Ocypus (Pseudocypus) hyas, 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 : 24-25

Ocypus (Pseudocypus) hyas sp. nov.

( Figs. 75–80)

Type material. Holotype (male) and allotype (female): CHINA: Yunnan: “CHINA, Yunnan prov. Dali 6.7.1993 lgt S. Becvar ” . Holotype in NMW, allotype in ASC.

Paratypes: CHINA: Yunnan: same data as holotype, 6 ♂♂, 12 ♀♀ ( ASC, NMW) .

Diagnosis. A small to medium-sized species with asetose pronotal hypomeron, rufotestaceous legs, lacking microsculpture on interspaces between punctures on the head and pronotum, with uniform black pubescence of abdominal tergites, and a small, characteristically shaped aedoeagus with paramere lacking the black sensory peg setae..

Description. Black, relatively shiny, abdominal tergites slightly paler, rather piceous-black in most specimens; maxillary and labial palpi testaceobrunneous; antennae rufotestaceous, slightly darkened toward apex in most specimens; legs rufotestaceous; 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 1.31), eyes small and rather flat, tempora considerably longer than eyes from above (ratio 2.36), dorsal surface densely, relatively coarsely punctate and pubescent, interspaces between punctures on disc smaller than diameters of punctures, punctation gradually becoming slightly denser toward posterior and lateral margins; impunctate midline narrow, present only on posterior half of head; interspaces between punctures without microsculpture. Gular sutures narrowly separated; postgenae coarsely, densely punctate, interspaces between punctures near gular sutures smaller than diameters of punctures. Dorsal side of neck with punctation similar to that on head. Antenna rather short, segment 3 longer than segment 2 (ratio 1.24), segments 4 to7 longer than wide, becoming gradually shorter, outer segments about as long as wide to vaguely wider than long, last segment shorter than two preceding segments combined. Pronotum vaguely longer than wide (ratio 1.10), parallelsided, narrow marginal groove disappearing downwards at about anterior third of pronotal length; disc with narrow, entire impunctate midline; punctation on disc similar to that on disc of head but slightly finer and denser, interspaces between punctures without microsculpture. Pronotal hypomeron lacking microsetae. Scutellum finely punctate and setose on entire surface, surface without appreciable microsculpture. Elytra short, slightly depressed at base, vaguely dilated posteriad, at suture considerably (ratio 0. 60), at sides distinctly (ratio 0.74) shorter than pronotum at midline; punctation fine and dense, 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 punctate, puctation gradually becoming sparser toward apex of abdomen; interspaces with very fine microsculpture of irregular, short striae.

Male. Sternite 8 with moderately wide, shallow, obtusely triangular medioapical emargination. Genital segment with sternite 9 narrow, with moderately long basal portion, apical portion with wide and deep, obtusely triangular medioapical emargination ( Fig. 75). Tergite 10 rather long, anteriorly rather abruptly narrowed into narrowly arcuate apex, setose as in Fig. 76. Aedoeagus small and short, shaped as in Figs. 77–79; median lobe slightly dilated anteriad toward slightly asymmetrical apical portion with short, subacute apex; paramere short, situated on median lobe markedly asymmetrically, shaped as in Figs. 77–79, without carina on face away from median lobe, apex of paramere situated considerably below apex of median lobe; no sensory peg setae on underside of paramere; apical setae minute, situated at top and left margin, one strong seta originating inside right margin, oriented mediad ( Fig. 79).

Female. Tergite 10 of genital segment markedly narrowed toward slightly differentiated apical portion with subacute apex, setose as in Fig. 80.

Length 13.0–16.0 mm.

Bionomics. Nothing is know about the collection circumstances of the specimens of the original series.

Recognition and comments. Ocypus hyas is one of the species that can be rather easily recognized by the characters given in the diagnosis. The only other species that lacks microsculpture on interspaces between punctures on the head and pronotum is O. dryas ; it differs from O. hyas by the markedly smaller size, the dark colored legs and by the differently shaped aedoeagus.

Etymology. The specific epithet is the name of Hyas, - antis, m, the son of Atlas and the brother of the Hyades , in apposition.