Platyola geostiboides, Assing, 2011

Assing, V., 2011, Six new species and additional records of Aleocharinae from China (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 43 (1), pp. 291-310 : 304-306

Platyola geostiboides nov.sp. ( Figs 38-47 )

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype: " China: Yunnan, Lincang Pref., Bangma Shan, 20 km NW Lincang, 2210 m, 23°58'25''N, 99°54'36''E, water reservoir, devast. forest with ferns, littert & ferns sifted, reservoir bank, 9.IX.2009, leg. M. Schülke [ CH 09-37] / Holotypus Platyola geostiboides sp. n. det. V. Assing 2010" (cAss). Paratypes: 11 exs.: same data as holotype (cSch, cAss).

D e s c r i p t i o n: Body length 1.5-1.9 mm. Habitus as in Fig. 38 . Coloration: body reddish-yellow to reddish, with the abdominal segment VI infuscate; legs yellowish; antennae yellowish-brown, with the basal 3-4 antennomeres yellowish.

Head weakly transverse, somewhat wedge-shaped, widest near posterior angles; punctation very fine and rather sparse, barely noticeable in the microreticulation. Eyes reduced to minute rudiments, approximately as large as antennomere II in cross-section. Antenna short and distinctly incrassate apically; antennomere IV transverse; V-X of increasing width and increasingly transverse; X approximately twice as wide as long ( Fig. 39 ). Ligula deeply divided. Maxilla as in Fig. 40 . Mandibles without distinct teeth.

Pronotum weakly transverse, approximately 1.2 times as wide as long and 1.2 times as wide as head, widest approximately in the middle; punctation very fine and sparse; microreticulation composed of isodiametric meshes, rather shallow.

Elytra short, 0.60-0.65 times as long as pronotum; punctation fine, but more distinct than that of head and pronotum. Hind wings absent.

Abdomen slightly wider than elytra, widest at segments V/VI; punctation fine and sparse; microsculpture composed of rhomboid meshes ( Fig. 41 ); posterior margin of tergite VII without palisade fringe.

: posterior margin of tergite VIII weakly convex; posterior margin of sternite VIII very weakly angled in the middle ( Fig. 42 ); median lobe of aedeagus as in Figs 43-44 ; paramere apically with very long stout seta ( Fig. 45 ).

: posterior margin of tergite VIII weakly convex posteriorly ( Fig. 46 ); posterior margin of sternite VIII truncate in the middle ( Fig. 47 ); spermatheca not found, apparently not sclerotized.

E t y m o l o g y: The specific epithet (Latin, adjective) refers to the external resemblance to species of the genus Geostiba THOMSON.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: The habitus of P. geostiboides is somewhat unusual for Platyola . Nevertheless, the species is attributed to this genus particularly based on the characteristic microsculpture of the abdomen, which seems to be unique among the Athetini , on the shape and chaetotaxy of the paramere (especially the long and stout apical seta), as well as on the internal structures of the aedeagus (presence of a long flagellum). The new species is distinguished from all its congeners by its slender habitus and by the morphology of the aedeagus, from most species also by the strongly reduced eyes and the completely reduced hind wings. Only two Platyola species were previously known from mainland China, both of them from Hongkong and both of them originally described under the generic name Mimacrotona CAMERON 1920 : P. orousseti (PACE 1990) and P. rougemonti (PACE 1998) . They are distinguished from P. geostiboides by darker coloration, larger body size, much larger eyes, longer elytra, and a much broader body alone.

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d n a t u r a l h i s t o r y: Thetypelocalityissituatedin the Bangma Shan in Yunnan province, southern China. As can be inferred from the adaptive reductions of the eyes, wings, and pigmentation, the distribution is most likely very restricted. The type specimens were sifted from litter and fern debris in a degraded forest at an altitude of approximately 2200 m.

Figures

Figs 38-47: Platyola geostiboides nov.sp.: (38) habitus; (39) antennae; (40) maxilla; (41) tergite VI; (42) male sternite VIII; (43-44) median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view; (45) paramere; (46) female tergite VIII; (47) female sternite VIII. Scale bars: 38: 1.0 mm; 39-47: 0.1 mm.