Paederus daicongchaoi Peng

Li, Qi-Li, Li, Li-Zhen, Gu, Fuang-Kang & Peng, Zhong, 2016, New data on brachypterous Paederus (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) of mainland China, Zootaxa 4184 (3), pp. 576-588 : 577

Paederus daicongchaoi Peng and L.-Z. Li, new species

( Figs 1 A, 1D, 2)

Type material. HOLOTYPE: Ƌ, labeled ‘ China: Anhui Prov., Yuexi County, Yaoluoping, Duozhijian , 30°58'383'' N 116°09'59'' E, 1650 m, 19.VI.2013, Peng & Dai leg.’ ( SNUC) . Paratypes: 1 ♀, same label data as holotype (SNUC).

Description. Measurements (in mm) and ratios: BL: 8.95–9.62; FL: 4.23–4.45; HL: 1.29–1.32; HW: 1.50– 1.51; AnL: 2.97–3.14; PL: 1.51–1.59; PW: 1.51–1.55; EL: 0.91–0.93; EW: 1.52–1.59; AW: 1.78–1.81; AL: 2.08; HL/HW: 0.86–0.87; HW/PW: 0.97–0.99; HL/PL: 0.83–0.85; PL/PW: 1.00–1.02; EL/PL: 0.58–0.60; diameter of eye: 0.38–0.43.

Habitus as in Fig. 1 A. Coloration: head and labrum black, labial palpi and antennae yellowish brown; pronotum brownish red; elytra metallic-blue; legs yellowish brown; abdomen bicoloured with segments III-VI brownish red and segments VII-X black.

Head wider than long, widest across eyes; punctation coarse and sparse; interstices glossy. Eyes distinctly convex. Antenna as in Fig. 1 D.

Pronotum nearly oviform, strongly convex in cross-section; punctures sparser and somewhat shallower than those of head.

Elytra trapeziform; punctation coarse, defined and dense. Hind wings reduced. Metatarsomere I as long as combined length of metatarsomeres II and III.

Abdomen distinctly broader than elytra; punctation moderately coarse; interstices with shallow microsculpture; posterior margin of tergite VII without palisade fringe.

Male. Labrum ( Fig. 2 D) with deeply excavate anterior margin. Posterior margin of tergite VIII ( Fig. 2 E) broadly convex; sternite VII unmodified; sternite VIII ( Fig. 2 F) with deep posterior incision, this incision approximately 0.5 times as long as sternite VIII; aedeagus as in Figs 2 G–I; dorsal plate broad; parameres asymmetric and slender; internal sac with three strongly sclerotized spines of characteristic shapes.

Female. Labrum as in Fig. 2 A. Posterior margin of tergite VIII ( Fig. 2 B) convex; posterior margin of sternite VIII ( Fig. 2 C) strongly convex.

Comparative notes. Based on the structure of the aedeagus, this species is allied to P. describendus Willers, 2001 (Zhejiang: Tianmu Shan), from which it is distinguished by the somewhat stouter pronotum, the deeply excavate anterior margin of the male labrum, the longer parameres and three strongly sclerotized spines in the internal sac of the aedeagus and particularly the shape of the female sternite VIII. For illustrations of P. describendus see Willers (2001b: figures 9–12).

Distribution and natural history. The type locality is in the Yaoluoping to the northwest of Yuexi, western Anhui. The specimens were sifted from leaf litter from the floor of a pine forest at an altitude of 1650 m.

Etymology. The species is named after Cong-Chao Dai, the first author’s bosom friend, who collected the type specimens.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus (A – C): A — P. daicongchaoi; B — P. nanlingensis; C — P. (Gnathopaederus) bursavacua (Dashahe). Antenna (D – F): D — P. daicongchaoi; E — P. nanlingensis; F — P. (G.) bursavacua (Dashahe). Scale bars: A – C 2.0 mm, D – F 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 2. Paederus daicongchaoi. A — female mouthparts; B — female tergite VIII; C — female sternite VIII. D — male mouthparts; E — male tergite VIII; F — male sternite VIII; G — aedeagus in ventral view; H — aedeagus in lateral view; I — aedeagus in dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.