Sphaerobulbus businskorum, Smetana, 2005

Smetana, Aleš, 2005, Contributions to the knowledge of the “ Staphylinus-complex ” (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylinini) of China. Part 7. The genus Sphaerobulbus Smetana 2003. Section 2, Zootaxa 1006 (1), pp. 53-64 : 59-62

Sphaerobulbus businskorum spec. nov.

( Figs. 13–17 )

Type material. Holotype (male) and allotype (female): CHINA: “ CHINA, W SICHUAN, KANGDING Co. & JIULONG Co. border, 4100–4800 m MUGANG LING Mts.—the central part 29º13–24'[N] & 101º39–45'[E] 23.–30.V.2001 coll. L. & R. Businský ” . Holotype in YSC; allotype in ASC. Paratypes: CHINA: Sichuan: same data as holotype, 3 ♂♂ 2 ♀♀ ( ASC, YSC); Kangding Co., Gongga Shan Mts. , W foot of the 7556 m peak, 3300 –

4500 m, 29º30–39' N 101º45 –46'E, 13.–17.VI.2001 coll. L. & R. Businský, 2 ♀♀ ( ASC, YSC); W Sichuan, Jiulong Co. Taka He valley , 2500–4000 m , 28º45'– 29º09'N 101º42– 50'E, 2.–10.VII. 2001 coll. L. & R. Businský, 1 ♀ ( YSC); Daxue Shan , 30 km W Xinduqiao, 4400 m , 30º00'N 101º49E, 26.VII.1999, leg. Siniaev & Plutenko, 1 ♀ ( MSC); rd. Xinduqiao–Yaijang , pass 16 km W Xinduqiao, 3500 m , alpine region, leg. J. Kalab, 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ( ASC, NMW); Mts. 20 km W Yajiang, 150 km W Kangding , 4300–4600 m , 23.VII.1998, leg. S. Murzin, 3 ♀♀ ( ASC, MSC); Litang , SW env., 4100–4300 m , 29º52'N 100º20'E, L. & R. Businský leg., 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ( ASC, MDC) .

Description. Black, fore body moderately shiny; visible abdominal tergites 4 and 5 each with patch of golden tomentose pubescence in middle, rarely some golden tomentose hairs are also present in middle of visible tergite 3; maxillary and labial palpi brunneous, antennae piceous­black, legs dark brownish to piceous­black with vaguely paler tarsi. Head of rounded quadrangular shape, with entirely rounded posterior angles, wider than long (ratio 1.22), eyes small, slightly convex, tempora considerably longer than eyes from above (ratio 1.80), dorsal surface of head densely and finely punctate and pubescent, punctation gradually becoming less dense anteromediad; interspaces between punctures without microsculpture. Antenna moderately long, segment 3 longer than segment 2 (ratio 1.18), segments 4 to 8 longer than wide, becoming gradually shorter, segments 9 and 10 about as long as wide, last segment shorter than two preceding segments combined. Pronotum vaguely longer than wide (ratio 1.07), parallel­sided to vaguely narrowed anteriad, narrow marginal groove disappearing downwards at about anterior third of pronotal length; disc of pronotum with complete, narrow, impunctate midline; punctation and pubescence similar to that on head, gradually becoming somewhat sparser anteromediad, interspaces between punctures without microsculpture. Scutellum finely and densely punctate and setose, surface with extremely fine, rudimentary microsculpture. Elytra short, somewhat widened posteriad, at suture distinctly (ratio 0.72) at sides slightly (ratio 0.90) shorter than pronotum at midline; punctation fine and very dense, finely asperate, interspaces between punctures with fine, dense, granulose microsculpture, elytra therefore appearing dull; pubescence black, dense. Wings each reduced to minute, nonfunctional stump. Abdomen with tergite 7 (fifth visible tergite) lacking pale apical seam of palisade setae; tergite 2 (in front of first visible tergite) entirely, finely and densely punctate; posterior basal line on first three visible abdominal tergites simple, almost straight; all tergites very finely and densely punctate, punctation finer than that on elytra, gradually becoming slightly sparser toward apex of each tergite and in general toward apex of abdomen; interspaces with very fine, dense meshed microsculpture that becomes rudimentary toward middle of each tergite; pubescence black, dense.

Male. Sternite 8 with moderately wide, rather shallow, obtusely triangular medioapical emargination. Male genital segment with sternite 9 with rather shallow, arcuate apical emargination, sometimes with one long subapical seta ( Fig. 13 ). Tergite 10 moderately large, triangular with slightly differentiated apical portion with subtruncate apex bearing long apical setae, otherwise moderately densely setose ( Fig. 14 ). Aedoeagus as in Figs. 15–17 ; median lobe with parallel­sided middle portion, with rather long, triangular apical portion with acute apex; paramere situated on median lobe slightly asymmetrically, with arcuate apex not reaching apex of median lobe; underside of paramere with two inconspicuous, not pigmented sensory peg setae and with numerous apical setae along each lateral margin ( Fig. 16 ).

Length 14.0–19.0 mm.

Geographical distribution. Sphaerobulbus businskorum is at present known from the high elevations of mountain ranges of Daxue Shan and Shalui Shan in west­central Sichuan.

Bionomics. Nothing is known about the habitat requirements of this species; however, it apparently lives in high mountain habitats, most likely in the upper zone of the montane forest and above the tree line.

Recognition and comments. Sphaerobulbus businskorum is the second species of the genus that has spots of yellow or golden tomentose pubescence on the abdominal tergites. The other species ( S. brezinai ) is apparently endemic to Yulong Shan in northern Yunnan. Sphaerobulbus businskorum differs from S. brezinai easily, in addition to the different shape of the aedoeagus, by the larger and more robust body, by the shinier surface of the fore body (in S. brezinai , the dorsal surface of the head and pronotum bears dense microsculpture), and by the golden spots of tomentose pubescence on visible abdominal tergites 4 and 5 (the spots of tomentose pubescence are yellowish in S. brezinai ).

Most specimens collected by Murzin are missing numerous appendages, apparently due to the prolonged exposure to the liquid in pitfall traps.

Etymology. Patronymic. The species was named in honor of the collectors of some specimens of the original series, the couple L. and R. Businský, Prague, Czech Republic.

Figures

FIGURES 13–22. 13–17. Sphaerobulbus businskorum: 13 — sternite 9 of male genital segment; 14 — tergite 10 of male genital segment; 15 — aedoeagus, ventral view; 16 — underside of apical portion of paramere; 17 — apical portion of aedoeagus, lateral view. 18–22. Sphaerobulbus bicolor: 18 — sternite 9 of male genital segment; 19 — tergite 10 of male genital segment; 20 — aedoeagus, ventral view; 21 — apical portion of underside of paramere; 22 — apical portion of aedoeagus, lateral view.