Sphaerobulbus, Zhao & Tang, 2020

Zhao, Xin & Tang, Liang, 2020, Three new species of the genus Sphaerobulbus from China (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 60 (1), pp. 333-341 : 338-341

Key to species of Sphaerobulbus

The key is based on species descriptions provided by SMൾŦANA (2003, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2016) and the photographs of all species from Smetana’s collection taken by the second author in 2012.

1 Elytra about as-long-as or longer than pronotum, EL/ PL=0.99–1.1; abdominal tergites VII with apical palisade fringe. .................................................................... 2

– Elytra shorter than pronotum, EL/PL=0.77–0.90; abdominal tergites VII without apical palisade fringe. ........................................................................................ 6

2 Abdominal tergites III–V each with deep median impression delimited by two short oblique carinae and posterior basal line; body without bluish tint. ......... 3

– Abdominal tergites III–V each without deep median impression and two short oblique carinae; body with bluish tint. .................................................................... 5

3 Pronotum as long as wide, PL/PW=1.00; subhumeral portion of each elytron with gold tomentose pubescence, abdominal tergites VI and VII each with medi- an golden tomentose patch. Habitus: Fig. 36 . Aedeagus: SMETANA (2006: Figs 8–10). China (Shaanxi). .... ............................................. S. ornatus Smetana, 2006

– Pronotum distinctly longer than wide, PL/PW=1.21– 1.30; elytra and abdominal tergites without gold tomentose pubescence or patch. .................................... 4

4 Head as wide as long, HW/HL=1.00; paramere asymmetrical, underside of paramere with three degenerated sensory peg setae in apical portion. Habitus: Fig. 34 . Aedeagus: SMETANA (2005: Figs 5–7). China (Shaanxi, Hubei, Sichuan, Guizhou?). .............. ..................................................... S. rex Smetana, 2005

– Head a little wider than long, HW/HL=1.08; paramere almost symmetrical, underside of paramere with five degenerated sensory peg setae in subapical portion. Habitus: Figs 3, 4. Aedeagus: Figs 15–17 . China (Guangxi). ............................. S. guangxiensis sp. nov.

5 Posterior angles of head rounded; posterior half of head with broad impunctate midline; apical portion of aedeagal median lobe hook-like; underside of paramere with sparse sensory peg setae. Habitus: Figs 5, 6. Aedeagus: Figs 19–23. China (Yunnan). .................. ......................................................... S. ningliei sp. nov.

– Posterior angles of head slightly prominent; posterior half of head with narrow impunctate midline; apical portion of aedeagal median lobe straightly pointed apicad; underside of paramere with dense sensory peg setae. Habitus: Fig. 26 . Aedeagus: SMETANA (2010: Figs 3, 4). China (Sichuan, Yunnan). ................ ......................................... S. cardinalis Smetana, 2010

6 Forebody metallic blue. Habitus: Figs 1, 2. Aedeagus: Figs 7–12. China (Sichuan). ................................. ....................................................... S. smetanai sp. nov.

– Forebody blackish (head and pronotum with dark blue hue in S. davidi ). .................................................. 7

7 Abdominal tergites VI and VII each with median golden tomentose patch. ................................................... 8

– Abdominal tergites VI and VII each without median golden tomentose patch. .......................................... 10

8 Larger species, BL= 26 mm. Aedeagus: SMETANA (2016: Figs 7, 8). China (Guangxi). ............................... ............................................ S. thomasi Smetana, 2016

– Smaller species, BL= 14–16 mm. ................................ 9

9 Elytra much shorter than wide, EL/EW=0.75; elytra reddish brown. Habitus: Fig. 29 . Aedeagus: SMETANA (2006, Figs 3–5). China (Yunnan). ............................... ....................................... S. biplagiatus Smetana, 2006

– Elytra shorter than wide, EL/EW=0.86; elytra blackish. Habitus: Fig. 30 . Aedeagus: SMETANA (2003: Figs 32–34 ). China (Yunnan). ............................................... ............................................ S. brezinai Smetana, 2003

10 Smaller species, BL= 9–10.5 mm; posterior margin of abdominal segment VII and entire abdominal segments VIII–X reddish yellow. Habitus: Fig. 32 . Aedeagus: SMETANA (2005: Figs 10–12). China (Sichuan). ................................................. S. pusio Smetana, 2005

– Larger species, BL= 12.5–20 mm; entire abdominal segments VII–X blackish. ........................................ 11

11 Median impression of abdominal tergites III–V relatively deeper, laterally delimited by two short oblique carinae. Habitus: Fig. 25 . Aedeagus: SMETANA (2003: Figs 22–25). China (Yunnan, Sichuan). ....................... ........................................ S. bisinuatus Smetana, 2003

– Median impression of abdominal tergites III–V shallower or indistinct, laterally without two short oblique carinae. ......................................................... 12

12 Legs reddish. .............................................................. 13

– Legs blackish. ............................................................. 16

13 Posterior half of head with impunctate midline; punctation of head and pronotum mostly very dense and well delimited, interstices smooth and ridge-like. Ha- bitus: Fig. 28 . Aedeagus: SMETANA (2005: Figs 20–22). China (Sichuan). ................. S. bicolor Smetana, 2005

– Posterior half of head without impunctate midline; punctation of head and pronotum mostly less dense and slightly confluent, interstices microsculptured and not ridge-like. .................................................... 14

14 Head wider than long, HW/HL=1.11. Aedeagus: SMETANA (2016: Figs 3, 4). China (Yunnan). .............. ............................................... S. radani Smetana, 2016

– Head much wider than long, HW/HL=1.31. ........ 15

15 Midanterior portion of head with sparse punctation; pronotum with broad impunctate midline; posterior basal line of abdominal tergites IV and V bisinuate. Habitus: Fig. 33 . Aedeagus: SMETANA (2005: Figs 3–5). China (Sichuan). ................................................... ......................................... S. nagahatai Smetana, 2005

– Midanterior portion of head with dense punctation; pronotum with narrow impunctate midline; posteri- or basal line of abdominal tergites IV and V simple. Habitus: Fig. 37 . Aedeagus: SMETANA (2003: Figs 27, 28 ). China (Yunnan). ...................................................... .................................. S. yulongmontis Smetana, 2003

16 Head and pronotum with dark blue hue; interstices of head and pronotum smooth. Aedeagus: SMETANA (2016, Figs 11–13). China (Yunnan). ........................... ............................................... S. davidi Smetana, 2016

– Head and pronotum without dark blue hue; interstices of head and pronotum microsculptured. ........ 17

17 Superior and inferior lines of pronotal hypomeron widely separated at anterior angle. ......................... 18

– Superior and inferior lines of pronotal hypomeron joined at anterior angle. ............................................ 19

18 Pronotum with punctation mostly well delimited and interstices even. Habitus: Fig. 31 . Aedeagus: SMETA- NA (2003: Figs 82–84). China (Qinghai, Yunnan, Xizang). ................................. S. nigrita ( Smetana, 2003)

– Pronotum with punctation mostly confluent and interstices bumpy. Habitus: Fig. 24 . Aedeagus: SMETA- NA (2003: Figs 90, 91). China (Xizang). ....................... ........................................... S. alpinus ( Smetana, 2003)

19 Sternite 9 with posterior margin deeply emarginate; median lobe of aedeagus less acute at apex, paramere wider. Habitus: Fig. 35 . Aedeagus: SMETANA (2003: Figs 37 –39). China (Yunnan). ....................................... ......................................... S. yunnanus Smetana, 2003

– Sternite 9 with posterior margin shallowly emarginate; median lobe of aedeagus acute at apex, paramere narrower. Habitus: Fig. 27 . Aedeagus: SMETANA (2003: Figs 41, 42). China (Yunnan). ............................ ............................................. S. murzini Smetana, 2003

Figures

Figs 32–37. Habitus of species of Sphaerobulbus. 32 – S. pusio Smetana, 2005 (paratype); 33 – S. nagahatai Smetana, 2005 (paratype); 34 – S. rex Smetana, 2005 (paratype); 35 – S. yunnanus Smetana, 2003 (paratype); 36 – S. ornatus Smetana, 2006 (paratype); 37 – S. yulongmontis Smetana, 2003 (holotype). Scale bars: 2 mm.

Figs 13–18. Sphaerobulbus guangxiensis sp. nov; 13 – male abdominal sternite IX; 14 – male abdominal tergite X; 15 – aedeagus in ventral view; 16, 17 – underside of apical paramere; 18 – female abdominal tergite X. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Figs 24–31. Habitus of species of Sphaerobulbus. 24 – S. alpinus (Smetana, 2003) (holotype); 25 – S. bisinuatus Smetana, 2003 (holotype); 26 – S. cardinalis Smetana, 2010 (allotype); 27 – S. murzini Smetana, 2003 (holotype); 28 – S. bicolor Smetana, 2005 (paratype); 29 – S. biplagiatus Smetana, 2006 (holotype); 30 – S. brezinai Smetana, 2003 (holotype); 31 – S. nigrita (Smetana, 2003) (holotype). Scale bars: 2 mm.