Besuchetaceus nepalensis, , 2015

Zi-Wei Yin & Li-Zhen Li, 2015, Review of the Himalayan genus Hingstoniella Jeannel, and description of Besuchetaceus gen. n. from Nepal (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae), Revue suisse de Zoologie 122 (1), pp. 165-180 : 175-180

Besuchetaceus nepalensis sp. n.

Figs 10-12

Holotype: ♂, NEPAL: labeled ‘Ost-Nepal, Rolwaling Himal / oberh. Simigaon, 2700-2800 m, 31.05.2000, leg. A. Kleeberg / gen. n. aff. Hingstoniella , Cl. Besuchet dét 2005 / HOLOTYPE [red], ♂, Besuchetaceus nepalensis sp. n., det. Yin & Li, 2014, MHNG’; in MHNG, without accession number.

Paratyp e: 1 ♀, labeled ‘Zentral-Nepal, Sept.-Okt. 1971, lg. H. Franz [Pa160, overleaf; according to Franz’s dairy, the detailed collection data related to this number is: Thare-Pati, low Rhododendron - Juniperus forest, 8.10.1971, small sifting sample from litter, moss and humus (Schillhammer, per. comm.)] / Tare-Pati / PARATYPE [yellow], ♀, Besuchetaceus nepalensis sp. n., det. Yin & Li, 2014, MHNG’; in MHNG, without accession number.

Description: Male ( Fig. 10 A). BL 3.93 mm. Body reddish brown; most part of dorsal surface densely hairy.

Head ( Fig. 11 A) transverse, HL 0.69 mm, HW 0.79 mm; vertex convex at middle, modification composed of triangular bump covered with dense setae, foveae below level of posterior margins of eyes; each eye with about 60 small facets; antennal clubs formed by apical three enlarged antennomeres ( Fig. 11 B). Pronotum transverse, PL 0.76 mm, PW 0.93 mm, median longitudinal sulcus deep, lateral longitudinal sulci less developed. Elytra wider than long, EL 1.22 mm, EW 1.42 mm; shallow discal striae extending to basal 1/4 of elytral length. Metathoracic wings fully developed. Protibiae simple; mesotrochanters ( Fig. 11 C) with small, sharp spine at ventral margin, mesotibiae ( Fig. 11 D) with small apical spine; metatrochanters ( Fig. 11 E) with ventral margin protruding to form broad projection. Abdomen wider than long, AL 1.26 mm, AW 1.28 mm. Aedeagus ( Fig. 11 F-I) asymmetric, length 0.50 mm.

Female ( Fig. 10 B). Similar to male in general appearance, mesotrochanters, mesotibiae, and metatrochanters lacking protuberance or projection. Each eye with about 45 facets. Tergite VIII ( Fig. 11 J) and sternite VIII ( Fig. 11 K) transverse. Genital complex ( Fig. 11 L) transverse, width 0.45 mm. Measurements: BL 3.74 mm, HL 0.63 mm, HW 0.74 mm, PL 0.65 mm, PW 0.84 mm, EL 1.11 mm, EW 1.44 mm, AL 1.35 mm, AW 1.31 mm.

Differential diagnosis: Same as the genus, when combined with the form of the male modified vertex and leg characters, Besuchetaceus nepalensis can be readily separated from all other batrisine species.

Biology: The female paratype was sifted from a litter, moss and humus sample in a low Rhododendron - Juniperus forest on 10th October.

Distribution: Nepal: Bagmati, Janakpur ( Fig. 12).

Etymology: The specific epithet refers to Nepal, the country where the type locality of the new species lies.