Medon, STEPHENS, 1833

Assing, Volker, 2011, A revision of the genus Neosclerus C (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 6 (1), pp. 89-148 : 146-147

" Medon " labralis ( CAMERON, 1943) ; comb. n. ( Figs 186-188)

Lobochilus labralis CAMERON, 1943: 33 .

Neosclerus labralis: SMETANA (2004: 622) .

Type material:

Holotype : " Holotype. / Ghum dist., Rongdong Valley, v-vi.1931, Dr. Cameron / L. labralis Cam. Type / M. Cameron. Bequest. B.M. 1955-147. / Holotype Lobochilus labralis Cameron, 1943 , det. R.G. Booth 2010 / Holotypus Lobochilus labralis Cameron , rev. V. Assing 2010 / " Medon " labralis (Cameron) , det. V. Assing 2010 " ( BMNH).

Additional material examined:

Nepal: 1 , Ilam , Mai Pokhari, 2000 m, V.1987, leg. Morvan (cRou) .

Comment:

The original description is based on a single specimen from "Ghum district: Rongdon Valley" ( CAMERON 1943). The holotype shares the large and bulging eyes with species of Neosclerus , but is distinguished by so numerous and significant characters (shape of the labrum, broader and longer clypeus, conspicuously short antennae, punctation of forebody and abdomen, microsculpture of abdomen, slender habitus and legs, size, habitus, etc.) that, despite the fact that the male characters are unknown, it may safely be assumed that it is not congeneric with the type species of NeosclerusNeosclerus and that the large eyes are a result of convergent evolution. Therefore, it seems best to tentatively refer the species to the genus Medon STEPHENS, 1833 , which already includes numerous species of unknown generic affiliations.

Redescription:

Body length 5.5 mm (with abdomen fully extended). Habitus as in Fig. 186. Coloration: body blackish; legs pale reddish; antennae yellowish.

Head across eyes approximately 1.12 times as wide as long; eyes large, postocular region approximately as long as antennomere II; punctation on frons coarse and dense ( Fig. 188), in posterior portion of dorsal surface much finer, shallow, dense, and confluent near neck; anterior margin of labrum with a long tooth on either side of the median incision; antenna short in relation to body size, only approximately 1 mm long.

Pronotum approximately 1.05 times as long as wide and approximately 0.8 times as wide as head ( Fig. 187); punctation moderately fine, very shallow, partly ill-defined and confluent; midline only shortly impunctate in posterior half.

Elytra indistinctly longer than, and 1.35 times as wide as pronotum; humeral angles marked ( Fig. 187); punctation dense and fine. Hind wings present.

Abdomen slightly narrower than elytra; punctation very fine and dense, barely noticeable in the pronounced microsculpture; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe.

: unknown.

Distribution and bionomics:

The species was previously known only from the type locality in West Bengal, northeastern India. The specimen from Nepal represents a new country record. It was collected at an altitude of 2000 m in May .