Baraxina koghisiana, Hlaváč & Jałoszyński, 2021

Hlaváč, Peter & Jałoszyński, Paweł, 2021, The Pselaphinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) of New Caledonia and Loyalty Islands. IV. Revision of the genus Baraxina Raffray, 1896, Zootaxa 4941 (2), pp. 193-216 : 209-210

Baraxina koghisiana sp. n.

( Figs 1, 31–33)

Material studied. Holotype: ♁: NEW CALEDONIA, with two labels: “ NEW CALEDONIA / 22°11’S x 166°01’E, Mt. / Koghis, 500 m, 22 Nov 2000 / G. B. Monteith, pyrethrum / trunks & logs. 9931“ [white, printed] “QUEENSLAND / MUSEUM LOAN / Date: January 2006 / No. LE 06.01 “ [green, printed] ( MNHN) . Paratypes (8 ♁♁, 5 ♀♀): 1 ♁, 1 ♀: same data as for holotype ( QMBA, PCPH); 1 ♁: one label: “ NEW CALEDONIA, S-Prov. / Monts Koghis , 500-550 m / ca 5 km N Nouméa / 5.XII.2009, Schuh (338)“ [white, printed] ( PCRS); 3 ♁♁ , 1 ♀: one label: “ NEW CALEDONIA (S) / 22.17809 / 166.50569 / Koghi Mts 520 m / forest, sifting litter / 25.10.2008 leg. M. Wanat “ [white, printed] ( MNHW, PCPH); 2 ♁♁: one label: “ NEW CALEDONIA / 22°11’S x 166°01’E / Mt. Koghis, 500 m, 9942 / 27 Nov 2000, GB Monteith, Pyrethrum / trunks & logs“ [white, printed] ( QMBA); 1 ♁, 3 ♀♀: one label: “ NEW CALEDONIA / Mt. Koghis / leg. S. & J. Peck / VII:26:1978, leaf litter / FM ( HD)# 78-252, 500 m “ [white, printed] ( FMNH, PCPH) .

Diagnosis. Profemora in males with straight basal spine; external apical margin of palpomere 2 evenly rounded, not projecting; antennomeres 9 and 10 each clearly transverse; transverse basal impression of first visible abdominal tergite well-defined, with discal carinae long, reaching basal third of tergite; aedeagus variable in shape and arrangement of endophallic sclerites, constant characters include nearly symmetrical and distally bifurcate median lobe, over a dozen of elongate endophallic sclerites distributed from sub-basal to subapical region, and parameres with three apical and subapical setae each.

Description. Body ( Fig. 1) bicoloured, head and pronotum pitchy black, elytra, abdomen, antennae and legs reddish-brown, maxillary palpi darker than antennae. Body length 1.90–2.02 mm, maximum width 0.75–0.78 mm.

Head 0.95–1.05 times as long as wide. External apical margin of maxillary palpomere 2 evenly rounded, not projecting; palpomere 3 subrectangular, external margin rounded; palpomere 4 0.28–0.29 mm long, 3.50–4.00 times as long as wide.

Antennae 1.07–1.08 mm long, scape 2.00–2.30 times as long as pedicel; pedicel 1.15–1.35 times as long as antennomere 3; antennomeres 3, 4 and 9 subequal in length; antennomere 5 1.06–1.25 times as long as 6, antennomere 7 0.87–0.88 times as long as 6, 1.40–1.60 times as long as 8; antennomere 9 transverse, 1.50–1.65 times as wide as long; antennomere 10 1.45–1.50 times as wide as long, about 1.5 times as long as 9; antennomere 11 0.26 mm long, asymmetrical, with basal notch.

Pronotum 1.15–1.25 times as wide as long, 1.00–1.15 times as long and 1.20–1.25 times as wide as head.

Elytra 1.45–1.55 times as long as pronotum, 1.15–1.25 times as wide as long.

First visible abdominal tergite (IV) with basal impression well-defined, discal carinae long, reaching basal third of tergite.

Profemora with basal spine straight; protibiae in apical fourth with spine.

Aedeagus (Figs 31–33) in dorsal view nearly symmetrical, 0.45–0.47 mm long, variable (variants shown in Fig. 31 and 32), constant structures include distally bifurcate median lobe, over a dozen of elongate endophallic sclerites distributed from sub-basal to subapical region, and parameres with three apical and subapical setae on each.

Etymology. The species is named after Mt. Koghis, the type locality.

Distribution. New Caledonia, Southern Province.

Remarks. Studied specimens were collected in a tropical forest by fogging trunks and logs with pyrethrum, and by sifting forest leaf litter.