Oedichirus, Erichson, 1839

Rougemont, Guillaume de, 2018, The genus Oedichirus in New Caledonia (Staphylinidae: Paederinae: Pinophilini), Linzer biologische Beiträge 50 (1), pp. 537-586 : 539-541

Key to the New Caledonian species of Oedichirus

(use of this key requires measurements, particularly of the length of the fore-body).

1 Large species, over 10 mm long, fore-body over 4 mm; body entirely black......................2

- Smaller species 4.5 – 9.5 mm long, fore-body under 4 mm; body black, brown or bicolorous..........................................................................................................................14

2 Head with microsculpture; this may be very dense, making the surface shagreened or matt, or less evident, giving the surface a sericeous or greasy-lustrous appearance, or consist of very fine reticulation (only clearly visible at x40-50 magnification) on a shiny background ................................................................................................................3

- Head glossy, devoid of microsculpture; habitus: Fig. 12h; aedoeagus: Fig. 12arl................. .................................................................................................................. monteithi nov.sp.

3 Microsculpture very dense, surface of head shagreened or matt; legs testaceous, knees broadly infuscate .................................................................................................................4

- Microsculpture sparser and ♀ or finer, surface sericeous or greasy-lustrous, or shiny..........6

4 Temples long, retracted in almost straight lines from eye to neck; aedoeagus: Fig. 1arl, av................................................................................................................ manautei nov.sp.

- Temples shorter, rounded, coarctate with base....................................................................5

5 Middle of abdominal tergites III-VI with only four large punctures each; habitus: Fig. 3h; vulvar plate: Fig. 3vp .......................................................................... peckorum nov.sp.

- Middle of abdominal tergites III-VI with more numerous, smaller punctures; habitus: Fig. 2h; aedoeagus: Fig. 2arl; vulvar plate: Fig. 2vp ................................... hermani nov.sp.

6 Puncturation of pronotum fine and sparser (Fig. 4h), with a discrete pair of irregular discal series of punctures. The following five species ("novacaledonicus complex", also characterised by a very long apical process of dorsal blade of the median lobe as well as long ventral process) can only be reliably identified by the sexual characters, particularly the shape of the apex of the of the ventral process of the aedoeagus ...............7

- Puncturation of pronotum coarse and dense, discal series wanting or confused with surrounding coarse punctures ............................................................................................11

7 Aedoeagus: Fig. 4arl, plate AEA; vulvar plate: Fig. 4vp; cephalic microsculpture distinct; knees narrowly infuscate .................................................. novacaledonicus nov.sp.

- Aedoeagus and vulvar plate otherwise ................................................................................8

8 Aedoeagus: Fig; 5arl, plate AEB; vulvar plate: Fig. 5vp; cephalic microsculpture distinct; knees not or only narrowly and lightly infuscate ........................ oceanicus nov.sp.

- Aedoeagus and vulvar plate otherwise ................................................................................9

9 Aedoeagus: Fig. 6arl, plate AEC; vulvar plate: Fig. 6vp. cephalic microsculpture distinct; knees not or only narrowly and lightly infuscate ....................... muscicolus nov.sp.

- Aedoeagus and vulvar plate otherwise ..............................................................................10

10 Aedoeagus: Fig. 7arl, plate AED; vulvar plate: Fig. 7vp; temples shorter; cephalic microsculpture indistinct; knees lightly infuscate .................................. zealandicus nov.sp.

- Aedoeagus: Fig. 8arl, plate AEE; temples longer; cephalic microsculpture distinct knees broadly and sharply infuscate................................................................ amoamontis nov.sp.

11 Head longer, temples long, retracted in almost straight lines to neck; legs entirely testaceous; habitus: Fig. 9h; aedoeagus: Fig. 9arl; vulvar plate: Fig. 9vp ............................. ............................................................................................................... despointesi nov.sp.

- Head more transverse, temples shorter, rounded...............................................................12

12 Legs entirely testaceous, knees not or only very lightly infuscate.....................................13

- Legs testaceous, knees sharply infuscate; habitus: Fig. 11h; aedoeagus: Figs. 11arl, av; vulvar plate: Fig. 11vp ..................................................................................... cooki nov.sp.

13 Head broader (1.2 mm) and less strongly microsculptate; habitus: Fig. 10h; female strnite IX: Fig. 10vp ........................................................................................ kanak nov.sp.

- Head narrower (1.16 mm) and more strongly microsculptate; habitus: Fig. 11h; female sternite IX: Fig. 11vp ...................................................................................... theryi nov.sp.

14 Head with microsculpture; this may be strong and dense, or less evident, giving the surface a sericeous or greasy-lustrous appearance, or consist of very fine reticulation (only clearly visible at x40-50 magnification) on a shiny background..............................15

- Head devoid of microsculpture (doubt may arise in the case of O. loebli , which is included in this section).....................................................................................................22

15 Body entirely black (elytra sometimes obscurely reddish in pteropophilus).....................16

- At least elytra and abdomen brown; legs entirely testaceous ............................................17

16 Smaller; legs entirely testaceous; elytra transverse; puncturation finer and dense; postocular border strongly marked; habitus: Fig. 14h; aedoeagus: Fig. 14arl vulvar plate: Fig. 14vp ............................................................................................ pteropophilus nov.sp.

- Larger; knees infuscate; elytra elongate; puncturation very coarse and sparser; postocular border obsolete; habitus: Fig. 15h; vulvar plate: Fig. 15vp .. grossepunctatus nov.sp.

17 Head of characteristic shape, flattened (Fig. 16h), temples long, retracted to neck in almost straight lines; pronotum and elytra sparsely punctate; pronotum microsculptate; aedoeagus: Fig.16arl; vulvar plate: Fig. 16vp ........................................... planiceps nov.sp.

- Head more convex, temples shorter, rounded; pronotum and elytra densely and coarsely punctate; pronotum glossy, devoid of microsculpture.........................................19

19 Smaller species 7-7.3 mm long, fore-body ca. 2.6; abdomen black; habitus: Fig. 17h; aedoeagus: Fig. 17arl; vulvar plate: Fig. 17vp............................................. maierae nov.sp.

- Larger species 7.7-9 mm long, fore-body over 3 mm; abdomen brown, sometimes with black marks .......................................................................................................................20

20 Head finely and very sparsely punctate; abdominal tergites coarsely and more sparsely punctate; habitus: Fig. 18h; aedoeagus: Fig. 18arl; vulvar plate: Fig. 18vp .......................... .................................................................................................................... burwelli nov.sp.

- Head coarsely and densely punctate; abdominal tergites more finely and densely punctate; habitus: Figs 19h, 20h........................................................................................21

21 Aedoeagus: Fig. 19arl; vulvar plate: Fig. 19vp ...................................... bilaminatus nov.sp.

- Aedoagus: Fig. 20arl; vulvar plate: Fig. 20vp .................................... semibrunneus nov.sp.

22 Puncturation of abdominal tergites dense and regular, without impunctate areas .............23

- Puncturation of abdominal tergites sparser and irregular, leaving some areas impunctate.........................................................................................................................33

23 Small species, under 7 mm long, fore-body under 3 mm long ..........................................24 Larger species, 7.5-8.5 mm long, fore-body over 3 mm long............................................31

24 Smallest New Caledonian species, under 5 mm long, fore-body under 2 mm ..................25

- Larger species, over 5.5 mm long; fore-body over 2 mm ..................................................26

25 Body dark brown; habitus: Fig. 21h; aedoagus: Fig. 21arl; vulvar plate: Fig. 21vp.............. ..................................................................................................................... pusillus nov.sp.

- Body black; habitus: Fig. 22h; aedoeagus: Figs. 22arl, av .............. unguesdraconis nov.sp.

26 Body unicolorous, brown or black ....................................................................................27

- Head and pronotum black, elytra pale brown, abdominal tergites bicolorous; habitus: Fig. 37h; female sternite IX: Fig. 37vp .................................................. fauvelianus nov sp.

27 Pubescence of elytra and abdomen sparser, decumbent ....................................................28

- Pubescence of elytra and abdomen very dense, short and erect ........................................29

28 Body deep black; puncturation of pronotum coarse and sparse, interstices wider than diameter of punctures; pubescence of abdomen sparse; habitus: Fig. 23h; female sternite IX: Fig. 23vp ............................................ taghavianae nov.sp.; sedilloti FAUVEL ♂

- Body piceous, elytra dark brown; puncturation of pronotum fine and very dense; pubescence dense on elytra and abdomen; habitus: Fig. 24h; female sternite IX: Fig........... ........................................................................................................................ caupo nov.sp.

29 Larger and broader species, elytra 1.4 mm wide; habitus: Fig. 25h; female sternite IX: Fig. 25vp .................................................................................................... vaginalis nov.sp.

- Smaller and less broad species; elytra ca. 1.1 mm wide; habitus: Figs. 26, 27, 28h..........30

30 Aedoeagus: Fig. 26arl; female sternite IX: Fig. 26vp.................................... pilosus nov.sp.

- Aedoeagus: Fig. 27arl; female sternite IX: Fig. 27vp........................... mimopilosus nov.sp.

31 Abdomen unicolorous, brown; habitus: Fig. 28h; aedoagus: Fig. 28av...... oundaensis LAST

- Abdomen bicolorous, brown and black.............................................................................32

32 Head sparsely punctate; suture of elytra narrowly infuscate; centres of abdominal tergites shiny, devoid of microsculpture; habitus: Fig. 29h; aedoeagus: Fig. 29arl; female sternite IX: Fig. 29vp.................................................................... laperousei nov.sp.

- Head densely punctate; suture of elytra not darkened; centres of abdominal tergites duller, densely microsculptate; habitus: Fig. 30h; aedoeagus: Fig. 30arl; female sternite IX: Fig. 30vp ........................................................................................ dzumacensis nov.sp.

33 Smaller species, 5.8 mm long; fore-body 2.6 mm; habitus: Fig. 31h; aedoeagus: Fig. 31arl; female sternite IX: Fig. 31vp...................................................... pteroposaltis nov.sp.

- Larger species, over 6 mm long; fore-body over 3 mm .....................................................34

34 Body entirely deep black; habitus: Fig. 32h; aedoeagus: Fig. 32arl female sternite IX: Fig. 32vp ............................................................................................... nigropolitus nov.sp.

- Head and pronotum black, or brown more or less extensively marked with black, elytra reddish-brown, abdomen bicolorous, brown and black.....................................................35

35 Vertex of head with a cluster of ca. 8 punctures................................................................36

- Vertex of head with a cluster of more numerous punctures ..............................................37

36 Elytra larger; punctures of abdominal tergites coarser; habitus: Fig. 33h; aedoeagus: Fig. 33arl; female sternite IX: Fig. 33vp ......................................................... loebli nov.sp.

- Elytra smaller and more transverse; punctures of abdominal tergites finer, similar to species below; habitus: Fig. 34h; aedoeagus: Fig. 34arl; female sternite IX: Fig. 34vp........ .................................................................................................................. giachinoi nov.sp.

37 Infuscation of abdominal tergites more extensive, covering centre and posterior margins of tergites III and IV; habitus: Fig. 35h; female sternite IX: Fig.35vp .................... .............................................................................................................. nitidiventris nov.sp.

- Tergites III and IV not infuscate; habitus: Fig. 36h; female sternite IX: Fig. 36vp ............... ...................................................................................................................... ianitrix nov.sp.