Ocypus (Pseudocypus) bion, 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 : 46-47

Ocypus (Pseudocypus) bion sp. nov.

( Figs. 189–192)

Type material. Holotype (male): CHINA: Sichuan: “CHINA: Sichuan prov. Valley 5 km N Wenchuan 1800 m, 28.VII. 2001 leg. S. MURZIN” ( MSC).

Paratype: CHINA: Sichuan: ( Wenchuan , Jiuding Shan, W slope, valley 5 km N Wenchuan, 31.28N / 103.41E, 3300 m, conif. forest, moss undergr., 16.VII.1998, M. Janata, ♂ ( ASC).

Diagnosis. A large, entirely black species with punctation on the disc of pronotum sparser than that on the head, with elytral punctation very fine, almost entirely obscured by the dense granulose microsculpture, and with the characteristically shaped aedoeagus.

Description. Entirely black, moderately dull; maxillary and labial palpi dark brunneous, antennae piceous, becoming gradually vaguely paler toward apex; legs piceous with slightly paler front tarsi; pubescence of dorsal side of body, including abdominal tergites, uniformly piceous-black. Head of rounded quadrangular shape, with rounded posterior angles, wider than long (ratio 1.21), eyes small and rather flat, tempora considerably longer than eyes from above (ratio 2.47), 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; rudimentary, vague, impunctate midline present on posterior half of head; interspaces between punctures with fine submeshed microsculpture. Gular sutures contiguous anteriorly, gula slightly dilated posteriad; postgenae sparsely 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 1.30), segments 4 to 7 longer than wide, becoming gradually shorter, outer segments about as long as wide, last segment shorter than two preceding segments combined. Pronotum slightly longer than wide (ratio 1.12), almost parallelsided, narrow marginal groove disappearing downwards at about anterior third of pronotal length; disc with entire, narrow, impunctate midline; punctation on disc sparser than that on head, but becoming denser toward both posterior and lateral margins of pronotum, pubescence and microsculpture on interspaces between punctures similar to that on head. Pronotal hypomeron moderately setose. 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 0.78) shorter than pronotum at midline; punctation dense and very fine, difficult to observe among 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 gradually becoming slightly sparser toward apex of abdomen; interspaces with fine, dense microsculpture of irregular, short striae.

Male. Sternite 8 with wide and rather shallow, obtuse medioapical emargination. Genital segment with sternite 9 with narrow, tapered basal portion, minutely emarginate apically ( Fig.189). Tergite 10 very wide, conspicuously, evenly narrowed toward narrowly arcuate apex ( Fig.192). Aedoeagus shaped as in Figs.190, 191; median lobe with middle portion parallel-sided, apical portion markedly asymmetrical, with narrowly arcuate apex distinctly exceeding apex of paramere, with arcuate formation on face adjacent to paramere on left side below apex; paramere situated on median lobe markedly asymmetrically, apical portion asymmetrical with subacute apex ( Figs. 190, 191); sensory peg setae on underside of paramere situated along left margin, starting some distance from apex of paramere; apical setae very fine, 2 situated at apex of paramere, 4 slightly finer setae at left margin below apex ( Fig. 191).

Female. Unknown.

Length 19.0–20.0 mm.

Bionomics. Nothing is known about the collection circumstances of the holotype, the paratype was taken from pitfall traps set in a coniferous forest with moss undergrowth.

Geographical distribution. Ocypus bion is at present known only from the type locality Wenchuan in northwestern Sichuan .

Recognition and comments. Ocypus bion may be recognized by the characters mentioned in the diagnosis, but only when combined with the shape of the aedoeagus. The pubescence of the body is to great extent missing in the holotype, apparently due to the way the specimen was treated after collection. The setae on sclerites of the male genital segment are entirely gone, the illustrations of sternite 9 and tergite 10 ( Figs. 191, 192) do not therefore show any setae.

The paratype is missing 6 terminal segments of the right antenna and 7 terminal segments of the left antenna.

Etymology. The specific epithet is the name of Bion, - onis, m, the witty philosopher of the Cyrenaic school, in apposition.