Micropeplus songi, Zheng & Li & Yan, 2014

Zheng, Fa-Ke, Li, Yu-Jie & Yan, Xiang-Hui, 2014, A new species of the genus Micropeplus Latreille (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Micropeplinae) from China, Zoological Systematics 39 (3), pp. 445-448 : 445-447

Micropeplus songi sp. nov. ( Figs 1–14 )

Diagnosis. This species is very similar to M. xiaoae Zheng, Yan & Li from Sihuan, China, but may be distinguished from the latter by its median area of pronotum with fourteen cells enclosed by costae, pseudepipleural costa of elytra distinctly separated anteriorly and posteriorly from epipleural costa, wings short and small, and right paramere of aedeagus widened strongly in apical 1/3 and with one long and one short subapical setae, left paramere with two long ones. This species also resembles M. spinatus Campbell from Taiwan, China, but differs in its median area of pronotum with fourteen cells enclosed by costae, median impression of metasternum elongate and more than half as long as metasternum, longitudinal carinae of 4th to 6th abdominal tergites throughout length of tergite, and right paramere of aedeagus only with one long and one short subapical setae.

Description. Head black; disc of pronotum, elytra and abdomen dark brown to blackish brown; basal eight segments of antennae, maxillary and labial palpi, legs, and sides of pronotum reddish brown; basal half of apical segment of antennae blackish brown.

Length 2.4–2.5 mm.

Head subtriangular, very transverse, about 1.25 times as broad as long, narrower than pronotum (ratio 0.41); anterior margin of head broadly triangular, no sexually dimorphic. Vertex with longitudinal median carina extending from level of middle of eyes to base of head, area on each side of carina slightly impressed, one line transverse carina and two oblique ones at middle on inner side of each eye, and space between carinae granulate; clypeus visible from above, with slightly deflexed anterior margin and granulate surface. Antennae nine-segmented, usually receding onto the under surface of pronotum for their reception; 1st segment robuster than 2nd to 8th segments, lightly opaque and about equal in length to 2nd and 3rd combined; 2nd slightly shorter and narrower than 1st and narrowed apicad; 3rd to 6th gradually decreasing in © Zoological Systematics, 39(3): 445–448 length, longer than broad and narrower than 2nd; 7th and 8th transverse; apical segment largest and oval, with dense pubescence.

Pronotum subtrapezoidal, about 2.05 times as broad as long, widest at base, shorter than elytra (ratio 0.64) and about equal in width to it; sides irregularly sinuate, with 2–4 very small teeth; anterior margin broadly emarginated and almost straight in middle, posterior margin bisinuate; anterior angles produced forwards, posterior ones almost rectangular; surface finely granulate; lateral areas broadly explanate; median area elevated dorsally, with fourteen cells enclosed by costae, three on anterior half, four on both sides of middle, and seven on basal half.

Scutellum subtriangular with finely granulate surface.

Elytra subquadrate, about 1.25 times as broad as long, slightly widened apicad, diacal area slightly convex, abruptly and transversely depressed in apical fifth along apical margin; each elytron with four costae, one sutural, two discal and one humeral; iterspaces of costae with irregular rows of coarse punctures, 1st interspace with two rows, 2nd with three rows, 3rd with four rows; pseudepipleural costa present between humeral and epipleural costae, straight and distinctly separated anteriorly and posteriorly from epipleural costa; interspace between humeral and pseudepipleural costae with row of coarse punctures, interspace between pseudepipleural and epipleural costae with tree irregular rows of coarse punctures. Wings short and small.

Median impression of metasternum slightly broad, elongate, more than half as long as metasternum, abdomen narrowed apicad, 3rd to 7th tergites each strongly transversely depressed at basal half, 3rd with one short longitudinal carina in middle, 4th to 6th each with three longitudinal carinae throughout length of tergite, 7th with three abbreviated carinae in apical half.

Male. Anterior tibia without tooth on medial margin, medial margins of meso- and metatibiae each armed with a large triangular tooth near apical third. Apical margin of eighth sternite shallowly triangularly emarginated, and slightly depressed before emargination. Aedeagus broad and short, median lobe curving to ventral side in apex; parameres fused with median lobe, right paramere longer than left one, very widened in apical third and with one long and one short subapical setae, left paramere with two long ones.

Female. Similar to male, though differing from the latter by 8th sternite lacking emargination of apical margin, and meso- and metatibiae without large triangular tooth on medial margins.

Holotype ♂, China, Sichuan, Mt. Wahui, Jiulong (28°19′N – 28°20′ N, 101°07′E – 102°10′ E; elev. 3 900 m), 24 August 2006, collected by Dian-Yuan Song. Paratypes 2♀, same data as holotype .

Habitat and Distribution. The species was found from fungi, it is at present known from the type locality in Western Sichuan .

Etymology. The specific epithet is patronymic in honor of the collector of the holotype, Dian-Yuan Song.

Acknowledgments We are heartily grateful to Dr. J. M. Campbell, Biosystematics Research Centre, Agriculture Canada, Dr. A. F. Newton, Department of Zoology, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A., and Prof. Y. Watanabe, Laboratory of Insect Resources, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Atsugi, Kanagawa, Japan, for their kind help with the literature.

Figures

Figs 1–14. Micropeplus songi sp. nov. 1–2. Dorsal habitus. 1, 10. Male. 2, 11. Female. 3. Head. 4. Pronotum. 5. Elytra. 6. Epipleura. 7. Wing. 8. Metasternum. 9. 3rd to 7th tergites of abdomen. 10–11. 8th Sternite. 12–14. Aedeagus. 12. Ventral view. 13. Lateral view. 14. Dorsal view.