Metopiasoides jefersoni Asenjo

Asenjo, Angélico, 2016, First record and a new species of Metopiasoides Comellini (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Pselaphinae) from Peru, Zootaxa 4097 (4), pp. 585-588 : 585-587

Metopiasoides jefersoni Asenjo , new species ( Figs 1 A–L)

Type material (1 ♂). Holotype: PERU: ♂, labeled “ PERU: CU[Cusco state], Santa Teresa / distrito, 13°02'42.9"S [South], / 72°38'39.5"W [West], 11.xii [December].2014, / 2035m [altitude in relation to sea level], Pan trap (yellow), / leg. J. Suarez De la Cruz”; “ HOLOTYPE [red label]/ Metopiasoides / jefersoni sp. nov. Asenjo / Desig. Asenjo, 2016 ” ( MUSM).

Diagnosis. Among Metopiasoides species, M. jefersoni is similar to M. grandior Comellini from Panama (Cerro Colorado), in having the posterolateral margin of the head with a cone-like prolongation ( Fig. 1 A,C). Metopiasoides jefersoni is distinguished by the medioapical emargination of sternite VIII ( Fig. 1 H) and the shape of the aedeagus ( Fig. 1 J–L).

Description. Holotype male, BL: 5.19. Body, mouthparts, antennae and tarsi reddish dark brown ( Fig. 1 A–D).

Head: pyriform ( Fig. 1 C–D), longer (HL: 0.86) than wide (HW: 0.68), anterior region distinctly narrower ending and slightly raised apically at the antennal tubercle. Posterior margin of head abruptly narrowing and with a small conelike projection at the posteriolateral angles. Neck almost half width of head and with margins rounded. Head with two vertexal foveae [vf] ( Fig. 1 C) near posterior margin, connected by transverse sulcus. Vertex longitudinally impressed with a shallow sulcus running from anterior margin of antennal tubercle to neck. Ventral surface of head ( Fig. 1 D) with long gular sulcus widening towards neck, interrupted in the posterior third by two gular foveae [gf] connected by a curved sulcus. Eyes ( Fig. 1 C–D) prominent, situated at middle of head length and directed anteriorly. Antennae ( Fig. 1 F) 2/3 of length of body, scape almost half antenna length, last three antennomeres gradually broadening. Scape length 1.55 mm, width 0.11 mm, pedicel shorter than scape (0.22: 0.09), antennomere 3 (0.38: 0.09) longer than wide, antennomere 4 (0.18: 0.09) longer than wide, antennomere 5 (0.14: 0.10) longer than wide, antennomere 6 (0.11: 0.10) subquadrate, antennomere 7 (0.11: 0.10) subquadrate, antennomere 8 (0.10: 0.10) quadrate, antennomere 9 (0.15: 0.11) longer than wide, antennomere 10 (0.14: 0.11) longer than wide, antennomere 11 (0.27: 0.09) longer than wide; all antennomeres covered by long microsetae.

Thorax: pronotum ( Fig. 1 C) wider than long (PL: 0.60; PW: 0.72) with a weak median longitudinal sulcus. Pronotum convex with apices produced into acute projections, lateral margin to a deep transverse sulcus at half pronotum length. Pronotum with a slight transverse impression at base. Pronotal basal margin concave. Prosternum with lateral procoxal fovea [lpcf]. Mesoventrite with prepectal fovea [ppf] and lateral mesosternal fovea [lmsf]. External margin of mesocoxal cavities with lateral mesocoxal foveae [lmcf]. Metaventrite with two pointed tubercles in the middle.

Elytra: wider than long (EL: 1.08; EW: 1.20), sides gradually broadening apically ( Fig. 1 A). Posterior margins concave, humeri with an obtuse tubercular swelling and sutural stria [ss] present. Elytron with two basal elytral foveae [bef] at anterior margin, one close to the elytral suture, while the second is smaller and located near the middle of elytral width at base. Apical-lateral margin of elytra distinctly notched. Flight wings ( Fig. 1 A–B) well developed, three times as long as elytra when fully extended and covered by minute setae.

Legs: Legs long and slender. Femora thickened in apical half. Tibiae curved and similar in length to femora, all tibiae thickened at apex. Protibiae lacking microsetae on the concave, mesial face, which is carinate. Tarsi 3-segmented, first tarsomeres very short and last 2 tarsomeres longer, tarsomere 2 longer that segment 3; all tarsi with a single claw and a minute accessory seta.Procoxae, mesocoxae conical and prominent, metacoxae transverse, region that articulates with the trochanter conical shaped. Procoxae with small prosternal process apically pointed, mesocoxae widely separated, metacoxae contiguous.

Abdomen: strongly marginated, with five visible tergites (morphological tergites IV–VIII), tergite III reduced to small plate under elytra, tergite VIII with rounded apex. Tergites IV–VII bordered by distinct paratergites. Sternite III with transversal depressed plate completely nude and placed under the metacoxae, this transversal plate have a longitudinal projected carina in the middle. Sternite VIII ( Fig. 1 H) widely emarginated at apex.

Aedeagus: asymmetric with the parameres fused, median lobe slightly bulbous at base ( Fig. 1 J–L).

Female. Unknown.

Habitat. The specimen was collected in the Peruvian Amazon forest at Urubamba Valley (at an altitude of 2035 meters).

Distribution. Only known from the type locality.

Etymology. This species is named in honor to my friend and colleague Jeferson Suarez De la Cruz, who collected the specimen and work at the MUSM.

Comments. The new species belongs to the genus Metopiasoides based on the relative size of the third antennomere ( Fig. 1 F), which is longer than the second and fourth antennomeres. The second and fourth antennal segments are similar in length and width. The mesial face of the protibia ( Fig. 1 E) is carinate.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Metopiasoides jefersoni new species, holotype, A, habitus, dorsal view: B, habitus, left lateral view; C, head and pronotum, dorsal view; D, head, ventral view; E, first leg; F, right antenna, lateral view; G, Tergum VIII (T 8); H, Sternum VIII (S 8); I, tergum IX (T 9), lateral view; J, aedeagus, ventral view; K, aedeagus, lateral view; L, aedeagus, dorsal view. Scale bars: A – B, 1 mm; C – F, 0.5 mm; G – L, 0.2 mm.