Ochthephilus zerchei, Makranczy, 2014

Makranczy, György, 2014, Revision of the genus Ochthephilus Mulsant & Rey, 1856 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae, Oxytelinae), Revue suisse de Zoologie 121 (4), pp. 457-694 : 645-647

Ochthephilus zerchei sp. nov. Figs 498-500, 559, 565

TYPE MATERIAL: HOLOTYPE (3): “ NEPAL: [Western region, Gandaki,] Himalaya, Dhawalagiri, Region Parbat , Nange Thati , 2500m [28°23'05"N, 83°42'37"E], 28.V.2004, leg. A. Kleeberg [from moss on stones in small creek]” ( ZMHB). – PARATYPES (66): same data as holotype (coll. Kleeberg, 2). – “Dhawalagiri, Region Parbat, Chitre, 2500m [28°25'01"N, 83°41'52"E, sifted wet mosses], 26.V.2004, leg. A. Kleeberg (coll. Kleeberg, 4, coll. Schülke, 1♀, HNHM, 1). – “Dhawalagiri, Region Parbat, near Chitre, Ghar Khola valley , ~ 2400m [28°27'36"N, 83°38'06"E], 24.V.2004, leg. A. Kleeberg [sifted organic material at bank of a tributary to Ghar Khola]” (coll. Kleeberg, 3, coll. Schülke, 13). – “ CHINA: SICHUAN: Ya'an Prefecture, Tianquan Co., E Erlang Shan pass, 29°52.36'N, 102°17.82'E, 2900m, 20.VI.1999, leg. A. Pütz ” ( SDEI, 13). – “ HUBEI: Daba Shan, creek valley 8km NW Muyuping, 31°29'N, 110°22'E, 1550-1650m, 18.VII.2001, leg. M. Schülke (C01-16), creek valley, deciduous forest, moss; sifted” (coll. Schülke, 23, 1♀, 32, HNHM, 33, 2♀), same but 1540m, leg. D. Wrase (16), edge of small creek ( USNM, 1, MNHP, 1, MHNG, 1, NKME, 1, NHMW, 1, FMNH 1 , AMNH, 1). – “ SHAANXI: Qinling Shan , river bank above Houzhenzi , 115km WSW Xi'an, 33°50'N, 107°47'E, 1450m, 5.VII.2001, leg. M. Schülke (C01-06), gravel bank; floating; mixed deciduous forest, moss, mushrooms; sifted” (coll. Schülke, 6).

DESCRIPTION: Forebody as in Fig. 559. Measurements (n=10): HW = 0.59 (0.52-0.63); TW = 0.53 (0.49-0.57); PW = 0.66 (0.58-0.70); SW = 0.87 (0.77-0.95); AW = 0.90 (0.75-1.01); HL = 0.47 (0.41-0.50); EL = 0.20 (0.18-0.21); TL = 0.10 (0.09- 0.10); PL = 0.53 (0.48-0.56); SL = 1.00 (0.89-1.10); SC = 0.91 (0.81-1.00); FB = 2.07 (1.87-2.24); BL = 3.85 (3.47-4.15) mm. Whole body very dark brown, head darkest, almost black, elytra sometimes very slightly lighter but still dark brown, scutellar area to shoulders black. Antennae, mouthparts and legs dark brown, antenna blackish, tarsi and both ends of tibiae occasionally somewhat lighter. Body with somewhat greasy lustre due to rather fine and shallow punctation on head and pronotum, but less distinct coriaceous microsculpture on interspaces; elytral punctation fine, shallow but rather dense. Pubescence on elytra very dense, strong and very regularly spaced, in contrast with somewhat less conspicuous setation of head and pronotum: with rather fine and dense setae. Abdominal tergites with setae finer than elytral ones but much longer, especially at apices of tergites and adjacent to laterosternites. Head anteriad eyes and near inner posterior margin of eye with stronger and much longer bristles, as well as pronotal margin; at middle of tibiae with darker bristles. Elytral apex not only with a few slightly longer setae near sutural corner but one strong seta close to outer corner also. Last tarsomere with a few setae only.

Forebody. Antenna as in Fig. 565. Clypeus almost impunctate (colliculate microsculptured), trapezoid, corners rounded, anterior edge gently arched; separated by impressed transversal line (frontoclypeal suture) across a shinier area. Supraantennal prominences well developed, feebly separated from clypeus/vertex by impressions. Vertex with oblique impressions in middle almost joining in V-shape. Temples slightly bulging, evenly curved, about as long as half of eye length. Neck separated by an impressed transversal groove, microsculpture much stronger than on head, with transverse cells, no setation. Pronotum with a narrow marginal bead, getting inconspicuous anteriorly with pronotal corners strongly curved in ventral direction. Posterior pronotal angles well-formed, just slightly obtuse-angled, sides in posterior 1/3 very gently concave/bisinuate. 'Anchor' fully formed, longitudinal midline as a slightly elevated, impunctate, weakly microsculptured line, parallel to this line two gentle, semi-longitudinal elongate elevations in anterior half of disc. In corners of anchor feeble, oblique impressions directed outwards, in middle at sides of midline two smaller impressions. Elytra slightly broadening posteriorly, sutural corners narrowly rounded; apical sides slightly oblique and in inner halves more or less straight. Elytral surface rather even with two shallow, very elongate impressions behind scutellum. Head with fine coriaceous/colliculate microsculpture, fading on elevated parts, stronger in impressions, on pronotum microsculpture slightly stronger and more even. Punctation on head fine but dense, more so on posterior part and sides, on pronotum more evenly spaced, average interspaces larger than puncture diameters; elytral punctation more even and regularly spaced, average interspaces (with indistinct coriaceous microsculpture) about as puncture diameters, punctures discrete.

Abdomen. Compared to forebody, abdomen with much more sparse, finer, less distinct punctation, microsculpture on tergal apices fine coriaceous with moderately transverse cells. Tergite VII posterior margin with palisade fringe broadened in middle with more coarse spiniform processes. Tergite VIII basal edge evenly arched, without concavity in middle of basal sclerotized band; apical edge with sinuate (protruding) corners, and broad, moderately deep emargination in between. Sternite VIII with rounded apical corners, apex in males shallowly concave laterally, gently sinuate in middle; in females slightly more sinuate (convex) in middle. Tergite X unmodified, apex very slightly wider in males than in females. Aedeagus as in Fig. 498. Female ringstructures as in Figs 499-500.

ETYMOLOGY: The species is named after Dr. Lothar Zerche, retired curator at the Deutsche Entomologische Institut, who hosted me on an extended visit to the old building (in Eberswalde) in the spring of 2002, thereby providing a chance to examine this vast collection.

COMPARATIVE NOTES: This is a very small species in the O. monticola group, can be easily distinguished by the parameral shape.

DISTRIBUTION: Currently known from Nepal and Chinese provinces of Sichuan,

Hubei and Shaanxi.

BIONOMICS: Specimens were collected from moss on stones in a small stream and by sifting mosses and other organic debris at banks of mountain streams.