Batoctenus kawmontis, Yin, 2019

Yin, Zi-Wei, 2019, Two new species of Batoctenus Sharp (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae) from French Guiana, Zootaxa 4624 (1), pp. 132-136 : 133

Batoctenus kawmontis sp. nov.

( Figs 1A , 2A–E)

Type material. Holotype: FRENCH GUIANA: ♂, ‘Guyane Francaise, Montagne Kaw Fourgassié, 15.9.– 1.10. 1995, M. Kocian lgt.’ ( MHNG) . Paratype: FRENCH GUIANA: 1 ♀, same collecting data as the holotype ( MHNG) .

Diagnosis. Length ~ about 2.2 mm. Male: antennomeres 9 angularly extended apicolaterally, antennomeres 10 simple, ventral surface of antennomeres 11 broadly impressed at basal half, with large cavity at apical half, and one tubercle inside cavity. Protibiae with two triangular expansions at middle, and with tuft of setae at apical fourth; protrochanters with sharp ventral spine; mesotibiae slightly curved and flattened dorso-ventrally. Median protuberance of sternite V truncate at apex in lateral view; sternite VIII unmodified. Female: identifiable only when associated with male.

Description. Male. General habitus elongate-cylindrical ( Fig. 1A ), body reddish-brown, head and pronotum slightly darker, mouthparts and tarsomeres paler. Body length 2.26 mm. Head slightly wider than long, length from anterior margin of clypeus to base 0.42 mm, width across eyes 0.46 mm. Each eye composed of about 40 facets. Length of antennae 1.42 mm; clubs (Fig. 2A) loosely formed by antennomeres 11; antennomeres 9 elongate-oblique, angularly expanded at apicolateral margin; antennomeres 10 transverse, obconical; antennomeres 11 strongly modified, their ventral surface broadly impressed from base toward apical third, apical half with deep cavity, and distinct tubercle inside cavity. Pronotum longer than wide, length along midline 0.48 mm, maximum width 0.43 mm. Elytra elongate, length along suture 0.72 mm, maximum width 0.66 mm; with two complete carinae, one derived from between second and third basal foveae and strongly sinuate, and one derived from humerus. Protibiae (Fig. 2B) with two triangular expansions at middle, and tuft of setae at apical fourth; protrochanters with sharp ventral spine; mesotibiae slightly curved and flattened dorso-ventrally. Abdomen widest at tergite 1 (IV), mid-length of dorsally exposed part 0.64 mm, maximum width 0.57 mm. Tergite 4 (VII) with pair of lateral tubercles. Sternite 2 (V) in lateral view with short and truncate median projection (Fig. 2C), sternites 3 (VI) and 6 (VIII) simple. Length of aedeagus (Fig. 2D–E) 0.46 mm; basal capsule strongly transverse; with long and broad basoventral projection; median lobe strongly asymmetric, with complex structure.

Female. General habitus similar to male but with smaller eyes and shorter antennae. Each eye composed of about 30 facets. Antennae, legs and abdomen simple. Measurements (as for male): body length 2.21 mm, length of antennae 1.24 mm, lengths/widths of head 0.41/ 0.46 mm, pronotum 0.46/ 0.45 mm, elytra 0.71/ 0.65 mm, abdomen 0.62/ 0.58 mm.

Distribution. French Guiana.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition, referring to the type locality of the new species, i.e., Kaw Mountain.

Comments. Using Park’s (1942) key, the new species could be keyed out at couplet 5 with B. barberi . Although no figure, except for a habitus sketch, was provided for B. barberi , the original description is detailed enough to distinguish these two species. In the male of B. barberi antennomeres 8 are also modified, the antennomeres 11 are as long as the preceding three antennomeres combined, and the protibiae and median projection of sternite 3 (V) are clearly of different forms. Additionally, B. barberi is distributed in Corumbá of the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul. Batoctenus kawmontis can be readily separated from B. kociani described below by the larger body size, and different forms of the male modifications, and the structure of the aedeagus.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus of Batoctenus kawmontis (A), and B. kociani (B). Scale bars: 0.5 mm.