Scaphisoma pulchrum, 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 : 1432-1433

5.2.21.1. Scaphisoma pulchrum nov.sp. ( Figs 228-230 )

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype 6: Meran, E. slope of Mt. Apo, Davao Province Mindanao, 6000 ft.; XI: 5:46 / Lot 100 on polypore 39 Fomes applanatus / CNHM Philippine Zool.Exped. 1946-47) F.G.Werner leg. (FMNH).

Description: Length 2.25 mm, width 1.70 mm. Head ochreous. Pronotum brown, with large lateral ochreous spots starting near basal margin, reaching anterior margin, each spot in dorsal view about as wide as fourth of basal width of pronotum. Hypomera ochreous. Elytra brown, each elytron with ochreous transverse subbasal and apical bands narrowed in their middle parts. Subbasal band at longest point about twice as intervals to basal margin. Mesoventrite and metaventrite with anepisterna and epimera dark brown, abdominal sternite 1 somewhat lighter brown, remainder of exposed abdomen ochreous. Appendages ochreous. Pronotum and elytra not microsculptured and not iridescent. Length/width ratio of antennomeres as: III 16/10: IV 55/7: V 70/7: VI 75/7: VII 72/14: VIII 68/8: IX 77/13: X 68/13: XI 72/13. Pronotum finely and densely punctate, with lateral margins evenly rounded, lateral margin carinae exposed in dorsal view, lateral striae impunctate. Tip of scutellum well visible. Elytra with lateral margin carinae entirely and well visible in dorsal view, apical margins truncate, inner apical angles not prominent, situated about in level with outer angles; sutural margin not raised, sutural striae deep, not bent at base and not extending along basal margin, parallel except near apices, very finely punctate; adsutural areas flat, densely and very finely punctate, with punctures smaller than those on elytral disc, lateral striae impunctate. Elytral disc with punctation fine, punctures poorly delimited, much smaller than punctures intervals. Hind wings fully developed. Hypomera and mesanepisterna smooth. Mesepimera shorter than intervals to mesocoxae, about four times as long as wide. Median part of metaventrite slightly convex, without impressions, with strigulate microsculpture, punctation very fine and dense, punctures well delimited. Lateral parts of metaventrite not microsculptured, sparsely and very finely punctate; antecoxal puncture rows present, in hardly impressed striae and very fine. Submesocoxal areas 0.04-0.05 mm, about as sixth of intervals to metacoxae, submesocoxal lines convex, finely punctate. Metanepisternum flat, weakly narrowed anteriad, inner margin straight, suture shallow. Protibiae straight, mesotibiae distinctly curved, metatibiae hardly curved.

M a l e: Protarsomeres 1 to 3 and mesotarsomeres 1 and 2 strongly widened, tarsomeres 1 about as wide as apices of tibiae. Abdomen with strigulate microsculpture. Sternite 1 finely and very densely punctate on narrow basomedian area, very finely and sparsely punctate on remaining mesal surface and on lateral areas; submetacoxal areas 0.09 mm, almost as half of intervals to apical margin of sternite 1, submetacoxal lines convex, fairly coarsely punctate. Aedeagus ( Figs 228-230 ) 1. 42 mm long, asymmetrical, with basal bulb very large and weakly sclerotized, apical process and most of parameres strongly sclerotized. Apical process short, strongly inflexed, with ventral branch hooklike at apex, dorsal branch narrow, almost reaching apex of ventral branch. Parameres strongly lobed ventrally and apically. Internal sac very complex, with row of basal teeth and long rods, large central triangular plate and large apical plate extended to form a point.

E t y m o l o g y: The species epithet is a Latin adjective meaning nice.

Comparative notes: This member of the group may be readily distinguished from its Philippine congeners by the body colour pattern.

Figures

Figs 228 - 233: Aedeagi of Scaphisoma; (228); S. pulchrum nov. sp., median lobe in dorsal view; (229), ditto, aedeagus in lateral view, without proximal part of basal bulb; (230), ditto, parameres in ventral view; (231, 232), S. signaticolle nov. sp., apical process of median lobe in dorsal and lateral views; (233), internal sac. Scale = 0.2 mm.