Orphnebius, MOTSCHULSKY, 1858

Assing, Volker, 2015, On the Orphnebius fauna of the East Palaearctic region. VI. Six new species from China and Taiwan, and additional records (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae: Lomechusini), Linzer biologische Beiträge 47 (1), pp. 101-125 : 121-123

Key to the Orphnebius species of China and Taiwan

1. Moderately large to very large species, body length 5.2-9.0 mm. Antennae conspicuously long and slender, 1.7-3.0 mm long. Legs conspicuously slender. Anterior abdominal sternites with very conspicuous postero-lateral processes (e.g., Fig. 30 ). Yunnan. Subgenus Deroleptus .....................................................................................2

- Small to moderately species, body length less than 6 mm. Antennae less slender and shorter, less than 1.8 mm long. Legs less slender. Anterior abdominal sternites without processes.............................................................................................................................4

2. Smaller species, body length 5.2-6.0 mm. Coloration paler: body brown; legs rufous, except for the brown femora; antennae pale-reddish. Head more transverse,> 1.4 times as broad as long ( Figs 34-35 ). Pronotum without impressions,> 1.4 times as broad as long ( Figs 34-35 ). Elytra without microsculpture and with non-granulose punctation ( Figs 34-35 ). Abdominal sternites III-IV with postero-lateral processes of distinctive shapes ( Figs 37-39 ). Tergites VII and VIII dense and coarse punctation nearly reaching anterior margin of tergites ( Fig. 40 ); tergite VII with a transverse row of four to six granules near posterior margin ( Fig. 40 ). Sternite VIII simple, posterior margin convex, without conspicuous processes. Median lobe of aedeagus as in Figs 41-42 . Spermatheca as in Fig. 45 ....................................................................... planicollis nov.sp.

- Distinctly larger species, body length 8.2-9.0 mm. Coloration darker: ground colour of body blackish; legs dark-brown to blackish; antennae dark-brown to blackish-brown. Head less transverse, <1.4 times as broad as long. Pronotum with pronounced impressions, approximately 1.3 times as broad as long at most. Elytra with pronounced microsculpture and with distinctly granulose punctation. Anterior abdominal tergites of different shapes. Tergites VII and VIII with less extensive punctation and without granules. Sternite VIII posteriorly with conspicuous processes (e.g., Fig. 31 ). Male and female primary sexual characters different.........................................................................3

3. Antennae approximately 3.0 mm long. Head impunctate in postero-median portion. Pronotum more slender, approximately 1.2 times as broad as long, and with impressions in characteristic arrangement ( ASSING 2010: figure 10). Postero-lateral processes of abdominal sternites III-V yellowish, shaped as in ASSING (2010: figures 13-15). Aedeagus and spermatheca as in ASSING (2010: figures 20-24) ......... draco ASSING

- Antennae shorter, approximately 2.5 mm long. Head punctate in postero-median portion. Pronotum more transverse, approximately 1.3 times as broad as long, and with five impressions in different arrangement ( Fig. 29 ). Postero-lateral process of abdominal sternties III-V blackish, shaped as in Fig. 30 . Spermatheca as in Fig. 33 ............ ......................................................................................................... multimpressus nov.sp.

4. Small species with reddish-yellow legs. Head large, approximately as broad as pronotum ( PACE 2008: figure 26). Antennomeres VII-X strongly transverse. Median lobe of aedeagus very compact and with very short ventral process ( PACE 2008: figure 27). Guangdong ........................................................................................ fugangensis PACE

- Larger species with mostly darker legs. Two species with yellowish legs have the head much narrower than the pronotum. Median lobe of the aedeagus more slender and with longer ventral process .........................................................................................................5

5. Posterior margin of abdominal tergite VIII tridentate (e.g., Fig. 4 ). Antennae at least 1.3 mm long. Abdominal tergite VI laterally with oblong, smooth, keel-like elevation (e.g., Fig. 3 ). Orphnebius nanlingensis group.....................................................................6

- Posterior margin of abdominal tergite VIII smoothly convex. Antennae mostly shorter. Abdominal tergite VI without lateral elevation. Orphnebius hauseri group.......................8

6. Abdomen dark-brown; legs dark-reddish. Antennae shorter and stouter, antennomeres V-X distinctly transverse ( ASSING 2006b: figure 38). Aedeagus as in ASSING (2006b: figures 44-47). Guangdong and Fujian provinces .................................. nanlingensis PACE

- Abdominal tergites III-VI reddish; legs with at least the femora dark-brown. Antennae longer and more slender, antennomeres V-X very weakly transverse or even oblong ( Fig. 2 ; ASSING 2009: figure 66). Yunnan ...........................................................................7

7. Antennomeres V-X very weakly transverse ( ASSING 2009: figure 66). Femora blackish. Pronotum weakly transverse, approximately 1.05 times as broad as long ( ASSING 2009: figure 65). Spermatheca as in ASSING (2009: figure 68) .... tricuspis ASSING

- Antennomeres V distinctly oblong, VI weakly oblong, and VII approximately as long as broad ( Fig. 2 ). Femora dark-brown. Pronotum 1.1 times as broad as long ( Fig. 1 ). Median lobe of aedeagus and paramere as in Figs 6-8 ............................ tridentatus nov.sp.

8. Abdomen anteriorly of dark coloration, only segments VII-VIII bright reddish. Disc of pronotum with fine and sparse setiferous puncturation; lateral margins without long black setae ( ASSING 2006b: figure 22). Abdominal tergite VII with transverse row of striae of subequal length ( ASSING 2006b: figure 24). Spermatheca as in ASSING (2006b: figure 26), duct straight, neither twisted nor undulate. SW-Sichuan.. longistriatus ASSING

- Whole abdomen bright reddish...........................................................................................9

9. Pronotum strongly transverse, at least nearly 1.5 times as wide as long and more than 1.3 times as wide as head (e.g., Fig. 22 )............................................................................10

- Pronotum weakly transverse, less than 1.4 times as wide as long.....................................12

10. Antennae strongly incrassate; antennomeres V-X strongly transverse ( Fig. 23 ). Legs with blackish-brown femora and tibiae. Forebody shaped as in Fig. 22 . Spermatheca as in Fig. 25 . Yunnan .................................................................................. incrassatus nov.sp.

- Antennomere gradually increasing in width apicad; antennomere V weakly transverse. Legs with yellowish to pale-reddish femora and tibiae....................................................11

11. Pronotum and elytra blackish. Antennomere XI longer and more slender ( ASSING 2009: figure 58). Striation of abdominal tergite VII longer and denser ( ASSING 2009: figure 58). Spermatheca as in ASSING (2009: figure 63). Yunnan. ........................ truncus ASSING

- Pronotum brown; elytra bicolored, yellowish with the postero-lateral angles extensively brown. Antennomere XI shorter and broader ( ASSING 2006b: figure 29). Abdominal tergite VII with shorter and sparser striation ( ASSING 2006b: figure 30). Apex of median lobe angled in lateral view ( ASSING 2006b: figures 32-34); paramere slender, apically without distinct setae ( ASSING 2006b: figure 35). Daba Shan (border between Shaanxi and Chongqing provinces)........................................... conicornis ASSING

12. Antennae longer and more slender, approximately 1.6 mm long; antennomere IX approximately 1.5 times as wide as long ( ASSING 2006a: figure 129). Antennomere I infuscate. Forebody uniformly black. Median lobe of aedeagus as in ASSING (2006a: figures 131, 133). Paramere apically with process of distinctive shape ( ASSING 2006a: figure 135-136). Shaanxi and W-Sichuan ...................................................... gibber ASSING

- Antennae shorter and less slender, at most approximately 1.3 mm long; antennomere IX at least nearly twice as wide as long. Antennomere I not or very weakly infuscate. Forebody often at least partly paler. Sexual characters different......................................13

13. Antennomeres VI-XI blackish, V dark-brown to blackish................................................14

- Antennomere V yellowish to reddish-brown, antennomeres VI-XI gradually darkened, apical antennomeres brown...............................................................................................16

14. Antennae shorter, approximately 1.0 mm long, and nearly symmetric ( Fig. 10 ). Femora brown. Forebody shaped as in Fig. 9 . Apex of ventral process of aedeagus ( Figs 12-13 ) straight in lateral view. Condylite of paramere much shorter than paramerite; apical portion of paramerite rather slender ( Figs 12-15 ). Yunnan .................... dishamatus nov.sp.

- Antennae longer, at least 1.2 mm long, and with distinctly asymmetric antennomeres VII-X. Male sexual characters different............................................................................15

15. Median lobe of aedeagus ( ASSING 2009: figures 52-54) with crista apicalis small and oblique. Paramere with condylite distinctly shorter than paramerite, paramerite apically with four short setae and laterally with incision of distinctive shape ( ASSING 2009: figure 55). Yunnan .............................................................................. scissus ASSING

- Median lobe of aedeagus ( Figs 19-20 ) with more pronounced crista apicalis meeting with the ventral process at an angle of approximately 90°. Paramere of different shape ( Fig. 21 ). Taiwan................................................................................... formosanus nov.sp.

16. Ventral process of aedeagus of distinctive shape, strongly hooked apically ( PACE 2012: figures 18-19). Sichuan ............................................................................... uncinatus PACE

- Ventral process of aedeagus not strongly hooked apically................................................17

17. Meso- and metatibiae long and smoothly curved. Paramere very small both absolutely and in relation to median lobe of aedeagus, condylite very short ( ASSING 2006b: figure 20); median lobe of aedeagus shaped as in ASSING (2006b: figures 18-19). W-Sichuan ...... ................................................................................................................ parvilobus ASSING

- Meso- and metatibiae shorter and not distinctly curved. Parameres larger and of different shape; median lobe of aedeagus of different morphology.................................18

18. Antennae more slender and less strongly asymmetric ( ASSING 2010: figure 3). Eyes larger ( ASSING 2010: figure 2). Median lobe of aedeagus smaller, 0.62 mm long, with slender and apically acute ventral process ( ASSING 2010: figures 7-8). Paramere with condylite apically tapering, not reaching apex of paramerite; paramerite apically narrow ( ASSING 2010: figure 25). Yunnan ....................................................... alesi ASSING

- Antennae stouter and more strongly asymmetric ( ASSING 2006b: figure 15). Eyes smaller ( ASSING 2006b: figures 2-3). Median lobe of aedeagus larger, approximately 0.75 mm long; ventral process relatively short in relation to basal part, in lateral view almost straight ( ASSING 2006b: figures 8-9). Paramere of derived morphology, paramerite apically obliquely truncate and with membranous velum, condylite moderately stout, apically extending slightly beyond sclerotised apex of paramerite ( ASSING 2006b: figures 10-11). Sichuan, Shaanxi .................................... schuelkei ASSING

Figures

Figs 28-33: Orphnebius multimpressus nov.sp.: habitus (28); forebody (29); abdomen (30); tergite VIII (31); sternite VIII (32); spermatheca (33). Scale bars: 28-30: 1.0 mm; 31-32: 0.5 mm; 33: 0.2 mm.

Figs 34-39: Orphnebius planicollis nov.sp. (34, 36-37, 39: holotype; 35, 38: paratype): male forebody (34); female foreboy (35); antenna (36); male abdomen (37); female abdomen (38); anterior portion of left side of abdomen in dorso-lateral view (39). Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

Figs 40-45: Orphnebius planicollis nov.sp.: (40); male abdominal segments VII-VIII in dorsal view (40); median lobe of aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view (41-42); paramere (43); apical portion of paramere (44); spermatheca (45). Scale bars: 40: 0.5 mm; 41-45: 0.2 mm.

Figs 1-8: Orphnebius tridentatus nov.sp.: forebody (1); antenna (2); abdomen (3); male tergite VIII (4); male sternite VIII (5); median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view (6); median lobe of aedeagus in ventral view (7); paramere (8). Scale bars: 1-3: 1.0 mm; 4-5: 0.2 mm; 6-8: 0.1 mm.

Figs 22-27: Orphnebius incrassatus nov.sp. (22-25) and O. formosanus nov.sp. (26-27): forebody (22); antenna (23); abdomen (24); spermatheca (25, 27); tergite VII (26). Scale bars: 22-24: 0.5 mm; 25-27: 0.2 mm.

Figs 9-15: Orphnebius dishamatus nov.sp.: forebody (9); antenna (10); abdomen (11); median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view (12); median lobe of aedeagus in ventral view (13); paramere (14); apical portion of paramerite (15). Scale bars: 9-11: 0.5 mm; 12-14: 0.2 mm; 15: 0.1 mm.

Figs 16-21: Orphnebius formosanus nov.sp.: forebody (16); antenna (17); abdomen (18); median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view (19); median lobe of aedeagus in ventral view (20); paramere (21). Scale bars: 16-18: 0.5 mm; 19-21: 0.2 mm.