Batrisodes songxiaobini Yin, Shen & Li

Yin, Zi-Wei, Shen, Jia-Wei & Li, Li-Zhen, 2015, New species and new combinations of Asian Batrisodes Reitter (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Pselaphinae), and synonymy of Batrisodellus Jeannel with Batrisodes, Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 62 (1), pp. 45-54 : 45

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Staphylinidae

Batrisodes songxiaobini Yin, Shen & Li sp. n. Figs 4B, 6

Type material

(6 ♂♂). Holotype: China: ♂, labeled 'China: Yunnan, Tengchong Co. [腾冲县], Mingguang Town [明光乡], Zizhi Vill. [自治村], Donghe [东河], 25°42 ’55’’ N, 98°34 ’52’’ E, 2100 m, 01.v.2014, X.-B. Song, [from a nest of Formica sp.]' (SNUC). Paratypes: China: 5 ♂♂, same label data as holotype (SNUC).

Description.

Male (Fig. 4B). Body reddish brown, BL 2.54-2.60 mm. Head slightly longer than wide, HL 0.52-0.55 mm, HW 0.53-0.54 mm; with small vertexal foveae; frons strongly protruding anteriorly at middle (Fig. 6C); clypeus lacking punctation, with round anterior margin; lateral vertexal carinae present from level of anterior margins of eyes to posterolateral margins of head, with short median vertexal carina; each eye composed of about 55 facets, lacking ocular canthi; postgenal area with many long erect setae visible in dorsal view. Antennal clubs (Fig. 6A) formed by apical three antennomeres; antennomeres VII expanded at base, with one long, thick seta at apex of expansion, antennomeres VIII–XI each elongate, XI (Fig. 6B) with small denticle at base. Pronotum slightly longer than wide, PL 0.57-0.59 mm, PW 0.51-0.57 mm; disc slightly convex; with distinct median and lateral longitudinal sulci; lacking median antebasal fovea; with small basolateral tubercles. Elytra wider than long, EL 0.75-0.77 mm, EW 0.88-0.90 mm; each elytron with three large nude basal foveae; with shallow discal striae; marginal striae complete. Mesofemora (Fig. 6D) with small, sharp ventral spine, mesotibiae (Fig. 6E) with small ventral denticle and small, acute apical spur; metatibiae (Fig. 6F) with short apical tuft of setae. AL 0.68-0.71 mm, AW 0.77-0.78 mm; abdominal tergite IV (first visible tergite) with oblique marginal carinae; discal carinae short. Length of aedeagus (Fig. 6 G–I) 0.40 mm, median lobe nearly symmetric, with one spine-like sclerite at middle of anterior margin of foramen.

Female. Unknown.

Differential diagnosis.

The protruding anterior margin of the frons is shared in a number of Asian species, e.g. Batrisodes cornutus (Kurbatov) (transferred from the genus Basitrodes , see below), and Batrisodes acutifrons Jeannel. But the characteristic forms of the antennomeres VII–XI and protruding frons in the male, as well as the aedeagal structure readily separate this new species from all other congeners.

Biology.

Adults were collected from a colony of a Formica ant nesting under a rock.

Distribution.

Southwestern China: Yunnan.

Etymology.

The species epithet recognizes the collecting efforts of Xiao-Bin Song, who collected the type series and many other interesting pselaphines.