Quedius (Microsaurus) norvegorum, Ejean, 2015

Ejean, 2015, Contributions to the knowledge of the Quediina (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylinini) of China. Part 56. Genus Quedius STEPHENS, 1829 Subgenus Microsaurus DEJEAN, 1833. Section 23, Linzer biologische Beiträge 47 (2), pp. 1843-1854 : 1848-1850

Quedius (Microsaurus) norvegorum nov.sp. ( Figs 18-24 )

T y p e l o c a l i t y: China: Shaanxi Province, Mei County, Mt. Taibai Nature Reserve, 2350- 2750 m.

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype () and allotype (): CHINA: " CHINA: Shaanxi Prov. Mei County Mt. Taibai N. R. alt. 2350-2750 m 14-VII-2004 Hu & Tang leg." Holotype in SNUC, allotype in ASC. Paratypes: Shaanxi: same data as holotype, 1 (SNUC). One male and one female in bad shape, labelled "Mt. Taibai Shaanxi Prov. Alt. 2700m, or 2350-2750 m 14-VII-2904 Hu & Tang leg.", were not labelled as paratypes (in ASC, SNUC).

D e s c r i p t i o n. Brownish-piceous to piceous-black with black head, abdomen slightly iridescent; maxillary and labial palpi testaceous, antennae and legs brownish, medial faces of middle and hind tibiae more or less darkened. Head of rounded shape, about as long as wide, with posterior angles entirely obsolete; eyes large, moderately convex, tempora markedly shorter than eyes seen from above (ratio 0.80); no additional setiferous punctures between anterior frontal punctures; posterior frontal puncture separated from posteriomedial margin of eye by distance about equal to diameter of puncture; temporal puncture situated closer to posterior margin of eye than to posterior margin of head, two punctures behind posterior frontal puncture at posterior margin of head; tempora with some fine punctures; surface of head with very fine and very dense microsculpture of transverse waves with some micropunctulation. Antenna rather short, segments 3 slightly longer than segment 2, segments 4 and 5 longer than wide, following segments as long as wide, becoming gradually vaguely wider than long (more distinctly so in females), last segment about as long as two preceding segments combined. Pronotum wider than long (ratio 1.14), widest at about posterior third, narrowed anteriad, with lateral margins continuously arcuate with broadly rounded base, transversely convex, lateral portions not explanate; dorsal rows each with three fine punctures, sublateral rows each reduced to one puncture near anterior pronotal margin; microsculpture similar to that on head but denser. Scutellum impunctate, with extremely fine microsculpture of transverse waves. Elytra quite short, at base somewhat narrower than pronotum at widest point, not appreciably dilated posteriad, at suture considerably shorter (ratio 0.75), at sides distinctly shorter (ratio 0.82) than pronotum at midline; punctuation moderately coarse and dense, becoming markedly finer toward lateral margin of each elytron, transverse interspaces between punctures on disc about as large as diameters of punctures; pubescence pale brunneous; surface between punctures without microsculpture but with some microscopical irregularities. Wings reduced to non-functional stumps. Abdomen with tergite 7 (fifth visible) without fine whitish apical seam of palisade fringe; tergite two (in front of first entirely visible tergite) sparsely punctate; punctuation of abdominal tergites finer than that on elytra, tending to get sparser on middle portion of each tergite, in general becoming sparser toward apex of abdomen; pubescence brownish; surface between punctures with excessively fine, hardy detectable rudimentary microsculpture.

Male. First four segments of front tarsus markedly dilated, subbilobed, each densely covered with tenent setae ventrally; segment two slightly wider than apex of tibia (ratio 1.11); segment four narrower than preceding segments. Sternite 8 with three long setae at each side, otherwise very sparsely, finely setose; with inconspicuous medioapical sinuation, with very small impunctate area before sinuation ( Fig. 18 ). Genital segment with tergite 10 evenly narrowed toward arcuate apex, with a few setae of unequal length near apex, otherwise quite sparsely setose on middle portion; sternite 9 with narrow basal portion, apical portion arcuate apically, very sparsely and finely setose ( Fig. 20 ). Aedoeagus ( Figs 21-23 ) with median lobe markedly asymmetrical, anteriorly narrowed into apical portion with acute apex, on face adjacent to paramere with arcuate transverse carina appearting as acute dent in lateral view. Paramere of characteristic, asymmetrical shape, with arcuate apex about reaching apex of median lobe, four fine apical setae and two similar setae at each lateral margin close to apex; underside with three or four small sensory peg setae located along each lateral margin below apex.

Female. First four segments of front tarsus similar to those of male, but slightly less dilated, segment two about as wide as apex of tibia. Genital segment with tergite 10 as in Fig. 24 , with numerous unequally long setae at and near apex, otherwise sparingly, finely setose on middle portion.

Length 6.0- 6.5 mm.

E t y m o l o g y. The specific epithet is plural genitive of the noun Norvegi (Norwegians). It honors four Norwegian friends, whose company we, myself and my wife, enjoyed during our recent Caribean cruise: Kjetil Nicolay Benjamin Sørlie, Linn-Ann Sørlie, Michael Wilson and Bjørn Kyvik.

G e o g r a p h i c a l d i s t r i b u t i o n. Quedius norwegorum is at present known only from the type locality in Qinling Shan in Shaanxi.

B i o n o m i c s.Nothingisknown about the collecting circumstances of the specimens of the original series.

R e c o g n i t i o n a n d c o m m e n t s Quedius norwegorum is habitually somewhat similar to Q. schuelkeanus Smetana, 2014 from Qinghai, but it differs, in addition to the differently shaped aedoeagus, by larger eyes, by the different chaetotaxy of the head, and by the considerably shorter elytra.

Figures

Figs 15-29: (15) Quedius trachelos nov.sp.: apical portion of underside of paramere with sensory peg setae. (16, 17) Quedius kurbatovi nov.sp.: tergites 10 of female genital segment. (18-24) Quedius norvegorum nov.sp.: (18) apical portion of male sternite 8; (19) tergite 10 of male genital segment; (20) sternite 9 of male genital segment; (21) aedoeagus, ventral view; (22) apical portion of median lobe, paramere removed; (23) apical portion of underside of paramere with sensory peg setae; (24) tergite 10 of female genital segment. 25-29. Quedius koltzei: (25) tergite 10 of male genital segment; (26) sternite 9 of male genital segment; (27) aedoeagus, ventral view; (28) apical portion of underside of paramere with sensory peg setae; (29) tergite 10 of female genital segment.