Baeocera bella, Lobl, 2015

Löbl, Ivan, 2015, On the Scaphidiinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) of the Lesser Sunda Islands, Revue suisse de Zoologie 122 (1), pp. 75-120 : 85

Baeocera bella sp. nov.

Figs 31-33

Holotype: MHNG; ♂; Indonesia, Timor Camplong , 250 m monsoon forest NE of village, leaf litt. D. Agosti, 30.3.1991.

Paratypes: MHNG; 3 ♂, 8 ♀; with the same data as the holotype. – MHNG; 5 ♂, 3 ♀; Timor NTT, Camping 25.3.91, leaf lit. D. Agosti F91598 [the site is NE von Cabang Luar Kota 10°1’57.57”S 123°56’4.04”E].

Etymology: The species epithet is a Latin adjective meaning pretty.

Description: Length 0.92-1.08 mm, width 0.63- 0.74 mm. Body strongly convex, without obvious microsculpture. Head and body light reddish-brown, appendages and apex of abdomen lighter than body, almost yellowish. Length/width ratio of antennomeres as follows: III 14/4.5: IV 14/4: V 18/4: VI 17/4: VII 20/7: VIII 13/4.5: IX 17/10: X 17/12: XI 25/12. Lateral contours of pronotum and elytra continuously or almost continuously arcuate. Pronotum with hardly visible punctation and setation (100x magnification), lateral margins convex, anterior margin broad, basal lobe well developed; lateral pronotal carinae concealed in dorsal view. Tip of scutellum exposed. Elytra weakly narrowed apically, not covering abdominal apex, lateral margin carinae concealed or hardly visible near base in dorsal view, sutural striae not shortened, curved at bases to form basal striae abruptly ending at mid-width of elytra; adsutural areas flat, parallel, impunctate. Elytral punctation very fine, as that on pronotum, except on fairly coarsely and densely punctate, about 0.102 to 0.152 mm large lateromedian areas, and along lateral striae. Epipleural striae entire, impunctate, supraepipleural areas impunctate. Hind wings well developed. Hypomera impunctate, smooth. Mesoventral suture indistinct, mesoventrite very finely punctate, with median ridge hardly visible. Mesepimera large, each almost three times as long as wide and about 3 times as long as interval to metacoxae. Median part of metaventrite somewhat flattened, with smooth centre delimited apically by distinct puncture row and laterally by fine punctation. Lateral parts of metaventrite distinctly punctate, usually smooth near metacoxae. Punctation on metaventrite consisting of round or slightly elongate punctures, mostly smaller than puncture intervals. Submesocoxal lines arcuate, with marginal punctures not extending laterally, submesocoxal areas about 0.03 mm long, as third of interval to metacoxae. Metanepisterna about 0.04-0.05 mm wide, parallel-sided, with deep, straight and punctate suture. Tibiae straight. Sternite 1 with basal wrinkles about 0.03-0.05 mm long, abdominal punctation indistinct.

Male: Protarsomeres hardly widened. Aedeagus (Figs 31-32) 0.28-033 mm long, weakly sclerotized. Median lobe symmetrical, with basal bulb longer than apical process. Apical process inflexed, tapering, with acute tip and concave ventral side. Articular process indistinct. Parameres long, extending beyond tip of median lobe, weakly curved in dorsal and lateral views, each with fairly shallow notch at level of tip of median lobe. Internal sac with flagellum gradually narrowed, lacking flagellar guide-sclerite, with single wide and short accessory sclerite and membranous structure bearing minute denticles joined to its apex.

Female: Ovipositor (Fig. 33) with long distal gonocoxite gradually narrowed apically, bearing single long apical seta, gonostyle absent.

Distribution: Indonesia: Timor.

Type locality: Timor, Camplong, 250 m, monsoon forest NE of village.

Comments: This new species is a member of the B. lenta group and appears closely related with B. beata , though it differs drastically by the elytra with coarse punctation limited onto small, lateromedian area. The shape of the parameres in combination with the narrow flagellum is diagnostic for this new species.