Thoracostrongylus acerosus, Yang & Zhou & Schillhammer, 2011

Yang, Zhuo, Zhou, Hong-Zhang & Schillhammer, Harald, 2011, Taxonomy of the genus Thoracostrongylus Bernhauer (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) with descriptions of five new species from China, Journal of Natural History 45 (7 - 8), pp. 407-433 : 410-413

Thoracostrongylus acerosus sp. nov.

( Figures 1A , 2 A–G)

Type material

Holotype. Male, CHINA: Sichuan, Baoxing, Fengtongzhai [30 ◦ 35’N, 102 ◦ 52’E], 1997.VI.9, Hongzhang Zhou coll. (IZCAS).

Paratypes. 14 males, 19 females, CHINA: Sichuan, Baoxing, Fengtongzhai [30 ◦ 35’N, 102 ◦ 52’E], 1997.VI.9, Hongzhang Zhou coll. (IZCAS) ; 8 males, 6 females, Sichuan, Baoxing, Fengtongzhai [30 ◦ 35’N, 102 ◦ 52’E], 1997.VI.8, Haisheng Zhou coll. (IZCAS) ; 1 male, Sichuan, Baoxing, Fengtongzhai [30 ◦ 35’N, 102 ◦ 52’E], 1795 m, pitfall trap, 2001.VI.30–VII.3, Xiaodong Yu and Hongzhang Zhou coll. (IZCAS) ; 3 females, Sichuan, Baoxing, Fengtongzhai [30 ◦ 35’N, 102 ◦ 52’E], 1680 m, Pitfall trap, 2001.VI.30–VII.3, Xiaodong Yu and Hongzhang Zhou coll. (IZCAS) ; 1 male, CHINA: Sichuan, 10 km S from Siping , 21. 21.VL.2005, Ivo Jeniš leg. (NMW) ; 13 males, 3 females, Sichuan, 21.5–12.6, Micang Shan, Daba , 1350–1450 m, 32 ◦ 40’N, 106 ◦ 55’E, 2008, leg. J. Turna (NMW) ; 2 males, Sichuan, 11–12.6. Micang Shan, Daba , 1300–1450 m, 32 ◦ 40’N, 106 ◦ 55’E, 2008, leg. J. Turna (NMW) ; 15 males, 8 females, Hubei, 16.V–14.VI, GUANMENSHAN, 1500 m, pitfall trap, 31 ◦ 45’N, 110 ◦ 4’E, Jaroslav Turna leg. 2004 (NMW) ; 2 females, Hubei, S env. Muyuping , 31 ◦ 45’N, 110 ◦ 4’E, up to 1100 m, 8 / 15– 17.6.2002, leg. J. Turna (NMW) ; 5 males, 3 females, Hubei, 21.6– 13.7.2003, Guanmenshan, pitfall trap, 31 ◦ 45’N, 110 ◦ 4’E, ca. 1500 m, leg. J. Turna (NMW) ; 2 males, Hubei, 29.VIII–6.IX, MUYUPING S. env. 1300 m, pitfall trap, 31 ◦ 45’N, 110 ◦ 4’E, Jaroslav Turna leg. 2004 (NMW) ; 8 males, 4 females, Hubei, 20.6– 12.7.2003, Muyuping S env., pitfall trap, 31 ◦ 45’N, 110 ◦ 4’E, ca. 1300 m, leg. J. Turna (NMW) ; 1 male, Hubei, 3.V–15.VII, MUYUPING NW env., 31 ◦ 27’N, 110 ◦ 22’E, 1600 m, Jaroslav Turna leg., 2006 (NMW) ; 1 male, Hubei, 22.6– 17.7.2003, rd. Xingshan–Badong saddle 5 km n Gaucho, pitfall trap, 31 ◦ 2’N, 110 ◦ 5’E, ca. 1500 m, leg. J. Turna (NMW) .

Description

Measurements. Body length: 9.0 – 11.8 mm. ♂ (mean, n = 3): HL: 1.40; HW: 1.95; CL: 0.90; PO: 0.30; PL: 1.70; PW: 1.55; EL: 2.10; EW: 2.20; ELS: 1.10. ♀ (mean, n = 3): HL: 1.50; HW: 2.10; CL: 0.95; PO: 0.30; PL: 1.35; PW: 1.55; EL: 2.10; EW: 2.20; ELS: 1.15.

Male. Dark brown; mandibles black, maxillary palpi, labial palpi and first four segments of antennae brown, remaining segments black brown, dull; legs pale brown, femora with black ring at midlength and distal end.

Head large, transverse, distinctly wider than pronotum; eyes large and prominent, their longitudinal diameter three times as long as temporal region; vertex with a small, rather indistinct, longitudinal specular spot medially; surface densely and regularly covered with umbilicate punctures, bearing short, brassy setae. Antennae with 1st segment longest, 2nd narrower than and almost one-third as long as 1st, 3rd narrower and longer than 2nd, 4th longer than wide, 5 – 10th gradually increasing in breadth, longer than wide, last segment twice as long as wide and subacuminate towards tip.

Pronotum oblong and dorsal surface convex, distinctly longer than wide, and much narrower than elytra; widest at level of large lateral seta, slightly narrowed towards rounded anterior angles, distinctly concavely narrowed towards base; anterior margin almost straight, posterior margin moderately convex, hind angles broadly rounded; punctation and pubescence similar to that on head, with brassy pubescence. Scutellum triangular, with dense, black, velvety pubescence.

Elytra subquadrate, wider than long and slightly dilated posteriorly; surface densely and finely, regularly punctate, with brassy pubescence.

Abdomen gradually narrowed towards apex, finely and densely punctate; 3–7th tergites brown, each with a pair of black tomentose spots medially; 6–7th tergites each with a patch of yellow pubescence; posterior margin of 8th sternite ( Figure 2A ) with shallow and broad medio-apical emargination, densely covered with short, erect, golden pubescence; 10th tergite ( Figure 2B ) wider than long, posterior margin straight with dense, long golden pubescence; posterior margin of 9th sternite ( Figure 2D ) triangularly emarginate medially, bearing moderately long yellow pubescence.

Male genitalia ( Figure 2 E–F) moderately sclerotized, median lobe elongate, almost symmetrical; in ventral view, median lobe gradually constricted at about one-third from apex, apex very sharply pointed; in lateral view, apical half bent dorsad, with a small process projecting dorsad at about one-fourth from apex; paramere short and stout, subparallel-sided, apex rounded, with 10 fine setae at apical margin.

Female. First four segments of front tarsus similar to those of male. Genital segment with second gonocoxite ( Figure 2G ) with minute stylus bearing one long apical seta; 10th tergite ( Figure 2C ) wider than long, posterior margin arcuate, bearing several long black setae.

Remarks

In general appearance, the species is similar to Th. fujianensis sp. nov., but differs from the latter by the bigger head and the shape of the male genitalia.

Distribution

China (Sichuan, Hubei) .

Etymology

The species name (Latin) means “needle-shaped”.

Figures

Figure 1. (A) Thoracostrongylus acerosus sp. nov.; (B) Thoracostrongylus aduncatus sp. nov.; (C) Thoracostrongylus baoxingensis sp. nov.; (D) Thoracostrongylus diaoluoensis sp. nov.; (E) Thoracostrongylus fujianensis sp. nov.; (F) Thoracostrongylus birmanus, (Fauvel, 1895).

Figure 2. Thoracostrongylus acerosus sp. nov., holotype, male and female from Sichuan and Hubei, China. (A) 8th sternite, male; (B) 10th tergite, male; (C) 10th tergite, female; (D) 9th sternite, male; (E) aedeagus, ventral view; (F) aedeagus, lateral view; (G) genital segment with second gonocoxite, female. Scale bar 1 mm.