Sphaerobulbus rex, 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 : 56-58

Sphaerobulbus rex spec. nov.

( Figs. 3–7 )

Type material. Holotype (male): CHINA: “ CHINA: Shaanxi, Daba Shan mts., Ten Ja vill. env. 31º55'N 109º05'E, 18.–27.VI.2004, 2200–2600 m, A. Plutenko " ( MSC) . Paratype: CHINA: Shaanxi: same data as holotype, 1 ♂ ( ASC) .

Description. Black, fore body moderately shiny; pubescence of dorsal side of body piceous­black; antennae and legs very long; maxillary and labial palpi brunneous with apices of segments paler, antennae piceous­black, legs piceous­black with paler tarsi. Head of

rounded shape, with entirely obsolete, widely rounded posterior angles, about as long as wide, eyes small, slightly convex, tempora considerably longer than eyes from above (ratio 2.35), posterolateral portions of head with moderately coarse, very dense punctation, punctation becoming gradually markedly sparser towards midline and frons, middle of disc with small almost impunctate area; interspaces between punctures with very fine, dense meshed microsculpture, with intermixed very fine punctures. Antenna very long, when reclined reaching to posterior fourth of length of pronotum; segment 3 distinctly longer than segment 2 (ratio 1.45), segments 4 to 7 markedly longer than wide, becoming gradually shorter, segments 8 and 9 longer than wide, segment 10 about as long as wide, last segment shorter than two preceding segments combined. Pronotum longer than wide (ratio 1.21), slightly narrowed anteriad, narrow marginal groove disappearing downwards at about anterior fourth of pronotal length; disc of pronotum with complete, narrow impunctate midline; punctation and pubescence similar to that on head but somewhat finer and less dense, gradually becoming somewhat sparser anteromediad, interspaces between punctures with microsculpture similar to that on head. Scutellum finely and densely punctate and setose, surface with extremely fine, rudimentary microsculpture. Elytra relatively long, almost parallel­sided, at suture slightly shorter (ratio 0.86) at sides about as long as pronotum at midline; punctation very fine and very dense, finely asperate, interspaces between punctures with fine, dense, granulose microsculpture, elytra therefore appearing dull. Wings each folded under elytron, but likely nonfunctional. Abdomen with tergite 7 (fifth visible tergite) bearing pale apical seam of palisade setae; tergite 2 (in front of first visible tergite) with fine punctures only along posterior margin; posterior basal line on first three visible abdominal tergites obtusely extended posteriad on each lateral portion, base of tergite between extensions depressed, with depression delimited laterally by short oblique carina situated at middle of each lateral extension of basal line; all tergites very finely and densely punctate, punctation finer than that on elytra, gradually becoming slightly sparser toward apex of each tergite and on basal depression of tergites 3–5 (visible tergites 1–3), and in general toward apex of abdomen; interspaces with very fine, dense meshed microsculpture.

Male. Sternite 8 with rather narrow and shallow, obtusely triangular medioapical emargination. Male genital segment with sternite 9 with subarcuate apical emargination ( Fig. 3 ). Tergite 10 moderately large, triangular with vaguely differentiated apical portion with subacute apex bearing long apical setae, otherwise moderately densely setose ( Fig. 4 ). Aedoeagus as in Figs. 5–7 ; median lobe with parallel­sided middle portion, apical portion asymmetrical, with right side below apex subarcuately dilated, apical portion with acute apex; paramere situated on median lobe asymmetrically, apical portion asymmetrical, with arcuate apex not quite reaching apex of median lobe; underside of paramere with a few inconspicuous, not pigmented sensory peg setae, five variably long apical setae situated along left lateral margin of apical portion of paramere; three minute, stout setae situated away from right margin of apical portion of paramere ( Fig. 6 ).

Female. Unknown.

Length 18.0–19.0 mm.

Bionomics. Nothing is known about the habitat requirements of this species.

Geographical distribution. Sphaerobulbus rex is at present known only from the type locality in southern Shaanxi .

Recognition. Sphaerobulbus rex is a member of the “ bisinuatus ­group” (Smetana 2003: 69), based on the modification of the basal portions of the first three visible abdominal tergites. It differs from all larger species of the group ( S. bisinuatus Smetana, 2003 , S. abdominalis Smetana, 2003 , S. nagahatai Smetana, 2005 ), in addition to the differences in the shape of the aedoeagus, by the narrower, rounded head, the narrower pronotum, and by the piceous­black legs.

Etymology. The specific epithet is the Latin noun rex , ­ is, m. (king). It refers to the appearance of the species.

Figures

FIGURES 1–12. 1. Sphaerobulbus bisinuatus: apical portion of aedoeagus (ventral view); 2. Sphaerobulbus abdominalis: apical portion of aedoeagus (ventral view). 3–7. Sphaerobulbus rex: 3 — sternite 9 of male genital segment; 4 — tergite 10 of male genital segment; 5 — aedoeagus, ventral view; 6 — underside of apical portion of paramere; 7 — apical portion of aedoeagus, lateral view. 8–12. Sphaerobulbus pusio: 8 — sternite 9 of male genital segment; 9 — tergite 10 of male genital segment; 10 — aedoeagus, ventral view; 11 — underside of apical portion of paramere; 12 — apical portion of aedoeagus, lateral view.