Eupines (Byraxis) graceae, Shen & Leschen, 2020

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 : 33-34

Eupines (Byraxis) graceae sp. nov.

Fig. 20 ; map Fig. 51

Diagnosis: Head with vertexal foveae punctiform; antennae 10-segmented with 2-segmented antennal club; A4, A6, A7 and A8 unmodified, A5 greatly enlarged and asymmetrical, A9 highly transverse and asymmetrical, ventral side broadly impressed, with ovoid lamina at end of inner side, A10 longest and asymmetrical, irregularly shaped, with deep basal excavation at ventral side. Abdominal ventrite 2 with pair of large discal protuberances, inserted with strongly curved small apical setae; ventrite 6 unknown. Protrochanters with short ventral spine, about two-fifths of protrochanteral width; protibiae and mesotibiae unmodified.

Description: Body length 1.51 mm; body colour reddish brown with lighter coloured elytra, tibiae and tarsi. Head wider than long; frons slightly narrowed at end, about half width of head at eye level; eyes well developed, conspicuously prominent in dorsal view; vertexal foveae punctiform; antennal tubercles moderately developed; postantennal notches broad and shallow; postantennal cavities large, about as long as antennal tubercles in dorsal view; antennae 10-segmented with 2-segmented antennal club; A4, A6, A7 and A8 unmodified, A5 greatly enlarged and asymmetrical, A9 highly transverse and asymmetrical, ventral side broadly impressed, with ovoid lamina at end of inner side, A10 longest and asymmetrical, irregularly shaped, with deep basal excavation at ventral side. Pronotum about as long as wide, slightly wider than head at eye level; lacking lateral antebasal foveae. Elytra as long as wide, widest at apical two-thirds; humeral calli weak, slightly prominent in dorsal view; sutural stria distinctively extending from base to apex. Abdomen with tergite 1 about 1.4 × longer than tergite 2; ventrite 2 with pair of large discal protuberances, inserted with strongly curved small apical setae; ventrite 6 unknown. Legs with protrochanters modified with short ventral spine, about two-fifths of protrochanteral width; protibiae and mesotibiae unmodified. Aedeagus about 0.32 mm long, with long parameres bent downwards in lateral view, apex curved towards each other, nearly meet at middle, with pair of long subapical setae; median lobe with two large and stout sclerites, twisted near apex, about as wide as parameres.

Comments: This species is described from a singleton, and unfortunately, ventrite 6 was lost during dissecting. It is similar to E. (B.) platyarthra by having A9 transverse but can be separated easily from it by its A5 enlarged and transverse ( Figs. 20 B–D), which is unmodified in E. (B.) platyarthra .

Distribution: South Island. NN.

Etymology: This species is named after one of the collectors for the holotype, Grace Hall, long time technician at NZAC who has helped significantly with Coleoptera research.

Type material ( NZAC): Holotype. ♂, body parts mounted on acetate card: “ NEW ZEALAND, NN, Heaphy Track , Lewis Hut, 7 Nov 1999, R. Leschen, G. Hall, leaf litter 40°56'S, 172°09'E ”.

Figures

FIGURE 20. Diagnostic characters of E. (B.) graceae sp. n. A) Habitus. B) Antenna, in dorsal view. C) Same, in lateral view. D) Same, in ventral view. E) Protrochanter. F) Ventrite 2. G) Aedeagus, in dorsal view. H) Same, in lateral view. I) Same, in ventral view. Scale bars: A = 1 mm, B–F = 0.2 mm, G–I = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 51. Geographic distributions of E. (B.) glabrata (Broun, 1886), E. (B.) graceae sp. n., E. (B.) halli (Broun, 1921), E. (B.) hectori (Broun, 1895), E. (B.) hoarei sp. n., E. (B.) huizhenae sp. n., and E. (B.) illustris (Broun, 1914) in New Zealand.