Scaphobaeocera baliensis, Lobl, 2015

Löbl, Ivan, 2015, On the Scaphidiinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) of the Lesser Sunda Islands, Revue suisse de Zoologie 122 (1), pp. 75-120 : 115

Scaphobaeocera baliensis sp. nov.

Figs 112-113

Holotype: MHNG; ♂; Indonesia, Bali, Mt. Batukaru nr. Luhur Temple, 500-700 m, I. Löbl, 28-29.X.1991.

Etymology: The species epithet is derived from the name of the island Bali.

Description: Length 1.10 mm, width 0.56 mm, dorsoventral diameter 0.67 mm. Head and most of body very dark reddish-brown, thorax almost blackish. Abdomen somewhat lighter than thorax and elytra. Femora and tibiae reddish-brown, tarsi and antennae lighter. Thorax and elytra lacking obvious microsculpture, hardly iridescent. Pronotal and elytral punctation very fine, elytral punctures slightly coarser than pronotal. Length/width ratio of antennomeres as follows: III 16/6: IV 19/6: V 26/6: VI 18/6: VII 35/9: VIII 15/8: IX 40/11: X 40/12: XI 50/13. Minute tip of scutellum exposed. Elytra with sutural striae starting at margin of pronotal lobe, parasutural striae very fine but distinct. Hypomera without striae. Middle part of metaventrite convex, lacking impression or groove, smooth on narrow anteriomesal area, densely and distinctly punctate and with short pubescence on lateromesal areas and entire posterior half. Lateral parts of metaventrite lacking microsculpture, very finely punctate, with sparse, short pubescence. Submesocoxal areas about 0.02 mm long, submesocoxal lines with very fine marginal punctures not extending along mesepimera. Metanepisternum flat, parallel-sided, 0.06 mm wide. Tibiae straight. Abdominal sternite 1 with fairly coarse, elongate basal punctures, remaining punctation very fine.

Male: Protarsomeres hardly widened. Aedeagus (Figs 112-113) 0.36 mm long. Median lobe narrow, with short, hardly inflexed apical process. Ventral side of apical process weakly concave. Articular process of median lobe indistinct. Parameres very narrow in basal two thirds, distinctly widened in apical third (lateral view), widest subapically, about in level with tip of median lobe; straight but at apices curved mesally in dorsal view. Internal sac with flagellum fairly wide, forming four complete loops, slightly narrowed posterior basal loop.

Distribution: Indonesia: Bali.

Type locality: Bali, Mt. Batukaru nr. Luhur Temple , 500-700 m.

Comments: The aedeagal characters suggest relationships between S. baliensis and S. kraepelini from Java, S. confusa Löbl, 1986 from Queensland, and S. spira Löbl, 1990 from Thailand. These three species share comparatively short apical process of the median lobe, apically widened parameres (in lateral view) and spiral flagellum forming multiple loops. The new species may be distinguished by the thicker flagellum forming only four complete loops, the apical process of the median lobe being almost in axis with the basal bulb, and the parameres with the widest points situated about inlevel with the tip of the median lobe. In addition, S. baliensis differs from its allied by the comparatively longer apical antennomeres. Scaphobaeocera dorsalis Löbl, 1980 , widely distributed in Southeast Asia, possesses also a flagellum forming four loops. It differs by the much broader flagellum, the apical process of the median lobe inflexed, and in external characters by the hypomera each with a longitudinal stria.