Lathrobium (Lathrobium) alesi, Assing, 2010

Assing, Volker, 2010, On the Lathrobiina of Taiwan (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 60 (2), pp. 301-361 : 319-321

Lathrobium (Lathrobium) alesi sp. n. ( Figs 74-77 )

Type material:

Holotype ♂: " Taiwan, Taichung Hsien, Hsuehshan , nr. Hsuehshan-Tun-Feng, 3170 m, 7. V.91, A. Smetana [ T68 ] / Holotypus ♂ Lathrobium alesialesi sp. n., det. V. Assing 2010" (cAss).

Description:

Body length 5.3 mm; habitus as in Fig. 74 . External characters as in L. involutum ( Fig. 75 ), distinguished only by the sexual characters.

♂: posterior margin of sternite VII very weakly concave, pubescence unmodified ( Fig. 76 ); sternite VIII very weakly oblong, approximately 1.05 times as long as wide, posterior excision relatively

deep and in distinctly asymmetric position (i.e., not in the middle), its depth approximately 1/5 the length of sternite ( Fig. 77 ); aedeagus 1.02 mm long, with ventral process and internal structures of distinctive shape ( Fig. 78 ).

♀: unknown.

Comparative notes:

Based on the similar morphology of the aedeagus (ventral process, internal structures), L. alesi is apparently closely related to L. tarokoense , from which it is separated by larger body size, the shape and position of the posterior excision of the male sternite VIII, the longer and more slender ventral process, as well as by the slightly different shape of the internal structures of the aedeagus.

Etymology:

It is a pleasure for me to dedicate this species to Aleš Smetana, Ottawa, distinguished specialist of Staphylinidae and collector of the vast majority of species and specimens dealt with in this paper, also in recognition of his undisputed and widely acknowledged merits in Staphylinidae research and in gratitude for the opportunity to study his superb Lathrobiina material from Taiwan.

Distribution and natural history:

The known distribution is confined to the Hsuehshan in northern central Taiwan, where the holotype was sifted from moist moss, lush vegetation, and other debris in a primary coniferous (mostly Abies )) forest at an altitude of 3170 m .

Figures

Figs 67-78: Lathrobium tarokoense sp. n. (67-73) and L. alesialesi sp. n. (74-77): habitus (67, 74); forebody (68, 75); male tergite VIII (69); male sternite VII (70, 76); male sternite VIII (71, 77); aedeagus in lateral view (72-73, 78). Scale bars: 67-68, 74-75: 1.0 mm; 69-71, 76-77: 0.5 mm; 72-73, 78: 0.2 mm.