share the same habitat. Protocypus admirabilis sp. nov. can be distinguished from these two species and other species of genus Protocypus by the shape of the aedeagus, especially by the shape of the paramere in lateral view.

Etymology. The specific epithet is the Latin adjective admirabilis (very special, unexpected) to indicate the special form of the paramere of aedeagus.

Figures

FIGURE 1 – 2. Protocypus taibaiensis sp. nov.: A. male tergite 10; B and D. aedeagus, lateral view; C. aedeagus, ventral view; E. female tergite 10; F. apical portion of median lobe, ventral view, paramere removed; G. underside of apical portion of paramere; H. male sternite 9; I. second gonocoxite of female genital segment; J. male sternite 8 (Scale bars = 0.50 mm).