Episcaphium changchini Sheng & Gu

Sheng, Chun & Gu, Fu-Kang, 2009, Two new species of the genus Episcaphium Lewis (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scaphidiinae) of China, Zootaxa 2325, pp. 35-38 : 36-37

Episcaphium changchini Sheng & Gu , sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–7 )

Type material. Holotype: CHINA: Shaanxi Prov.: m#, 33º51’203”N, 107º50’183”E, Qingling, Houzhenzi, Zhouzhi County, alt. 1260–1336 m, 5–10.V.2008, HUANG Hao & XU Wang leg. Paratypes: 8m #m#, 7f#f#, same data as the holotype.

Description. BL: 4.6–4.8 mm. PW: 2.0– 2.2 mm.

Head black except mouthparts ochreous. Pronotum ochreous to reddish, with anterior edge dark reddish brown to black, and a pair of small black spots on median portion anterior to antebasal puncture row. Elytra ochreous to reddish, each with small oblique black spot at middle of apical edge. Abdomen ochreous to reddish. Ventral surface ochreous to reddish except prosternum, anterior half of mesoventrite, mesepisterna and coxae dark brown to black. Antennae with segments 1 to 6 reddish brown to dark brown, club black with apical portion of terminal segment slightly lighter. Femora and tibiae black, tarsi reddish brown.

Frons at narrowest point 0.42–0.46 mm wide. Head irregularly and coarsely punctate, punctation coarse and dense on vertex, relatively fine and dense on tempora, relatively fine and sparse on neck. Intervals between punctures mostly equal puncture diameter, except on vertex where punctures distinctly smaller. Labium smooth. Gular striae impressed, groove-like basally. Hypopharynx with slightly emarginate anterior margin.

Pronotum with lateral margin slightly curved, antebasal puncture row interrupted at middle, impressed laterally. Discal punctures fine and sparse. Elytra with shallow apical impression and indistinct humeral protuberance, without lateral impression, disc with four discal puncture rows consisting of rather coarse punctures and becoming finer posteriorly. First and second puncture rows starting at about posterior to basal ninth of elytron, third and fourth puncture rows join to or start somewhat behind the basal stria row, and ending at about apical third to fourth. Punctation relatively fine between rows and slightly coarser posterior to puncture rows blurring the row ending. First, second and fourth rows straight, third row slightly oblique. Mesoventral process ( Fig. 3 ) with raised, ridge-like edges, grooved in middle. Metaventrite ( Fig. 4 ) finely and sparsely punctate, lacking microsculpture, with medio-apical impression shallow, narrowed anteriorly and carinate laterally.

Sternite 3 irregularly and finely punctate, with very dense micropunctures. The following sternites extremely sparse and finely punctate, with microsculpture consisting of transverse striae. Exposed abdominal tergites with even, fine and sparse punctures, with microsculpture consisting of transverse striae.

Male sexual character. Segments 1 to 3 of protarsi slightly widened. Aedeagus ( Figs. 5, 6 ) 1.34 mm long. Median lobe with apical portion inflexed in lateral view. Basal process small, slightly prominent. Parameres slightly sinuate in lateral view. Internal sac ( Fig. 7 ) with two pairs of sclerotized rods.

Distribution. China (Shaanxi).

Remarks. This new species is very similar to E. haematoides Löbl, 1999 in coloration, but it may be distinguished by the characters listed in the key.

Etymology. This species is named in honor of Mr. Chen Chang-chin ( Tianjin), who helps us a lot in our field work.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 7. Episcaphium changchini sp. nov. 1 — habitus; 2 — antenna; 3 — mesoventral process; 4 — metaventrite; 5 — aedeagus, lateral view; 6 — aedeagus, dorsal view; 7 — detail of internal sac. Scale bar 1 mm (1), 0.25 mm (2 – 7).