Lathrobium paulitortum, Assing, 2017

Assing, Volker, 2017, Four new species and additional records of Lathrobium from Nepal and China (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 49 (1), pp. 285-297 : 292

Lathrobium paulitortum nov.sp. ( Figs 17-24 )

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype 3: " NEPAL, Solu Khumbu, Surkie La 2900-3000 m, 27°34'N, 86°49'E, 09.V.2013, leg. J. Schmidt / Holotypus 3 Lathrobium paulitortum sp.n., det. V. Assing 2016 " (NME). Paratype ♀: same data as holotype (cAss).

E t y m o l o g y: The specific epithet (adjective) is composed of the Latin adjectives paulus (little, slight) and tortus (twisted). It alludes to the slightly asymmetric ventral process of the aedeagus in ventral view.

D e s c r i p t i o n: Size apparently subject to slight sexual dimorphism. Body length 6.3 mm (3), 6.0 mm (♀); length of forebody 3.1 mm (3), 2.9 mm (♀). Posterior margin of tergite VIII weakly convex and in the middle weakly pointed, without sexual dimorphism. Other external characters ( Figs 17-18 ) as in L. kongmaicum .

3: protarsomeres I-IV ( Fig. 17 ) strongly dilated; sternite VII ( Fig. 19 ) strongly transverse, 1.58 times as broad as long, without distinct postero-median impression, chaetotaxy practically unmodified, posterior margin very shallowly concave; sternite VIII ( Fig. 20 ) 1.12 times as broad as long, shallowly impressed along middle, setae in median portion very weakly modified, posterior margin weakly convex, without median excision; aedeagus ( Figs 21-22 ) 0.95 mm long; ventral process slender, strongly curved, and apically very acute in lateral view, slightly asymmetric in ventral view; dorsal plate with lamellate, very long, and moderately sclerotized apical portion, and with moderately short basal portion; internal sac with dark membranous structures, but without sclerotized spines.

♀: protarsomeres I-IV moderately dilated; sternite VIII ( Fig. 23 ) 1.18 times as long as broad, with micropubescence in apical portion, posterior margin strongly convex; tergite IX ( Fig. 24 ) with very long antero-median portion without median suture and with very short postero-lateral processes; tergite X ( Fig. 24 ) very short and flat, approximately 0.4 times as long as antero-median portion of tergite IX.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: Lathrobium paulitortum , too, belongs to the L. nepalense group. Regarding the shape of the aedeagus, it is most similar to L. infractum ASSING, 2012 (East Nepal: Solu Khumbu; female sexual characters unknown), from which it is distinguished by a male sternite VII with a less distinctly concave posterior margin and practically unmodified pubescence, a male sternite VIII with a less pronounced and narrower median impression with less distinctly modifed setae, and an aedeagus with a more slender, less strongly curved (lateral view), and less strongly asymmetric (ventral view) ventral process. For illustrations of L. infractum see ASSING (2012).

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d n a t u r a l h i s t o r y: The type locality is situated near Kongma, Kongma Danda, East Nepal. The specimens were collected at an altitude of 3200 m.

Figures

Figs 17-24: Lathrobium paulitortum nov.sp.: (17) male forebody; (18) head in lateral view; (19) male sternite VII; (20) male sternite VIII; (21-22) aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view; (23) female sternite VIII; (24) female abdominal segments IX-X. Scale bars: 17: 1.0 mm; 18-24: 0.5 mm.