Protogoerius Coiffait, 1956

SMETANA, ALEŠ & DAVIES, ANTHONY, 2000, Reclassification of the North Temperate Taxa Associated with Staphylinus Sensu Lato, Including Comments on Relevant Subtribes of Staphylinini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), American Museum Novitates 3287, pp. 1-1 : 1-

Protogoerius Coiffait, 1956

TYPE SPECIES: Staphylinus brachypterus Brulle´, 1839 (nec Geoffroy, 1785) (= Protogoerius brullei , nom. nov.).

COMMENTS: The single species of this genus has the habitus of an Ocypus ; it has two main identifying character states: ( 1) gula tumid almost to fine basal carina, transverse impression very faint ( fig. 146 ); ( 2) dorsal portion of median lobe of aedeagus almost entirely membranous.

Further character states include: mandibles each with one strong, broadly triangular tooth on medial edge in front of a deep, angular indentation, with dorsolateral ridge not distinctly removed from lateral margin ( fig. 147 ); palpifer with one subapical and three shorter apical setae; apical segment of maxillary and labial palpi moderately elongate, distinctly fusiform, only that of labial palpus setose ( fig. 148 ); prostheca parallel­sided, elongate with long ciliae only at apex; nuchal ridge present only dorsally, becoming obsolete well before base of infraorbital ridge laterally; dorsal basal ridge very short, ending at very base of infraorbital ridge; superior and inferior lines of hypomeron run very closely parallel for some distance anteriorly, gradually merging along prosternal margin; prothoracic epimeron absent; prosternum with short transverse ridge on keel behind two macrosetae; mesocoxal acetabulum deeply depressed, with straight carina sloping obliquely behind intercoxal process; margins of anterior metasternal projection converging at a highly obtuse angle, projection very short; metasternum very short, at an oblique angle to plane of body, with no visible medial line; dorsal apicolateral lobe of hind coxa with only one or two very fine spines; empodial setae very long.

Brullé’s (1839: 59) name Staphylinus brachypterus is preoccupied by Staphylinus brachypterus Geoffroy, 1785: 176 , now a synonym of Aleochara curtula (Goeze, 1777) , and by Staphylinus brachypterus Marsham, 1802: 510 , now a synonym of Aploderus caelatus Gravenhorst, 1802 . The replacement name Protogoerius brullei , nom. nov., is hereby proposed for it.

Figures

Figs. 146–151. 146. Protogoerius brullei, underside of head, showing gula. 147. Protogoerius brullei, left mandible, dorsal view. 148. Protogoerius brullei, maxillary (left) and labial palpus (right). 149. Ocypus tenebricosus, maxilla, showing setae on palpifer. 150. Ocypus tenebricosus, maxillary palpus. 151. Ocypus tenebricosus, labial palpus.