Orphnebius ( Deroleptus ) niger (CAMERON, 1939)

Assing, Volker, 2016, On some Lomechusini of the Palaearctic and Oriental regions (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 66 (1), pp. 13-111 : 63

Orphnebius ( Deroleptus) niger (CAMERON, 1939)

( Figs 50–52, 296–298)

Deroleptus niger CAMERON, 1939a: 492 f.

Orphnebius turensis PACE, 2012b: 289 ; syn. nov.

Type material examined: O. niger : Lectotype ♀, present designation: “ Assam, Patkai Mts. / Doherty / Deroleptus niger Cam. Type / Fry Coll. 1905.100. / Type / Lectotypus ♀ Deroleptus niger Cameron , desig. V. Assing 2015” ( BMNH).

O. turensis : Holotype ♀: “NE India, Meghalaya, 2002, 1 km E of Tura, 500–600 m, 25°30'N, 90°14'E, 2.–5.v., M. Trýzna & P. Benda lgt. / Holotypus Orphnebius turensis mihi, det. R. Pace 2010 / Orphnebius turensis n. sp., det. R. Pace 2010 / Orphnebius niger (Cameron) , det. V. Assing 2016 ” (cSch).

Additional material examined: India: 1 ♀, Meghalaya, Tura peak, 25°30'N, 90°14'E, 600–1000 m, 12.–22. VI.2007, leg. Dembický ( NHMB) .

Comment: Orphnebius niger was described from an unspecified number of syntypes from “ Assam: Sudiya; Patkai Mountains” ( CAMERON 1939a). The sole syntype located in the collections at the BMNH, a female, is designated as the lectotype. In the original description of O. turensis , which is based on two females from “N India, Maghalaya [sic], 1 km E Tura 500–600 m, 25°30'N 90°14'E ”, PACE (2012b) compared the species with O. bryanti CAMERON, 1920 rather than with O. niger , probably because the latter was originally described in the genus Deroleptus . A comparison of the lectotype of O. niger with the holotype of O. turensis revealed that they are conspecific. Consequently, O. turensis is placed in synonymy with O. niger . The external and sexual characters of O. niger are illustrated in Figs 50–52, 296–298.