Eupines (Byraxis) longiceps Raffray, 1904

Shen, Jia-Wei & Leschen, Richard A. B., 2020, Revision of Eupines King of New Zealand (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae: Goniaceritae), Zootaxa 4777 (1), pp. 1-84 : 47-49

Eupines (Byraxis) longiceps Raffray, 1904

Fig. 30 ; map Fig. 52

Eupines (Byraxis) longiceps Raffray, 1904: 124 . Raffray 1911: 83, 1924: 157; Nomura and Leschen 2006: 255; Maddison 2010: 417; Shen and Leschen 2019: 268 .

Type locality: New Zealand .

Type depository: MNHN LT ♂ ; BMNH 2 PLT .

Diagnosis: Head with vertexal foveae barely visible; antennae 10-segmented with 4-segmented antennal club; A4, A5, A6, A7 and A8 unmodified, A7 and A8 asymmetrical and short, A9 with apical half impressed at dorsal side, lateral side excavated, with curved spine at upper margin of excavation, A10 axe-shaped, with long setae around margin, broadly impressed at lateral and ventral side, strongly narrowed at base. Abdominal ventrite 2 with pair of large discal protuberances, inserted with short and wide apical setae; ventrite 6 with apical margin slightly sinuate, with pair of short median struts, slightly shorter than one-third of ventral length. Protrochanters with medium-sized ventral spine, about half of protrochanteral width; protibiae with minute apical protuberance; mesotibiae unmodified.

Redescription: Body length 1.55–1.64 mm; body colour reddish brown to dark brown with lighter coloured elytra and legs. Head as long as wide; frons slightly narrowed at end, about half width of head at eye level; eyes well developed, with about 29 facets; vertexal foveae barely visible; antennal tubercles moderately developed; lacking postantennal notches; postantennal cavities large, slightly longer than antennal tubercles in dorsal view; antennae 10-segmented with 4-segmented antennal club; A4, A5, A6, A7 and A8 unmodified, A7 and A8 asymmetrical and short, A9 with apical half impressed at dorsal side, lateral side excavated, with curved spine at upper margin of excavation, A10 axe-shaped, with long setae around margin, broadly impressed at lateral and ventral side, strongly narrowed at base. Pronotum slightly longer than wide, about as wide as head at eye level; lacking lateral antebasal foveae. Elytra slightly longer than wide, widest at apical three-fifths; humeral calli barely prominent; sutural stria distinct and narrow, extending from base to apex. Abdomen with tergite 1 about 1.5 × longer than tergite 2; ventrite 2 with pair of large discal protuberances, inserted with short and wide apical setae; ventrite 6 with apical margin slightly sinuate, with pair of short median struts, slightly shorter than one-third of ventral length. Legs with protrochanters modified with medium-sized ventral spine, about half of protrochanteral width; protibiae with minute apical protuberance; mesotibiae unmodified. Aedeagus about 0.34 mm long, with long and stout parameres, sinuate towards apex, slightly narrowed at base, apex strongly curved inwards and twisted, forming hook-shaped end; median lobe small, with two symmetrical horn-shaped sclerites slightly curved towards each other in dorsal view, basal bulb large, nearly twice length of median lobe.

Comments: The last antennal segment of E. (B.) longiceps (Figs 3.29B–C) resembles the head of an axe, which can separate this species from all other Eupines .

Distribution: North Island. WN. South Island. NC, MC, MK.

Additional material examined: 69 ♂♂, WN: 16, JNPC, Waikawa Beach , 18/Mar/1990, J.T. Nunn Collection; NC: 9, JNPC, CC Deans Bush , Christchurch , 14/May/1990, J.T. Nunn Collection; 1, JNPC, Riccarton Bush , Christchurch , 23/May/1993, J.T. Nunn Collection; MC: 42, 13/Oct/1951, 21/Jan/1952 and 01/Feb/1952, Riccarton Bush, Christchurch S.I.; MK: 1, Pukaki Reserve, 08/Jan/2006, R. Leschen, T. Buckley, R. Hoare, tussock leaf litter, 44°13'S 170°01'E. Associated females (4 ♀♀): MC: 3, 13/Oct/1951 and 01/Feb/1952, Riccarton Bush, Christchurch S.I.; 1, JNPC, CC Deans Bush, Christchurch, 14/May/1990, J.T. Nunn Collection .

Figures

FIGURE 30. Diagnostic characters of E. (B.) longiceps Raffray, 1904. A) Habitus. B) Antenna, in dorsal view. C) Same, in lateral view. D) Protrochanter. E) Protibia. F) Ventrite 2. G) Ventrite 6. H) Aedeagus, in dorsal view. I) Same, in lateral view. J) Same, in ventral view. Scale bars: A = 1 mm, B–F = 0.2 mm, G–J = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 52. Geographic distributions of E. (B.) impar (Sharp, 1874), E. (B.) impressifrons (Broun, 1880), E. (B.) insolita sp. n., E. (B.) lewisi Broun, 1910, E. (B.) longiceps Raffray, 1904, E. (B.) mayae sp. n., and E. (B.) micans (Sharp, 1874) in New Zealand.