Philomyceta, Cameron, 1944

Tang, Liang, 2019, On the genus Philomyceta of China (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (Acta. Ent. Mus. Natl. Pragae) 59 (1), pp. 133-137 : 136-137

Updated key to Philomyceta species

The key is based on that by SCHILLHAMMER (2014), with P. biwenxuani sp. nov. included. The unidentified species from Xizang: Nielamu County is very similar to P. spoerii and P. kleebergi which can be only distinguished by male genitalia (see couplet 10) and is hence not included in the key.

1 Apical margin of elytra narrowly but sharply delimited by yellowish coloration, at least in lateral half. ....... 2

‒ Elytra entirely dark, metallic bluish to partly greenish in color. .................................................................... 6

2 Antennomere VIII creamy white; first three visible abdominal tergites with transverse basal depression and pairs of subparallel to oblique basal accessory lines; elytra without distinct longitudinal carinae. .... 3

‒ Antennomere VIII dark; first five visible abdominal tergites with transverse basal depression, first four visible tergites with pairs of subparallel to oblique basal accessory lines; elytra with distinct longitudinal carinae. .................................................................... 4

3 Antennomere XI creamy white; elytra entirely dark except for narrowly yellowish posterior margin; first three visible abdominal tergites black. ....................... ............................................... P. biwenxuani sp. nov.

‒ Antennal segment XI dark; elytra with basal fifth reddish; first three visible abdominal tergites reddish. .................................... P. semicyanea ( Fauvel, 1895)

4 Pronotum reddish, abdominal segment VIII yellowish. .......................... P. costata ( Fauvel, 1895)

‒ Pronotum blackish, abdominal segment VIII with basal two thirds yellowish and apical third black. ............. 5

5 Abdominal segment III reddish, segments IV and V reddish with medio-posterior portion darkened. ........ .......................... P. asperipennis Schillhammer, 2012

‒ Abdominal segment III–V blackish. .......................... .............................. P. taungmae Schillhammer, 2018

6 First three visible abdominal tergites with transverse basal depression and pair of distinct subparallel to very slightly oblique carinae; tergite VI with much weaker depression and either without carinae or carinae very indistinct and short; posterior margin of tergite VII broadly bright reddish, occupying up to one fourth of tergite length (from basal line to posterior margin); legs always entirely black, rarely tibiae dark brown. .................................................................................. 7

‒ First four visible tergites with distinct transverse basal depression and pair of distinct and markedly oblique carinae; posterior margin of tergite VII very narrowly obscurely reddish, if broadly bright reddish, then legs entirely reddish. ....................................................... 8

7 Eyes larger, tempora less than 1.3 times as long as eyes, median lobe of aedeagus with apex simple. ...... ............................................ P. affinis Cameron, 1944

‒ Eyes smaller, tempora at least 1.4 times as long as eyes, median lobe of aedeagus with apex deeply bifurcate. ............ P. schawalleri Schillhammer, 2012

8 Legs red, rarely dark reddish brown. .......................... ............................... P. caeruleipennis Cameron, 1944

‒ Legs black. .............................................................. 9

9 Eyes larger, tempora about 1.6 times as long as eyes in males, less than 1.5 times in females; paramere with distinctly broadened apex, aedeagus: fig. 5 in SCHILLHAMMER (2014). ................................................ .................................. P. kucerai Schillhammer, 2014

‒ Eyes smaller, tempora more than 1.7 times as long as eyes in males, at least 1.6 times in females; paramere without broadened apex. ....................................... 10

10 Paramere more asymmetric with area of sensory peg setae longer, aedeagus: fig. 13 in SCHILLHAMMER (2012). ..................... P. spoerrii Schillhammer, 2012

‒ Paramere less asymmetric with area of sensory peg setae shorter, aedeagus: fig. 12 in SCHILLHAMMER (2012). ................... P. kleebergi Schillhammer, 2012