Awas loebli, Yin & Li, 2012

Yin, Zi-Wei & Li, Li-Zhen, 2012, Two new species of the genus Awas from Central and East China (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 52 (1), pp. 161-171 : 165-169

Awas loebli sp. nov.

( Figs. 3–4 , 6)

Type locality. East China, Zhejiang Province, West Tianmushan Mountain, 400 m a.s.l., 30°12′05″N, 119°23′55″E ( Fig. 6).

Type material. HOLOTYPE: J ( SNUC): labeled ‘ CHINA: Zhejiang Province / W. Tianmushan Mt. / 3.x.–6.xi.2011, alt. 400 m / Rui Pan leg., FIT // [red] Holotype / Awas loebli / Yin & Li sp. n. / det. 2012’.

Diagnosis. Head moderately elongate, slightly longer than pronotum; pronotum with lateral margins deeply incised adjacent at level of antebasal sulcus, basolateral margins moderately incised posterior to level of antebasal sulcus, with setal tufts at incisions; elytra convex, with rounded lateral margins.

Description. Male ( Fig. 3 ). BL 3.53; body reddish-brown, mouth-parts and tarsi lighter. Head relatively short ( Figs. 4a–b ), HL 0.89, HW 0.48, uniformly densely punctate; pubescence directed anteriorly; anterior frontal margin roundly protruding medially, then indistinctly emarginate admesally; postocular margins gradually narrowed to basal fourth, then parallel toward occipital constriction; lacking dense setae around genae; gula with thin and short mesal sulcus in basal half; eyes prominent, situated at mid-length of anterior head, each with about 65 facets; maxillary palpi ( Fig. 4d ) with palpomeres I short, II elongate, slightly dilated distally, III nearly triangular, IV nearly oval, with membranous apical palpal cone; antennae ( Fig. 4c ) gradually thickened through entire length.

Pronotum longer than wide, PL 0.71, PW 0.55; with pubescence similar to head; with deep T-shaped antebasal sulcus; punctation fine, more coarse along pronotal base; prosternum with long pubescence paramedially and anterolaterally, pubescence on lateral margins much more sparse.

Elytra slightly longer than wide (EL 1.22, EW 1.07), widest near middle, strongly narrowed basally and weakly narrowed apically; each elytron with distinct basal fovea, faint humeral angles and complete sutural striae. Elytral pubescence denser along posterior margin than on disc. Mesosventrite with dense, long pubescence lateral to mesocoxal cavities; metaventrite strongly swollen medially, forming distinct oval hump, with dense long pubescence lateral to hump. Legs slender; profemora with tiny preapical denticle ( Fig. 4e ); tibiae with dense short apical setae.

Abdomen wider than long (AL 0.60, AW 0.86), tergite IV largest, fused with sternite IV, basomedian portion with patch of sparse pubescence directed medially, otherwise pubescence of abdomen short and oriented posteriorly. Aedeagus slightly sclerotized ( Figs. 4f–h ), length 0.49 mm; median lobe truncate apically, with X-shaped sclerites ventrally; endophallus covered with numerous hairs; parameres with apices strongly curved ventrally.

Female. Unknown.

Comparative notes. This new species is placed close to A. sinicus and A. shunichii , sharing with them a similar appearance and having the lateral margins of the pronotum deeply incised at the level of the antebasal sulcus. The male of Awas loebli sp. nov. has eyes each comprised of about 65 facets, and the pronotum with the basolateral margins moderately incised posterior to the antebasal sulcus. Males of A. sinicus have eyes each with about 85 facets and those of A. shunichii have about 100 facets, and the basolateral margins of both of the latter species are deeply and broadly incised. The head of Awas sinicus has dense setae around the genae while such setae are lacking in A. loebli . The relatively short head and the rounded lateral margins of the elytra also readily separate the new species from A. shunichii .

Etymology. Named after Ivan Löbl, in acknowledgement to his contribution to the genus Awas , and help during the course of our study of the Chinese pselaphine beetles.

Biology. The species was collected by a flight incept trap set near a rotten coniferous tree.

Distribution. Currently known only from the type locality ( Fig. 6).

Figures

Fig. 3. Dorsal habitus of Awas loebli sp. nov., holotype. Scale = 1.0 mm

Fig. 4. Details of Awas loebli sp. nov. a – head, in dorsal view; b – same, in lateral view; c – right antenna; d – maxillary palpus; e – apex of profemur, detail; f, h – aedeagus, in ventral view; g – same, in lateral view. Scales: a–c = 0.5 mm, d = 0.1 mm, e = 0.2 mm, f–h = 0.3 mm.