Thyreocephalus elegantissimus, Bordoni, 2012

Bordoni, A., 2012, New data on the Xantholinini of the Oriental Region. 27 °. New species from Sulawesi and Sabah (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) 230 ° contribution to the knowledge of the Staphylinidae, Linzer biologische Beiträge 44 (2), pp. 1035-1040 : 1035-1036

Thyreocephalus elegantissimus nov.sp. ( Figs 1-2 )

E x a m i n e d m a t e r i a l: Holotype: Sabah, Danum Valley , Borneo Rainforest Lodge, G. de Rougemont 14-16.II.200 (cB).

D e s c r i p t i o n: Body length 14 mm; length from anterior margin of head to posterior margin of elytra 7 mm.

Narrow and flat body. Black and shiny, with legs and genital segment broun black. Head

rounded ( Fig. 1 ), with largely rounded posterior angles. Eyes small, with diameter as long as the 2°-3° antennomeres together. Surface of the head with some large punctures and a median large transversal strip of minute punctures; the temples with denser and bigger punctures. Labrum as in Fig. 2 . Pronotum shorter and narrower that head ( Fig. 1 ), anteriorly dilated, with rounded anterior angles and sinuate sides. Surface with micropunctures and with a little puncture near the anterior angles. Elytra longer and wider that pronotum, slightly dilated posteriad, marked humeral angles and a little rounded sides. Surface with dense, more or less deep puncturation, arranged in numerous regular series. Abdomen almost shiny, with very fine transversal micro-striation and fine, sparse and evident puncturation.

Male unknown.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Known from the type locality only.

E t y m o l o g y: From the Latin elegantissimus-a-um (very elegant).

N o t e: This species differs from all the known species of the genus Thyreocephalus GUÉRIN- MÉNEVILLE 1844 for the flat body, dimension, colouration and puncturation. Three are the species of Thyreocephalus known from Sabah: T. laticeps (ERICHSON 1839) (also Sarawak), T. albertisi (FAUVEL 1877) (also Philippines, Sulawesi, Moluccas, Banda, New Guinea, Hawaii, Australia), and T. bipunctatus BORDONI 2002 .

Figures

Figs 1-2: Head-pronotum and labrum of Thyreocephalus elegantissimus nov.sp. (bar scale: 1 mm).