Clidicus chinensis Zhou and Li

Zhou, De-Yao & Li, Li-Zhen, 2015, Clidicus chinensis n. sp. from Hainan, the first species of the Mastigitae from China (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae), Zootaxa 3986 (4), pp. 483-487 : 483-486

Clidicus chinensis Zhou and Li , new species

( Figs 1–3 )

Type material (1♂, 2♀♀). Holotype: CHINA: ♂, labeled ‘ China: Hainan Prov., Ledong Hsien [], Jianfengling N.R.[], Mingfenggu [], 18°44′30″N, 108°50′29″E, rainforest, decaying log, with Cerapachys ants, 995 m, 23-25.i.2015, Yan, Song, Yin, Shen, Zhou & Wang leg.’, printed, red label. Paratypes: CHINA: 2♀♀, same locality as holotype.

Diagnosis. This species differs from all congeners in the following combination of characters: parameres exceeding the apex of median lobe, their apices broadened distally; median lobe strongly constricted near basal 2/5.

Description. Male, BL 4.99 mm, body ( Fig. 1 A) moderately slender, with flattened head and strongly convex pronotum and elytra, light reddish-brown, legs and palpi slightly lighter.

Head subrectangular and transverse, broadest near middle, HL 0.87 mm, HW 1.09 mm; tempora as long as 1.7x length of eye in dorsal view, vertex with convex sides and very large and deep posterior median subtriangular impression prolonged anteriorly by broad, shallow longitudinal impression with diffused margins reaching frontal ridge and bearing shallow and diffused anterior median pit between bases of supraantennal tubercles, median line of impression is deepened and forms narrow longitudinal groove; supraantennal tubercles well marked; frons separated from clypeus by very deep transverse impression; clypeus convex; eyes relatively small, moderately convex. Vertex and frons covered with very sparse, small, but distinct punctures; setae on head sparse, long, erect and curved. Labrum with median emargination; mandibles long and robust. Antennae missing in the only known male.

Pronotum in dorsal view inversely subtrapezoidal, broadest near anterior 1/4, moderately constricted behind middle, PL 1.24 mm, PWm 1.08 mm, PWb 0.9 mm; disc convex and sharply delimited from narrow posterior collar by impressed transverse row of small, slightly unevenly distributed pits. Punctures on disc similar to those on head; setae on disc moderately long, sparse, suberect to erect.

Elytra elongate, broadest near anterior 2/5, strongly narrowing toward apices, EL 2.88 mm, EW 1.55 mm, EI 1.86. Each elytron bears five dorsal striae of dense pits, and single lateral stria of similar pits, interspaces between striae convex and each bearing row of fine, slightly diffused punctures. Setae moderately long, sparse, erect, covering striae and interspaces. Hind wings well developed, as long as 1.6x length of elytra.

Aedeagus ( Fig. 2 B–D) slender, AeL 1.19 mm, in lateral view strongly curved. Parameres symmetrical, exceeding apex of median lobe, strongly sclerotized, expanded towards apices. Sperm pump ( Fig. 2 E) very long and slender, well sclerotized.

Female. Externally similar to male but with more convex tempora. BL 4.40–4.55 mm, HL 0.77 mm, HW 1.05–1.08 mm, AnL 2.85 mm, relative lengths of antennomeres ( Fig. 2 A): 7.5: 1.8: 2.1: 2.4: 2.4: 2.4: 2.4: 2.1: 1.5: 1.5: 2.4. PL 1.18 mm, PWb 0.81–0.84 mm, PWm 0.84–1.02 mm; EL 2.45–2.60 mm, EW 1.43–1.46 mm, EI 1.72–1.78, spermatheca globular, with long connecting duct of accessory gland, SpD 0.16 mm ( Fig. 2 G). (Female genital segment ( Fig. 2 F) elongate; coxites subrectangular, 1.5x longer than wide, rounded, with setose margin; bursa copulatrix unrecognizable.

Comparative notes. This new species closely resembles C. tonkinensis in the shape of sperm pump, but can be easily distinguished by the parameres with apices clearly exceeding the apex of median lobe.

Bionomics. All specimens were collected in a rainforest by sifting chips of a rotten log very close to colonies of Cerapachys ants ( Fig. 3 A, C).

Distribution. Southern China: Hainan.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the country where the type locality of the new species lies.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Dorsal habitus of Clidicus chinensis. A. Male. B. Female. Scale bars: 2.0 mm.

FIGURE 2. Diagnostic characters of Clidicus chinensis. A. Right antenna (female), in dorsal view. B. Aedeagus, in dorsal view. C. Same, in ventral view. D. Same, in lateral view. E. Sperm pump. F. Female genital segment, in dorsal view. G. Spermatheca. Scale bars: A = 1 mm; B, C, D = 0.5 mm; E, F = 0.4 mm; G = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 3. Habitat of Clidicus chinensis. A. Rotten log where the specimens were collected. B. Clidicus chinensis walking on the log. C. General habitat of Clidicus chinensis with Zhong Peng, De-Yao Zhou and Dan Wang surveying the rotten log.