Scaphisoma liliput, Ivan Löbl & Ryo Ogawa, 2016

Ivan Löbl & Ryo Ogawa, 2016, On the Scaphisomatini (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scaphidiinae) of the Philippines, IV: the genera Sapitia ACHARD and Scaphisoma LEACH, Linzer biologische Beiträge 48 (2), pp. 1339-1492 : 1359-1360

5.2.4.3. Scaphisoma liliput nov.sp. ( Figs 59-62 )

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype 6: Luzon: Lagunas Mt. Makiling (summit rd) 600m, 21- 22.XI.1995 I.Löbl, fungi on logs (MHNG). Paratypes: with the same data as the holotype, 1 6 (MHNG); with the same data but 28.XI., 3 6, 3♀♀ (MHNG); Luzon, Lagunas, Mt. Makiling 4 km SE Los Banos, 7. V.1977, leg. L.E. Watrous, 2 66 (MHNG); with the same data but 9.IV., 1 and 12.IV.1977, 2 ex. (MHNG).

D e s c r i p t i o n: Length 0.90-1.0 mm, width 0.63-0.75 mm. Body reddish-brown, femora and tibiae hardly lighter than body, tarsi, antennae and apical abdominal segments yellowish. Pronotum and elytra not microsculptured and not iridescent. Length/width ratio of antennomeres as: III 7/5: IV 14/4: V 18/5: VI 21/7: VII 26/9: VIII 20/8: IX 26/10: X 24/10: XI 38/10. Pronotum with lateral margins evenly rounded, lateral margin carinae not visible in dorsal view, lateral striae punctate, punctation dense, very fine, hardly visible at 50 times magnification. Exposed tip of scutellum minute.

Elytra convex, with lateral margin carinae not visible in dorsal view, apical margins rounded, inner apical angles not prominent, situated about in level with outer angles; sutural margin not or slightly raised, sutural striae deep, converging apically from base to mid-third, parallel posterior basal third, very finely punctate, bent at base, basal striae absent; adsutural areas narrow, flat, each with single puncture row, lateral striae punctate. Elytral disc with punctation sparse and very fine, irregular, to part distinctly less fine than that on pronotum and visible at 20 times magnification. Hind wings fully developed. Hypomera, mesanepisterna, metaventrite and abdomen without obvious microsculpture. Mesepimera slightly longer than intervals to mesocoxae and almost three times as long as wide. Metaventrite extremely finely punctate. Median part of metaventrite flattened, lacking impressions or stria; antecoxal puncture rows absent. Submesocoxal areas 0.04 mm, about as half of intervals to metacoxae, submesocoxal lines convex, conspicuously coarsely punctate. Metanepisternum flat, wide, not or slightly narrowed anteriad, inner margin almost straight, suture deep. Tibiae straight. Abdomen with punctation very fine and sparse, hardly visible; submetacoxal areas about 0.02 mm, about as third of intervals to apical margin of sternite, submetacoxal lines hardly convex, with distinct marginal punctures.

M a l e: Protarsomeres 1 to 3 weakly widened. Aedeagus ( Figs 59-62 ) 0.41-0.47 mm long, symmetrical, moderately sclerotized. Median lobe with very short, inflexed apical process and large, bulbous articular process. Parameres large, bearing ventral membranous lobes, strongly narrowed toward tip in dorsal view. Internal sac with tip of flagellum expanded.

E t y m o l o g y: The species epithet is a name of a fictional nation of minute people. C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: This species may be distinguished from its congeners by the shape of the parameres. It differs from the very similar S. blefusca also by the longer antennae, with antennomeres III and IV combined longer than antennomere V, the more distinct elytral punctation, the sutural striae of the elytra converging from bases to middle third, and the conspicuous punctures margining submesocoxal lines.

Figures

Figs 58 - 64: Scaphisoma; (58), S. ilonggo nov. sp., aedeagus in lateral view, internal sac extruded; (59, 60), S. liliput nov. sp., aedeagus in lateral and dorsal views, internal sac extruded; (61), ditto, parameres in ventral view; (62), ditto, paramere in lateral view; (63, 64), S. nanellum nov. sp., aedeagus in dorsal and lateral views. Scale = 0.1 mm.