Tachinus (s. str.) hercules Feng, Li & Schuelke

Feng, Ting, Schuelke, Michael & Li, Li-Zhen, 2013, A taxonomic revision of the silphaeformis species-group of the genus Tachinus Gravenhorst (Staphylinidae, Tachyporinae) from China, ZooKeys 359, pp. 53-99 : 59-60

Tachinus (s. str.) hercules Feng, Li & Schuelke sp. n. Figs 2C, 2D, 9D, 10D, 11D, 13D, 15D, 18D, 20D, 21D

Type locality.

China, Sichuan Province, Songpan, Huanglongsi.

Type material.

Holotype: ♂, CHINA: Sichuan Prov., Aba A. R., Songpan County, Huanglongsi, 24.vii.2001, LI & ZHAO leg. (SNUC). Paratypes: 25 ♂♂, 29 ♀♀, same label data as holotype (SNUC); 7 ♂♂, 10 ♀♀, CHINA: Sichuan Prov., pass between Songpan and Nanping, E–side, 3,450-3,500 m, 21.vi.2002, S. Murzin & I. Shokhin leg. (cSch); ♂, ♀, CHINA: Sichuan Prov., Zhangla env., 4,200-4,700 m, 9-11.vii.1991, J. Kaláb leg. (NHMB, cSch) [labelled as paratypes of Tachinus szechuanensis Campbell in litteris]; ♂, CHINA: Sichuan Prov., Songpan, 2,000 m, 32°30'N, 103°40'E, 13-17.vii.1990, J. Kolibáč leg. (NHMB); 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀, CHINA: Sichuan Prov., Min Shan, 33°10'N, 103°50'E, 2,500-4,500 m, 14-16.vii.1990, J. Kolibáč leg. (NHMB); 5 ♂♂, 1 ♀, CHINA: Sichuan Prov., pass between Pingwu and Jiuzhaigou, 3,000 m, 10-15.vii.2005, V. Patrikeev leg. (cSch); 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀, CHINA: N–Sichuan [CH12-23] Min Shan, 17 km NE Songpan, E pass, 32°44'23"N, 103°44'31"E, 3920 m, N–slope with Rhododendron below rocks, litter, moss, and grass roots sifted, 10.viii.2012, leg. M. Schülke (cSch); 3 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, CHINA: N–Sichuan [CH12-24] pass 35 km NNW Songpan, 32°55'32"N, 103°25'56"E, 3600 m, moist N–slope with Salix and other shrubs, litter, grass roots, and moss sifted, 11.viii.2012, leg. M. Schülke (cSch); ♀, CHINA: N–Sichuan [CH12-19] 47 km N Songpan, road S 301 km 118, N Gongangling pass, 33°03'15"N, 103°43'36"E, 3390 m, spruce forest with shrubs, litter, moss, and mushrooms sifted, 9.viii.2012, leg. M. Schülke (cSch); ♂♀, CHINA: [19] N–Sichuan N Songpan, 33°03'15"N, 103°43'36"E, 3390 m, spruce forest, sifted, 9.viii.2012, V. Assing (cAss); ♀, CHINA: [22] N–Sichuan pass ENE Songpan, 4080 m, 32°44'54"N, 103°43'43"E, sifted. 10.viii.2012, V. Assing (cAss).

Description.

Measurements of males (holotype): BL 3.61-4.00 (4.00); FL 2.84-3.11 (3.11); PL 0.89-1.00 (1.00); EL 1.45-1.61 (1.61); SEL 0.06-0.11 (0.11); HW 0.88-0.90 (0.89); PW 1.45-1.56 (1.56); EW 1.61-1.78 (1.78); relative length of antennomeres I–XI: 23: 15: 15: 10: 17: 14: 16: 15: 15: 14: 29. Measurements of females: BL 3.95-4.39; FL 3.39-3.61 mm; PL 0.99-1.01; EL 1.56-1.73; SEL 0.16-0.18; HW 0.94-0.96; PW 1.50-1.56; EW 1.82-1.84; relative length of antennomeres I–XI: 23: 15: 15: 10: 14: 14: 14: 13: 14: 15: 28.

Body (Figs 2C, 2D) dark brown to black, head black, mouthparts, basal four antennomeres, elytra, posterior margin of each abdominal tergite and legs reddish brown.

Head shorter than wide and narrower than pronotum, HW: PW = 0.56-0.64 (0.57), disc of head with dense microsculpture consisting of irregular striae, basal part with microsculpture consisting of transverse meshes, punctation fine and sparse. Antennae moderately short, antennomeres X shorter than wide.

Pronotum: PL: PW = 0.57-0.69 (0.64), widest at basal third; surface with punctation slightly more distinct than that of head, microsculpture consisting of irregular transverse striae.

Elytra elongate: EL: PL = 1.45-1.81 (1.60), EL: EW = 0.81-1.00 (0.90), EW: PW = 1.03-1.23 (1.14) in males; EL: PL = 1.54-1.75, EL: EW = 0.85-0.95, EW: PW = 1.17-1.23 in females. Microsculpture consisting of fine, short meshes, punctation coarser and denser than that of head and pronotum.

Surface of abdomen evenly pubescent and punctate, microsculpture consisting of transverse lines.

Male. Sternite VII (Figs 9D, 10D) with posterior margin broadly and deeply emarginate, apical margin bent ventrad, with moderately broad area of coarse granules. Tergite VIII (Fig. 11D) with four short lobes, median lobes slightly longer than lateral ones. Sternite VIII as in Fig. 13D. Median lobe of aedeagus (Fig. 15D) broad and with two apical projections, parameres long and directed latero-apicad.

Female. Antennomeres X only slightly shorter than wide (length: width = 0.93). Pronotum with microsculpture more distinct and denser than in male. Elytra slightly longer than in male; apical margin broadly rounded, with microsculpture more distinct, denser and with shorter meshes than in male. Tergite VIII (Fig. 18D) with lobes almost fused, apical margin of median lobe broadly and triangularly projecting beyond lateral lobes; lateral lobes each with one long seta. Sternite VIII (Fig. 20D) with six lobes, fimbriate median lobes nearly fused, with shallow emargination at middle, sublateral lobes as long as median ones.

Etymology.

The species is named after the Greek divine hero Heracles, whose Roman name is Hercules.

Remarks.

Males of the new species are similar to those of Tachinus parahercules externally, and can be separated only by aedeagal characters, they differ from the other species by the shape of the aedeagal median lobe (two apical projections, long parameres directed lateroapically). Females are distinguished by the shape of the apical margin of tergite VIII, from females of the similar Tachinus hujiayaoi and Tachinus coronatus by the presence of a single pair of long setae on the lateral lobes of tergite VIII.