Pselaphogenius baliyo, Löbl & Kodada, 2021

Löbl, Ivan & Kodada, Ján, 2021, On the Himalayan Pselaphini (Insecta: Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae), Biodiversität und Naturausstattung im Himalaya VII, Erfurt: Naturkundemuseum, pp. 349-368 : 357

Pselaphogenius baliyo n. sp. ( Figs 24, 25 )

Holotype ♂: NEPAL Parbat Distr. Punhill at Goropani Pass 3050-3100 m 8.X.83 Smetana & LÖbl ( MHNG) .

Paratypes: 5 ♂, 3 ♀, NEPAL, with the same locality data as the holotype ( MHNG) ; 3 ♂, 3 ♀, Parbat District, ridge E Goropani , 3100 m, 7.X.1983, I. LÖbl & A. Smetana ( MHNG) ; 6 ♂, 10 ♀, Parbat District, Goropani , north slope, 2750 m, 5.X.1983, I. LÖbl & A. Smetana ( MHNG, NMNT, PCPH) ; 3 ♂, 5 ♀, Parbat District, Goropani Pass, 2700 m, 6.X.1983, I. LÖbl & A. Smetana ( MHNG) ; 1 ♂, Parbat District, near Goropani , IX-X.1971, H. Franz ( NHMW) ; 3 ♂, Kali-Gandaki Valley, forest above Nawronkot near Larjung , 2900-3000 m, 3.X.1978, H. Franz ( NHMW) ; 2 ♂, 3 ♀, Kali Gandaki Valley, 2 km N Kalopani , 2550 m, 1.X.1983, I. LÖbl & A. Smetana ( MHNG) .

Etymology. The species epithet means strong in Nepali.

Description. Length 1.55-1.70 mm. Head about 1.6 longer than wide. Lower margin of frontoclypeus rounded, with long, prominent setae. Frontal sulcus parallel-sided, with carinate inner margins, reaching nearly level of posterior eye margins, frontal carinae delimited laterally by oblique impressions. Setose patch between antennal tubercle lacking in some specimens. Vertex convex, lacking distinct mesal impression, mesal carina near neck absent. Eyes prominent, with diameter as half of interval to neck, consisting of eight facets. Genae rugose. Temples weakly rounded, in dorsal view with nearly oblique contours. Margins of frontal carinae bearing each row of short appressed setae. Temples and vertex with short appressed setae. Maxillary palpomere IV long as or somewhat longer than head, with peduncle about 1.4 times as long as thickened apical part. Length/width ratio of antennomeres as: I 28/9: II 12/8: III 8/6: IV 8/6: V 8/6: VI 8/6: VII 8/6: VIII 8/6: IX 11/8: X 13/9: XI 25/15. Gular mound circular, not ridged, gular foveae obscured by setose patch. Pronotum about 1.4 times as longas wide, long as or slightly longer than head, with punctiform median antebasal fovea, distinct lateral antebasal foveae, hardly visible antebasal transverse stria. Elytra hardly longer than pronotum, strongly widened apically, at apices nearly three times as wide as at bases, not microsculptured, with distinct three basal foveae, outer margin of median longitudinal carina clearly delimited, inner margin indistinct, adsutural setose row not reduced, median setose row double. Hind wings atrophied.Abdomen with tergite I wider than elytra, broad paratergites, rounded lateral margins.

Male characters. Mesal area of metaventrite flat, glabrous, delimited laterally by slightly raised, punctate ridges bearing rather long setae. Ventrite II without sexual characters. Aedeagus ( Figs 24, 25 ) 0.27-0.30 mm long. Median lobe oval, prominent apically to form short lamina covering ostium. Ventral process apical, inflexed, slightly bent and gradually narrowed in lateral view. Internal sac with single, weakly sclerotized rod. Parameres bent and widened apically, with four rather long setae, very weakly sclerotized inner sides.

Measurements of the holotype (in mm). Total length 1.60; length/width of head 0.36/0.22, pronotum 0.38/0.28, elytra 0.40/0.61 (0.21), tergite I 0.43/0.68; length of maxillary palpomere IV 0.44, length of aedeagus 0.28.

Diagnosis. Frontal sulcus parallel-sided. Eyes small, with diameters about half that of temples. Pronotum with median and lateral antebasal foveae and hardly visible transverse antebasal stria. Ventrite II without obvious male characters. Aedeagus with median lobe oval, nearly symmetrical, with short lamina covering ostium and obliquely inflexed ventral process appearing nearly pentagonal in dorsal view. Parameres widened apically and bearing long setae.

Distribution. Western Nepal.

Comments. This species shares with P. emeishanus Nomura, 2003 and P. huqin Nomura, 2003 a lamina above the ostium, the base of the ventral process of the aedeagus situated near aedeagal apex, and the internal sac lacking a brush-like lobe. In addition, it possesses like these two Chinese species an antebasal pronotal stria. It differs markedly in the distinct median antebasal fovea, the tip of the ventral process of the aedeagus not abruptly bent and the parameres widened apically in lateral view and bearing long setae.

Figures

Figs 24-27. Aedeagi in dorsal and lateral views; 24, 25. Pselaphogenius baliyo n. sp.; 26, 27. Nepallaphus ekam n. sp.; Scales = 0.1 mm.