Ocypus (Pseudocypus) palamedes, Published, 2007

Published, First, 2007, Contributions to the knowledge of the “ Staphylinus-complex ” (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylinini) of China. Part XX. The genus Ocypus Leach, 1819, subgenus Pseudocypus Mulsant & Rey, 1876. Section 1, Zootaxa 1421, pp. 1-72 : 45-46

Ocypus (Pseudocypus) palamedes spec. nov.

(Figs. 182–188)

Type material. Holotype (male) and allotype (female): CHINA: Sichuan: “CHINA—NW Sichuan 20 km NW Maowen, 2150 m Jiuding Shan , coniferous wood 7.–28.VI.2004, leg. R. Fabbri ” . Holotype in MSC, allotype in ASC.

Paratypes: CHINA: Sichuan: same data as holotype, 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀ ( ASC, MSC) .

Diagnosis. A very large species (largest species of the subgenus) with uniformly black pubescence of the dorsal side of the body, and with extensively microsetose pronotal hypomeron.

Description. Entirely black, moderately dull; maxillary and labial palpi dark brunneous, antennae piceous, becoming gradually vaguely paler toward apex; legs piceous with slightly paler tarsi; pubescence of dorsal side of body, including abdominal tergites, uniformly black. Head of rounded quadrangular shape, with rounded posterior angles, wider than long (ratio 1.31), eyes small and rather flat, tempora considerably longer than eyes from above (ratio 2.43), dorsal surface of head finely and densely punctate and pubescent, interspaces between punctures on disc about as large as diameters of punctures, punctation gradually becoming slightly denser and coarser toward posterior and lateral margins, vague, narrow impunctate midline present on posterior half of head; interspaces between punctures with fine meshed microsculpture. Gular sutures subcontiguous in middle portion, postgenae moderately densely punctate, interspaces between punctures near gular sutures distinctly larger than diameters of punctures. Dorsal side of neck with punctation similar to that on head. Antenna moderately long, segment 3 slightly longer than segment 2 (ratio 1.26), segments 4 to 7 longer than wide, becoming gradually shorter, outer segments slightly longer than wide to about as long as wide, last segment shorter than two preceding segments combined. Pronotum slightly longer than wide (ratio 1.13), almost parallelsided, narrow marginal groove disappearing downwards at about anterior third of pronotal length; disc with entire, narrow impunctate midline; punctation, pubescence and microsculpture on interspaces between punctures similar to that on head. Pronotal hypomeron extensively microsetose. Scutellum finely punctate and setose, surface with very fine, rudimentary submeshed microsculpture. Elytra quite short, distinctly depressed at base, hardly dilated posteriad, at suture considerably (ratio 0. 56), at sides distinctly (ratio 0.85) shorter than pronotum at midline; punctation fine, dense, finely asperate, interspaces between punctures with dense granulose microsculpture. Wings each reduced to minute, nonfunctional stump. Abdomen with fifth visible tergite lacking pale apical seam of palisade setae; tergite 2 (in front of first visible tergite) entirely, densely and finely punctate and pubescent; all tergites evenly, finely and densely, slightly asperately punctate, puctation similar to that on elytra, gradually becoming sparser toward apex of abdomen; interspaces with fine microsculpture of irregular, short striae.

Male. Sternite 8 with wide and deep, obtusely triangular medioapical emargination. Genital segment with sternite 9 rather short and wide, with moderately long, tapered basal portion, distinctly emarginate apically (Fig. 182). Tergite 10 wide, markedly, evenly narrowed toward narrowly arcuate apex, apex moderately setose ( Fig. 183). Aedoeagus large, robust, shaped as in Figs. 184–187; median lobe with apical half asymmetrical, somewhat curved toward left, apical portion with irregularly obtuse apex, with characteristic formation on face adjacent to paramere on left side below apex; paramere situated on median lobe markedly asymmetrically, shaped as in Figs. 184, 186, 187, apical portion markedly asymmetrical, with subacute apex about reaching apex of median lobe, on face away from median lobe with long carina extended posteriad to constricted middle portion of paramere; sensory peg setae on underside of paramere numerous, arranged along apical and left lateral margin ( Figs. 186, 187); apical setae strong, appearing in two separate groups, one group of 4 setae at apical margin, and another group of 4 to 5 setae at left lateral margin ( Fig. 187).

Female. Tergite 10 of genital segment very wide, conspicuously narrowed toward acute apex, moderately setose ( Fig. 188).

Length 21.0–23.0 mm.

Bionomics. The specimens of the original series were taken from pitfall traps set at a relatively low elevation of 2150 m in a “coniferous wood”.

Geographical distribution. Ocypus palamedes is at present known only from the type locality in Jiuding Shan in northwestern Sichuan .

Recognition. Ocypus palamedes is the largest species of the subgenus. It is very well characterized by its large size and uniform black pubescence of the dorsal side of the body, combined with the characteristic shape of the aedoeagus, and with the character state of the extensively microsetose pronotal hypomeron. It cannot be confused with any other species of the subgenus.

Etymology. The specific epithet is the name of Palamedes, - is, m, the king of Euboa, who lost his life before Troy, through the artifices of Ulysses , in apposition.