Batraxis gesar, Wang, Dan & Yin, Zi-Wei, 2016

Wang, Dan & Yin, Zi-Wei, 2016, New species and records of Batraxis Reitter (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae) in continental China, Zootaxa 4147 (4), pp. 443-465 : 450-451

Batraxis gesar , new species

( Figs 4 A, 11D–F, 14C, 14H, 14P, 15)

Type material (3 ƋƋ). Holotype: CHINA: Ƌ, labeled ‘ CHINA: Xizang, Cuona County (错那县), Lebu (勒布), 27°49'32"N, 91°45'35"E, leaf litter, sifted, 2500 m, 17.viii.2010, Jian-Qing Zhu leg.’ ( SNUC) . Paratypes: CHINA: 1 Ƌ, labeled ‘ China: Xizang, Cuona County, Lexiang (勒乡), alt. 2700–2800 m, 18–22.vi.2013, Wen- Xuan Bi leg.’ ( SNUC) ; 1 ♂, labeled ‘ China: Xizang A.R., Yadong County (亚东县), Xiayadong (下亚东), 2800 m, 8.viii.2010, Wen-Xuan Bi leg.’ ( SNUC) .

Diagnosis of male. Body almost glabrous, abdomen sparsely with short setae; frons with complete subantennal transverse sulcus; antennomeres IX transverse, XI protuberant at inner basal margins; pronotum with distinct median antebasal fovea and basal impression; all tibiae slender; protrochanters protuberant ventrally, profemora with large spine at ventral margins, protibiae strongly projected before middle, mesotibiae simple; tergite IV with broad, abrupt basal sulcus, discal carinae short, relatively widely separated, with complete marginal carinae; aedeagus relatively stout.

Description. Male ( Fig. 4 A). Body almost glabrous, reddish-brown, length 2.29‒2.37 mm. Head rectangular, slightly longer than wide, HL 0.53‒0.55 mm, HW 0.48‒0.49 mm, vertex glabrous, apical margin of frons and clypeus sparsely pubescent; vertex moderately convex, with pair of distinct vertexal foveae; antennal tubercles low; frons flattened and broad, subantennal transverse sulcus straight and complete, lacking vertexal sulcus; each eye composed of about 30 facets; antennae thick, antennomeres III elongate, IV and V as long as wise, VI‒X transverse, XI largest, protuberant at base; median gular carina shallow, with two separated nude foveae. Pronotum slightly wider than long, PL 0.42‒0.44 mm, PW 0.53‒0.54 mm, with distinct median antebasal fovea and complete basal impression. Elytra wider than long, EL 0.62 mm, EW 0.86‒0.88 mm, each elytron with two distinct foveae at base. Protrochanters protuberant at ventral margin ( Fig. 14 P), protibiae strongly projected before middle ( Fig. 14 C), profemora with large middle spine at ventral margins ( Fig. 14 H). Abdomen slightly wider than long, AL 0.72‒0.76 mm, AW 0.81 mm, slightly narrowed at base; tergite IV (first visible tergite) sparsely pubescent, with broad, abrupt basal sulcus; discal carinae short, relatively widely separated, extending to apical one-fifth of tergal length, width between carinae 0.34‒0.37 mm at apices; with complete marginal carinae. Aedeagus ( Fig. 11 D–F) 0.41 mm in length, relatively stout, parameres slightly exceeding apex of median lobe, rounded apically, each with two apical setae and hook-like protuberance; endophallus with pair of symmetric sclerites, and weakly sclerotized structures at apex.

Female. Unknown.

Comparative notes. Batraxis gesar is the only known species with strongly modified antennomeres XI and fore legs in the male, when combined with the aedeagal structures and distribution, it can be readily separated from other congeners.

Distribution. China: Xizang ( Fig. 15 ).

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to King Gesar , a culture hero of Xizang.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Dorsal habitus of Batraxis males. A. B. gesar. B. B. longithorax. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 11. Aedeagi of Batraxis species. (A, B, D, E, G, H. in ventral view. C, F, I. in lateral view). A – C. B. longicornis. D – F. B. gesar. G – I. B. longithorax. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 14. Legs of male Batraxis species. (A – F. Protibia. G. Mesotibia. H, I. Profemur. J – V. Protrochanter). A, K. B. gloriosa, population from Fujian. B, L. B. gloriosa, population from Zhejiang. C, H, P. B. gesar. D, T. B. ziyueae. E, U. B. bicolor, population from Yunnan. F, I, V. B. tibialis, population from Jiangxi. G, S. B. yifan. J. B. gloriosa, population from Hunan. M. B. gloriosa, population from Jiangxi. N. B. gloriosa, population from Guangxi. O. B. longicornis. Q. B. longithorax. R. B. nanlingensis. Scale bars: A ‒ I = 0.1 mm; J ‒ V = 0.05 mm.

FIGURE 15. Distribution of Batraxis species in China.