Kasibaeocera, Leschen, Richard A. B. & Löbl, Ivan, 2005

Leschen, Richard A. B. & Löbl, Ivan, 2005, Phylogeny And Classification Of Scaphisomatini Staphylinidae: Scaphidiinae With Notes On Mycophagy, Termitophily, And Functional Morphology, The Coleopterists Bulletin (mo 3) 59, pp. 1-63 : 23-24

Kasibaeocera new genus

( Figs. 14–18 ) Type species: Baeocera mussardi Löbl

Diagnosis. Body dorsoventrally compressed. Dorsal setae reduced. Mandible with apex bifid. Galea wide and radulate. Apex of submentum invaginate. Antennomeres 3 and 4 elongate. Corbiculum present. Pronotal and elytral carinae hidden in dorsal view. Mesepimeron present. Elytron with basal stria (but poorly developed). Hind coxae separate. Profemora with ctenidium. Pro- and mesotibiae without 2 basal spines.

Description. Body. Body form dorsoventrally compressed and oval, about 1.3 3 longer than wide. Dorsal setae reduced. Pronotal and elytral carinae hidden in dorsal view.

Head. Labral setae present and apically notched. Mandible with apex bidentate, subapical serrations absent. Maxillary palp aciculate, palpomere 2 with 1 apical seta. Galea wide and paniculate, with brush apical. Lateral setae of lacinia present. Hypopharyngeal setae present and setose. Labial palps normal, palpomere 2 with 1 subapical seta; insertion of terminal palpomere apical, weakly angulate. Edge of mentum straight, surface setose. Apex of submentum invaginate. Maxillary ducts present and microductulate; gular pores absent. Gular suture not reaching submentum. Frontoclypeal suture present. Eye entire; interocular distance small. Antennal insertion hidden; level to or below midline of eye. Antenna filiform; antennomeres 3 and 4 elongate; antennomeres 7–11 asymmetrical. Tentorial spine absent.

Prothorax. Corbiculum present. Prosternum with anterior portion of procoxal cavity setose; prosternal process anteriorly spinate. Anterior bead of pronotum present only laterally not in middle. Hypomeron entirely visible in lateral view; apex not extended beyond hind margin of pronotum. Pronotal carina prominent and beaded. Prothoracic angle acute and extending below level of elytral epipleural line and to anapleural suture.

Mesoventrite. Mesoventral space (prepectus) absent. Mesoventral lines present and impunctate; connecting with mesocoxal cavity and not parallel to mesoventral rests. Secondary lines absent. Mesoventral process paxillate. Median lines present, arcuate, and closed anteriorly. Mesepimeron present; length about one half the full length of anapleural suture. Width of intercoxal process is equal to that of coxa.

Metaventrite. Metaventrite partially fused to mesoventrite; external sulcus and transverse internal ridge present. Mesocoxae round. Mesocoxal lines parallel to coxa and punctate; not connected at middle. Setiferous patch absent; primary setae present and discal. Premetacoxal lines and descrimen absent; intercoxal plate present. Metepimeral suture punctate. Metepimeron mostly exposed. Metepimeron with longitudinal line. Metendosternal stem present. Metacoxal process triangular.

Pterothorax. Scutellum hidden between elytral bases; width about one third length of pteronotum; scutellar lines type III. Hind wing present. Elytron with basal and laterial striae present (basal stria weakly developed); serrations present.

Abdomen. Hind coxae separate. Submetacoxal space absent; submetacoxal lines punctate and not connected at middle. Two primary setae present on disc of ventrite 1 with 4 present on following ventrites 4. Abdominal ventrites are slightly setose. Brickwall membranes between segments 1–4 present. Paratergites of segments 4 and 6 absent. Spiracle 8 absent. Aedeagal sclerites not tripartite.

Legs. Profemora with ctenidium. Pro- and mesotibiae without 2 basal spines. Mesofemora rounded in cross-section; subapical seta not sclerotised. Tibiae smooth; length of mesotibia not less than the tarsus; outer mesotibial spines absent; two inner mesotibial spines present and equal in length. Length of mesotarsomere 1 equal to 2. Metatarsi smooth. Empodium unisetose.

Comments. Kasibaeocera is described for the single species Baeocera mussardi , a widespread Asian species with two subspecies (Löbl 1971, 1979, 1997). While phylogenetic placement of Kasibaeocera indicates that it could be treated simply as a basal member of Baeocera , we chose to place it in its own genus because it is unlike other members of Baeocera . Kasibaeocera has bidentate mandibular apices (4-1), wide radulate galea (8-0), lateral setae of lacinia present (11-0), maxillary ducts present (21-0), and the valves of the median lobe meet medially rather than overlapping (Löbl 1992, see Appendix 2).

The two subspecies, B. mussardi mussardi Löbl, 1971 and B. mussardi roberti Löbl, 1979 were described mainly because of variation of punctation. Additional study, and verification that the punctation pattern does not form geographic patterns, led us to synonymize the subspecies of B. mussardi mussardi and mussardi roberti, new synonymy. Specimens examined of Kasibaeocera mussardi are maintained in the MHNG.

Distribution. Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Southern China.

Included Species. Kasibaeocera mussardi (Löbl, 1971) , new combination, from Baeocera .

Etymology. The genus name (gender feminine) is derived from the Greek word kasis, meaning sister, referring to the phylogenetic relationship of this genus to Baeocera , and this prefix is combined with the genus name Baeocera .

Figures

Figs. 14–18. Kasibaeocera mussardi. 14) Dorsal and lateral habitus (scale bar ¼ 1 mm); 15) right mandible, ventral view; 16) right maxilla, ventral view; 17) labium, ventral view; 18) mentum, ventral view.