Philhygra pinkhami Klimaszewski and Chandler, 2023

Klimaszewski, Jan, Chandler, Donald S., Davies, Anthony & Bourdon, Caroline, 2023, Aleocharine rove beetles of New Hampshire, USA: new taxa and new records (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae), Zootaxa 5364 (1), pp. 1-141 : 61-62

115. Philhygra pinkhami Klimaszewski and Chandler , sp. n.

Figs. 7a–g , Table 1

Holotype (male). USA, New Hampshire, Coos Co.: 8 mi S Gorham, Pinkham Notch , 2000’, 11.IX.1987, J.M. Campbell and A. Davies, sifting Alnus litter and Sphagnum near pond ( CNC). Paratypes: same label data as the holotype ( CNC), 1 male, 1 female .

Etymology. This specific name pinkhami is derived from the name of the type locality, Pinkham Notch in the White Mountains of north-central New Hampshire, United States. The notch was formed by extensive erosion due to movement of the Laurentide Ice Sheet during the Wisconsinan Glaciation Event.

Diagnosis. Distinguishable by the subparallel body, slightly transverse and angular pronotum, elytra at suture about as long as pronotum along midline, integument dark brown with slightly paler elytra ( Fig. 7a ); apical part of tubus of median lobe of aedeagus narrow, strongly produced ventrad and with small apical hook ( Fig. 7b ).

Description. Body length 3.5–4.0 mm, moderately convex, slightly glossy, narrowly subparallel, head, pronotum, elytra and base of abdomen about the same width; integument dark brown with paler (dark reddish) elytra and legs ( Fig. 7a ); forebody moderately densely pubescent, pubescence of pronotum directed laterad from midline and on elytra latero-posteriad, punctation fine, microsculpture not apparent at low magnification; head round posteriad, eyes as long as posterior region of head, not expanded outside contour of head; antennomeres elongate, progressively less so toward apex of antennae; pronotum slightly transverse and angular; elytra with shallow postero-lateral emargination; abdomen slightly widening to mid-length, sides broadly arcuate. Male. Tergite VIII transverse, apical margin arcuate ( Fig. 7c ); sternite VIII strongly elongate, parabolic apically, antecostal suture distal to base of sternite ( Fig. 7d ); median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view with broadly elongate bulbus and lunar-shaped crista apicalis in ventro-posterior part of bulbus; tubus narrowly triangular, strongly produced ventrad and with small apical hook, sclerites of internal sac elongate ( Fig. 7b ). Female. Tergite VIII transverse, apical margin arcuate ( Fig. 7e ); sternite VIII slightly elongate and rounded apically ( Fig. 7f ); pygidium approximately rectangular structure bearing convex apical margin and arcuate sides ( Fig. 7g ).

Distribution. Known only from Pinkham Notch in the White Mountains of north-central New Hampshire, USA.

Collection and Habitat data. The type specimens were captured in Alnus litter and Sphagnum near a pond at an elevation of 2000’.

Comments. We have compared the external features and the shape of the median lobe of the aedeagus of P. pinkhami with all species recorded from Canada and the northeastern part of the USA and from Europe, and found no match for this species. Therefore, we describe it as a species new to science. The form of the median lobe of the aedeagus is somewhat similar to that of P. pseudoterminalis Klimaszewski and Langor.

Figures

FIGURE 7a–g. Philhygra pinkhami Klimaszewski and Chandler, sp. n.: (a) habitus in dorsal view; (b) median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view; (c) male tergite VIII; (d) male sternite VIII; (e) female tergite VIII; (f) female sternite VIII; (g) pygidium. Scale bar for habitus = 1mm; remaining scale bars = 0.2mm.