Ocypus (Pseudocypus) calamis, Published, 2007

Published, First, 2007, Contributions to the knowledge of the “ Staphylinus-complex ” (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylinini) of China. Part XX. The genus Ocypus Leach, 1819, subgenus Pseudocypus Mulsant & Rey, 1876. Section 1, Zootaxa 1421, pp. 1-72 : 23-24

Ocypus (Pseudocypus) calamis sp. nov.

( Figs. 69–74)

Type material. Holotype (male): CHINA: Sichuan: “W SICHUAN 9–11.VII.1994 29.53N 102.01E cca 4000 m GONGGASHAN mts. NNE sl. lgt J. Farkač & D. Král ” ( ASC).

Paratypes: CHINA: Sichuan: same data as holotype, 2 ♂♂ ( ASC); Sichuan c. Luding Co. Moxi 22.5.– 10.6. 1993 Dr. Vlad. Beneš lgt.”, 1 ♂ ( MDC) .

Diagnosis. A medium-sized, entirely black species, with asetose pronotal hypomeron, with piceous-black legs, uniform black pubescence of dorsal side of body, including abdominal tergites, with large, characteristically shaped black aedoeagus, and characteristically shaped tergite 10 of male genital segment.

Description. Entirely black; maxillary and labial palpi brunneous; antennae piceous to piceous-black, becoming gradually slightly paler toward apex, base of segment 2 reddish; legs piceous-black, with front tarsi and dorsal faces of front tibiae slightly paler; pubescence of dorsal side of body uniformly black. Head of rounded quadrangular shape, with rounded posterior angles, wider than long (ratio 1. 25), eyes small and rather flat, tempora considerably longer than eyes from above (ratio 2.64), dorsal surface of head finely, moderately densely punctate and pubescent, interspaces between punctures on disc slightly larger than diameters of punctures, punctation gradually becoming denser and coarser toward posterior and lateral margins; impunctate midline quite rudimentary, traceable only in front of posterior margin of head; interspaces between punctures with dense, relatively coarse submeshed microsculpture. Gular sutures rather widely separated; postgenae quite sparsely punctate. Dorsal side of neck with punctation finer and denser than that on head. Antenna moderately long, segment 3 longer than segment 2 (ratio 1. 25), segments 4 to 8 longer than wide, becoming gradually shorter, segments 9–10 about as long as wide, last segment shorter than two preceding segments combined. Pronotum longer than wide (ratio 1.19), parallelsided, narrow marginal groove disappearing downwards just in front of middle of pronotal length; disc with indistinct impunctate midline appreciable mostly only on posterior half of pronotum; punctation on disc about same as that on disc of head, pubescence and microsculpture on interspaces between punctures similar to that on head. Pronotal hypomeron lacking microsetae. Scutellum finely, densely punctate and setose on entire surface, surface with very fine, rudimentary microsculpture. Elytra short, slightly depressed at base, vaguely dilated posteriad, at suture considerably (ratio 0. 59), at sides distinctly (ratio 0.75) shorter than pronotum at midline; punctation very fine and dense, difficult to observe among dense granulose microsculpture. Wings each reduced to minute, nonfunctional stump. Abdomen with fifth visible tergite lacking pale apical seam of palisade setae; tergite 2 (in front of first visible tergite) entirely, densely and finely punctate and pubescent; all tergites evenly, finely and densely punctate, puctation gradually becoming slightly sparser toward apex of abdomen; interspaces with fine, dense microsculpture of irregular, short striae.

Male. Sternite 8 with wide and deep, obtusely triangular medioapical emargination. Genital segment with sternite 9 with short basal portion, apical portion with wide, deep, subacute medioapical emargination ( Fig. 69). Tergite 10 quite short, with widely subtruncate apex, setose as in Fig. 70. Aedoeagus black, large, elongate, shaped as in Figs. 71–74; median lobe elongate, parallelsided in middle portion, apical portion markedly asymmetrical, with apex obtusely rounded ( Fig. 72); paramere large, covering most of median lobe, with markedly asymmetrical apical portion, shaped as in Figs. 71, 73, 74, apex distinctly not reaching apex of median lobe; sensory peg setae on underside of paramere numerous, situated at and close to apical margin of paramere ( Figs. 73, 74); 3 or 4 apical setae at each lateral margin below apex.

Female. Unknown.

Length 15.0–16.0 mm.

Bionomics. The specimens of the original series were taken from pitfall traps, but nothing is known about the habitat the traps were set in. However, judging from the elevation given, it was most likely the predominantly coniferous forest above the Camp 3.

Geographical distribution. Ocypus calamis is at present known only from the Hailuogou area in Gongga Shan range in northwestern Sichuan.

Recognition and comments. Ocypus calamis may be positively identified only by the black aedoeagus of quite characteristic shape, and by the unusually short tergite 10 of male genital segment.

Etymology. The specific epithet is the name of Calamis, - idis, m, a distinguished Greek sculptor, in apposition.