Edaphus mediocris, Puthz, 2014

Puthz, V., 2014, Review of the New World Edaphus MOTSCHULSKY (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) 120 th Contribution to the Knowledge of Euaesthetinae, Linzer biologische Beiträge 46 (1), pp. 799-827 : 810-811

Edaphus mediocris nov.sp. (figs 27, 57)

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype (): VENEZUELA: Merida, Merida 34 km NW, 2350m, 8 o 37’0’’N, 71 o 20’12’’W, montane forest litter, 22.V.1998, R. Anderson: in the KSEM.

D e s c r i p t i o n: Macropterous, chestnut brown, shiny, aside of setiferous punctures impunctate; pubescence recumbent.

L e n g t h: 1.1-1.2mm (forebody: 0.7mm).

PM of the ht: HW: 33; DE: 23.5; LE: 9; LT: <1; LG:3.5; PW: 36.5; PL: 29; dlbc: 25; EW: 58; EL: 45; SL: 37.

M a l e: Sternite 8 (fig. 27). Sternite 9 acute apicomedially, no fields of ha present. SpP about 1.5x as long as the median lobe, with a distinct double trumpet, vs about as large as the apical portion of the median lobe. Aedeagus (fig. 57), apical portion of median lobe narrow, with 2 setae, parameres longer than the median lobe, shortly bifid, each branch with a very long seta.

Head narrower than pronotum, eyes large, finely facetted, distinct temples absent, ptfF semicircular, distinct, alfF absent, ampF concave, distinctly broader than each of the moderately elevated alpF, no special separation between ampF and clp, alpF with a few minute punctures. Antennae short, when reflexed not extending to the posterior margin of the pronotum, club, very strong, 2-segmented, segment 10 as broad as long, segment 11 slightly longer than segment 10. Pronotum broader than long, sides strongly convex anteriorly, strongly, concavely, constricted behind; lbc distinct, mbc absent, 6 moderately large bf present. Elytra broader than long, subquadrate, sides shallowly dilated posteriad, shoulders with a nearly imperceptible short carina. Mbct3 one third as long as the tergite.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: This new species resembles several similar species, it may be distinguished from both E. wagneri PUTHZ and E. gallinaceus PUTHZ by the broader pronotum, from E. siphonifer PUTHZ by the broader head and pronotum, from all by the sexual characters of the male; see also the key.

E t y m o l o g y: Since this new species is little remarkable I name it " mediocris " (Lat.= mediocre).