Neuraphes (Pararaphes) cf. qinghaiensis Jałoszyński

Jałoszyński, Paweł, 2015, Three new species of Neuraphes in eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae), Zootaxa 3972 (2), pp. 291-300 : 298

Neuraphes (Pararaphes) cf. qinghaiensis Jałoszyński

( Figs 4 , 14–16 , 17 )

Material studied: 1 ♂, China, Qinghai Prov., Daban Shan, 62 km NNW Honggu, 36º51'26.8''N, 102º36'50.2''E, 2275 m, creek valley, Picea-Populus-Betula forest, leaf litter and moss near rock wall, sifted, 26.VI.2011, leg. D. W. Wrase ( PCMS).

Remarks. This single male ( Fig. 4 ) is very similar to N. qinghaiensis in the body shape, pigmentation and proportions, measurements and the aedeagus. It was also found in the same area, where N. qinghaiensis was previously known to occur ( Fig. 17 m). It has the apices of lateral aedeagal plates slightly less rounded than those in N. qinghaiensis , but the ventral plate is almost of the same shape ( Figs 14–16 ). Externally, these two species differ only in the pair of lateral pits behind supraantennal tubercles on the head. The pits in N. qinghaiensis are rudimentary, small and broadly separated by space about three times as wide as the diameter of pit, while those in the newly found specimen are much deeper, larger and with well demarcated margins, and they are separated by a space subequal to the diameter of pit. Only a larger number of specimens may help clarifying whether this is an inter- or intraspecific variability. Interestingly, this new specimen provides another argument against treating the presence or absence of pits or foveae on the head as a subgeneric diagnostic character (see Discussion).

Figures

FIGURE 17. Distribution of nominal species of Neuraphes in mountain ranges that surround Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Neuraphes aruensis Franz (a), N. jumlanus Franz (b), N. taksangensis Franz (c), N. himalayanus Franz (d), N. khumbuanus Jałoszyński (e), N. mephistopheles Jałoszyński (f), N. hengduanus Jałoszyński (g), N. tibetanus Jałoszyński (h), N. pseudojumlanus Jałoszyński (i), N. sichuanus sp. n. (j), N. tuyuhun sp. n. (k), N. miniqinghaiensis sp. n. (l), N. cf. qinghaiensis (m), N. qinghaiensis Jałoszyński (n).

FIGURES 1 – 4. Neuraphes, habitus of males: N. sichuanus sp. n. (1), N. tuyuhun sp. n. (2), N. miniqinghaiensis sp. n. (3), and N. cf. qinghaiensis (4).

FIGURES 11 – 16. Aedeagi in dorsal (11, 14), ventral (12, 15) and lateral (13, 16) views. Neuraphes miniqinghaiensis sp. n. (11 – 13), and N. cf. qinghaiensis (14 – 16).