Plesiochara Sawada, 1989

Inoue, Shûgo & Maruyama, Munetoshi, 2022, Revision of the genus Plesiochara Sawada (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Zootaxa 5165 (4), pp. 501-519 : 502-517

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5165.4.3
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B0760118-093B-4198-8EB4-B7B6CA39BE14
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6857486
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/FA188782-FF87-FFFB-1283-FDF67DBEFAC7
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Plesiochara Sawada, 1989
status

Treatment

Genus Plesiochara Sawada, 1989 View in CoL

Japanese common name: Kusabira-hanekakushi-zoku

Plesiochara Sawada, 1989: 304 View in CoL [original description,

type species: Plesiochara fusca Sawada, 1989 View in CoL ].

Diagnosis. This genus is distinguished from the other genera of Aleocharini by the combination of the following character states: body elongate; head, pronotum, mesoventrite, metaventrite, abdominal sternites, elytra, and legs covered with setae rather densely; labial palpus with segment II longer, with setae e, f located far remote from mp ( Sawada 1989: Fig. 14C); pronotum almost hexagonal; hypomera visible in lateral view; elytra longer than pronotum; inner coxal process of mesoventrite narrow, elongate, reaching beyond the half of mesocoxal cavities; surface of fore and middle tibia not covered with spines; median lobe of aedeagus fusiform; apical lobe rather thin from lateral view, dilated at apical in ventral view; internal sac composed of multiple sclerites; one pair of sclerites 1 (sc1) located near apex of apical lobe; one pair of sclerites 2 (sc2) located dorsal side of sclerites 1, oval at anterior part and arm-shaped at posterior part; sclerite 3 (sc3) located basal side of sclerites 2; flagellum long, curved ventrally and bifurcated at base; spermatheca with capsule (ca) spherical or ovate: chamber (ch) short, simple.

Remarks. This genus is well characterized by the structure of aedeagus: shapes of sclerites 1–3 and flagellum as mentioned above though their polarities are unknown. Plesiochara is similar to Pseudocalea Luze in general appearance, but can be separated by the structure of aedeagus and short chamber of spermatheca.

Key to species of Plesiochara

1 Head, thorax and abdomen dark brown ( Figs 1A View FIGURE 1 , 4A View FIGURE 4 , 6A View FIGURE 6 ); dorsal surface of head and pronotum with reticulation; basal impression of abdominal tergites III–VII with pores small to medium................................................. 2

- Head, thorax and abdomen reddish brown to light brown, darker in head and posterior part of abdomen ( Fig. 9A View FIGURE 9 ); dorsal surface of head and pronotum without reticulation; basal impression of abdominal tergites III–VII with pores large; legs longer (HTL/ PL = 1.41–1.54)......................................................................... P. rufula View in CoL sp. nov.

2 Hypomera with posterior part of carina directed posteriorly almost paralleled to lateral margin ( Fig. 12A View FIGURE 12 ); legs shorter (HTL/PL 1.13–1.20); median lobe of aedeagus with apical lobe thick; sclerites 1 strongly convex and curved laterally at posterior margin ( Fig. 1B–E View FIGURE 1 ); spermatheca with capsule spherical.......................................... P. japonica View in CoL comb. nov.

- Hypomera with posterior part of carina directed to posterolateral corners obliquely ( Fig. 12B, D–F View FIGURE 12 ); legs longer (HTL/PL 1.27–1.47); median lobe of aedeagus thin; sclerites 1 not as above ( Fig. 4B–E View FIGURE 4 , 6B–E View FIGURE 6 ); spermatheca with capsule ovate ( Fig. 4F View FIGURE 4 , 6F View FIGURE 6 )................................................................................................. 3

3 Hypomera with carina not curved inward at posterior end ( Fig. 12B View FIGURE 12 ); legs longer (HTL/PL = 1.35–1.47); median lobe of aedeagus with apical lobe weakly curved dorsally at apex, curved ventrally at base ( Fig. 4B–E View FIGURE 4 ); spermatheca with capsule longer than chamber ( Fig. 4F View FIGURE 4 )........................................................................... P. nitida View in CoL

- Hypomera with carina curved inward at posterior end in most cases ( Fig. 12D–E View FIGURE 12 ); legs rather longer (HTL/PL = 1.27–1.40); median lobe of aedeagus with apical lobe entirely curved ventrally ( Fig. 6B–E View FIGURE 6 ); spermatheca with capsule almost as long as chamber ( Fig. 6F View FIGURE 6 )........................................................................ P. inflexa View in CoL sp. nov.