Kathetopodion kiunganum, Leschen & Lobl, 2006

Leschen, Richard A. B. & Löbl, Ivan, 2005, Phylogeny And Classification Of Scaphisomatini Staphylinidae: Scaphidiinae With Notes On Mycophagy, Termitophily, And Functional Morphology, The Coleopterists Bulletin (mo 3) 59, pp. 1-63 : 62-63

Kathetopodion kiunganum new species

( Figs. 38–41 )

Holotype (male). New Guinea /SE/ Kiunga 28–30.VII.1969 /No. NGK-U 3. / leg.

Dr. J. Balogh ( HNHM).

Description. Length 1.42 (with head 1.50) mm. Body and legs uniformly light brown, antennae lighter than body. Frons wide, flat, at narrowest point as wide as two thirds of maximum head width. Gula lacking median suture. Antennae as Figure 39 . Palpomere 3 of maxillary palpus distinctly shorter than 4. Pronotum moderately narrowed anteriorly, with lateral contours weakly concave in basal half, arcuate in anterior half, lateral margin carinae throughout distinct in dorsal view. Pronotal punctation very fine, hardly visible at high magnification. Apex of scutellum exposed. Elytra weakly narrowed apically, with lateral contours almost evenly arcuate, lateral carina throughout distinct in dorsal view, apical margin arcuate, finely crenulate in inner third, outer and inner apical angles in same plane, sutural striae shallow, parallel, curved externally at base and extended along base about to middle third of basal width, adsutural areas flat, each with one row of fine punctures. Elytral punctation very fine and similar to pronotal punctation near base, on most of disc much coarser than on pronotum, consisting of dense, shallow, small and not clearly delimited punctures. Metathoracic wings well developed, probably functional. Prosternal process narrow with a long carina and slightly widened at base. Mesoventrite smooth, paxillum slightly swollen in middle, mesoventral lines present. Mesepisterna impunctate. Mesocoxal process slightly narrower than mesocoxae. Mesocoxal lines arcuate, impunctate, length of submesocoxal area to shortest interval between submesocoxal line and metacoxae as 3: 12 (5: 45 in borneense ). Metaventrite very finely punctate. Metepisterna gradually narrowed anteriorly. Submetacoxal lines strongly arcuate, impunctate. Maximal length of submetacoxal areas as half shortest interval between them and metacoxae. Abdominal punctation extremely fine.

Tibiae straight, gradually thickened apically. Protarsi and mesotarsi almost as long as protibiae and mesotibiae, respectively. Mesotarsi and metatarsi slightly flattened laterally.

Male. Tarsomeres 1 to 3 of protarsi almost equally wide, distinctly wider than tarsomere 4 of protarsi. Aedeagus 0.31 mm long with robust parameres.

Comments. This species may be easily distinguished from K. borneense by its much smaller body size, gula lacking a median suture, short antennomere 4, prosternal process narrow, mesoventrite smooth (very finely punctate and pubescent in K. borneense ), paxillum slightly swollen in middle (carinate in K. borneense ), mesoventral lines present, impunctate mesocoxal lines and parallel to coxa, mesepisternum impunctate, metepisterna gradually narrowed anteriorly (subparallel, with weakly rounded margins near angles in K. borneense ), and mesotarsi and metatarsi slightly flattened laterally (flattened dorsoventrally in K. borneense ). Many of these characters were not coded as polymorphic in Kathetopodion in the data matrix because the specimen of K. kiunganum was not fully dissected.

The genus Kathetopodion is rather unique in Scaphisomatini by having dilated tarsomeres and the head somewhat prognathous, which led Leschen and Löbl (1995) to treat the genus as a terminal taxon in their study. It is clear from the analysis that Kathetopodion is a member of the Scaphisoma group, and well inside Scaphisomatini .

Etymology. The species name is derived from the type locality, Kiunga.

Figures

Figs. 38–41. Kathetopodion kiunganum n. sp. 38) Apex of mentum; 39) antenna; 40, 41) dorsal and lateral view of aedeagus.