Lathrobium zhangdinghengi Peng, Li & Zhao

Peng, Zhong, Li, Li-Zhen & Zhao, Mei-Jun, 2012, New species of the genus Lathrobium Gravenhorst (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae) from Guangxi, South China, Zootaxa 3389, pp. 1-16 : 9

Lathrobium zhangdinghengi Peng, Li & Zhao , sp. nov.

( Figs. 1 E, 6)

Type material. (3 3, 10 ƤƤ). HOLOTYPE: 3, labelled ‘ CHINA: GUANGXI Prov. / Lingui County / Huaping N. R. / Anjiangping / 17.vii.2011, alt. 1,300–1,780 m / Yan Chen & Wen-Li Ma leg.’. PARATYPES: 1 Ƥ, same label data as holotype; 2 3, 1Ƥ, same, but ‘alt. 1,500 m / Liang Tang leg.’; 1 Ƥ, same data, but ‘alt. 1,700 m / Zhong Peng leg.’; 2 ƤƤ, same, but ‘ 14.vii.2011, alt. 1,400–1,700 m / Zhong Peng leg.’; 3 ƤƤ, same data, but ‘ 14.vii.2011, alt. 1,400–1,700 m / Ling Tang & Wen-Jia He leg.’; 1 Ƥ, same data, but ‘alt. 1,400–1,700 m / Ling Tang & Wen-Jia He leg.’; 1 Ƥ, same data, but ‘ 12.vii.2011, alt. 1,400–1,700 m / Chen, Ma, Peng & Zhu leg.’.

Description. Measurements and ratios: BL 10.05–11.62, HL 1.36–1.44, HW 1.59–1.63, PL 1.93–2.00, PW 1.74–1.78, EL 1.32–1.40, HL/HW 0.85–0.88, HW/PW 0.89–0.92, HL/PL 0.70–0.72, PW/PL 0.89–0.92, EL/PL 0.68–0.71.

Habitus as in Fig. 1 E. Externally similar to L. dayaoshanense , except for the slightly darker average coloration, the larger body size, the somewhat broader head, the denser punctation on the head and the pronotum, and the narrower impunctate midline on the pronotum.

Male. Sternite VII ( Fig. 6 D) with semi-elliptical emargination at apical margin, medioapical area with short modified setae surrounding this emargination; sternite VIII ( Fig. 6 E) with weak emargination and narrow impression along middle, on either side of this impression with variably dense modified setae; sternite IX ( Fig. 6 F) distinctly asymmetric; aedeagus as in Fig. 6 G– 6I.

Female. Apical margin of tergite VIII ( Fig. 6 A) angulate in middle; sternite VIII ( Fig. 6 B) slightly oblong, apical margin strongly convex, margin with sparse, indistinct micropubescence; tergite IX ( Fig. 6 C) narrowly separated anteriorly; tergite X obtuse basally, moderately reaching anterior margin of tergite IX, broadly convex apically.

Remarks. Lathrobium zhangdinghengi is closest to L. zhujianqingi by the similar male sternite VIII. Lathrobium zhangdinghengi is separated from these species by the subtrapezoidal head, by the shape of the male sternite VII with a semi-elliptical emargination at the apical margin, and by the aedeagus in ventral view much narrower basally than at midlength and with a small hook-shaped ventral process. In L. zhujianqingi , by contrast, the head is almost quadrate, the male sternite VII has an inconspicuous apical emargination, the aedeagus in ventral view only somewhat narrower at base compared to at midlength and the ventral process of it is forficate.

Distribution. South China (Guangxi: Huaping Nature Reserve).

Habitat. The adults were collected from the leaf litter of the forest floor by sifting.

Etymology. The species is named after Ding-Heng Zhang, the section chief of the Huaping Nature Reserve, who lent extensive support to our collecting trip.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus of Lathrobium spp., A — L. dayaoshanense; B — L. maoershanense; C — L. proprium; D — L. shengtangshanense; E — L. zhangdinghengi; F — L. zhujianqingi. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 6. Lathrobium zhangdinghengi. A — female tergite VIII; B — female sternite VIII; C — female tergites IX – X. D — male sternite VII; E — male sternite VIII; F — male sternite IX; G, H — aedeagus in ventral view; I — aedeagus in lateral view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.