Zyras (Termidonia) sexcuspidatus, Assing, 2009

Assing, V., 2009, New species and additional records of Homalotini, Athetini, Pygostenini, and Lomechusini from Yunnan, China (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 41 (1), pp. 485-507 : 503-505

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.5276225

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03A587E1-DD7E-FFAF-DC96-FDC6FE26FB60

treatment provided by

Carolina

scientific name

Zyras (Termidonia) sexcuspidatus
status

sp. nov.

Zyras (Termidonia) sexcuspidatus View in CoL nov.sp. ( Figs 53-63 View Figs 53-63 )

Holotype Ƌ: China: Yunnan [ CH 07-16], Baoshan Pref., mountain range 14 km E Tengchong, 1850 m, 25°00'28"N, 98°38'07"E, second mixed forest, litter sifted, 1. VI.2007, leg. A. Pütz / Holotypus Ƌ Zyras sexcuspidatus sp.n. det. V. Assing 2007 (cPüt).

D e s c r i p t i o n: 4.6 mm. Habitus as in Fig. 53 View Figs 53-63 . Coloration: body yellowish; elytra broadly and transversely infuscate, with the anterior margin, the area near the humeral angles, and the posterior margin yellowish; posterior margins of segments IV-VI, except for the middle 1/3 of the tergites, conspicuously blackish.

Head 1.2 times as wide as long; punctation dense, moderately fine, and shallow; interstices on average narrower than diameter of punctures and glossy, without microsculpture. Eyes bulging, distinctly projecting from lateral contours of head, approximately as long as postocular region in dorsal view ( Fig. 54 View Figs 53-63 ). Antenna long (1.8 mm) and slender ( Fig. 55 View Figs 53-63 ). Maxillary palpi long and slender ( Fig. 54 View Figs 53-63 ).

Pronotum 1.17 times as wide as long, widest in anterior half, posteriorly distinctly tapering; posterior angles obtuse, but marked ( Fig. 54 View Figs 53-63 ); lateral and anterior margins on either side with 6 long black setae; punctation similar to that of head; interstices without microsculpture.

Elytra much broader and distinctly longer (1.15 x) than pronotum ( Fig. 54 View Figs 53-63 ); punctation very dense, denser than that of head and pronotum; interstices without microsculpture. Hind wings fully developed. Legs long and slender; metatibia almost 0.8 mm long; metatarsomere I approximately as long as II.

Abdomen widest at posterior margin of segment IV, posteriorly gradually tapering ( Fig. 53 View Figs 53-63 ); segment IV conspicuously elongated, approximately twice as long as segment V (sexual dimorphism?); punctation fine, moderately dense on tergites III-IV, sparse on tergite V, and very sparse on tergites VI-VII; interstices very glossy and without microsculpture; tergite VII at posterior margin with palisade fringe.

Ƌ: segment III conspicuously modified: tergite III posteriorly with long fork-like projection reaching slightly beyond posterior margin of tergite IV, apices of the two processes bent somewhat ventrad ( Fig. 56 View Figs 53-63 ); sternite III laterally on either side with pronounced fork-like projection, the ventral process somewhat longer than the dorsal one and reaching the middle of segment V ( Fig. 57 View Figs 53-63 ); tergite VII near posterior margin with weakly pronounced median keel; tergite VIII with rather broad median tubercle, posterior margin of tergite VIII broadly produced and in the middle weakly concave ( Fig. 58 View Figs 53-63 ); posterior margin of sternite VI in the middle concave; sternite VII much longer and broader than tergite VII, in the middle of posterior margin with spine-like process ( Fig. 59 View Figs 53-63 ), apex of this process with brush of short thin setae ( Fig. 60 View Figs 53-63 ); posterior margin of sternite VIII distinctly convex ( Fig. 61 View Figs 53-63 ); aedeagus with median lobe relatively small (0.42 mm) and of distinctive shape ( Fig. 62 View Figs 53-63 ); paramere as in Fig. 63 View Figs 53-63 .

♀: unknown.

E t y m o l o g y: The name (Latin, adjective) refers to the six conspicuous processes of the male abdominal segment III.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: The species is tentatively attributed to the subgenus Termidonia MOTSCHULSKY, 1860 , primarily based on the modifications of the male abdomen. Species of Termidonia usually have a distinctly modified male abdomen. However, the species currently attributed to Termidonia have processes on segment IV (not III) and at least some species, like Z. nepalensis PACE 1992 from Nepal, Z. longwangmontis PACE 1998 from China, and Z. viti ASSING in press from Taiwan, also have aedeagi with pronounced modifications (see illustrations in PACE (1992b, 1998c) and ASSING (in press)), which are absent in Z. sexcuspidatus . The new species is distinguished from all its congeners particularly by the pronounced and distinctive modifications of the male abdomen and by the morphology of the aedeagus. The geographically closest consubgeners are Z. longwangmontis PACE 1998 from Hong Kong and Zhejiang, and Z. bidentatus BERNHAUER 1914 from Myanmar and Taiwan. Both species are much larger (> 8 mm), have a different coloration, processes on the male abdominal segment IV, and (at least Z. longwangmontis ) an aedeagus with pronounced processes.

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d b i o n o m i c s: Thetypelocalityissituatedtotheeast of Tengchong in western Yunnan province. The holotype was sifted in a deciduous forest at an altitude of 1850 m.

VI

Mykotektet, National Veterinary Institute

V

Royal British Columbia Museum - Herbarium

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Coleoptera

Family

Staphylinidae

Genus

Zyras

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