Baraxina pecki, 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 : 212-213

Baraxina pecki sp. n.

(Fig. 39)

Material studied. Holotype: ♁: NEW CALEDONIA, with one label: “Nouv. Calédonie, grottes d’Adio près / Poya, 6.VIII.1978 / Peck“ [white, printed] ( MHNG) . Paratypes: 5 ♀♀: same data as for holotype ( MHNG, PCPH) .

Diagnosis. Profemora in males with straight basal spine; maxillary palpomere 2 with strongly pronounced round distal projection; antennomere 5 only 1.17 times as long as 6; 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 slightly asymmetrical, apex of median lobe undivided, endophallic sclerites arranged in four separated groups: median group of three conspicuously large sclerites, and three subapical groups (two lateral and one median), each paramere with narrowed, subtriangular apex bent mesad, one apical and one external subapical seta.

Description. Body bicoloured, head and pronotum pitchy black; elytra, abdomen maxillary palpi, antennae and legs reddish-brown, but abdomen slightly darker than elytra and appendages. Body length 1.91 mm, maximum width 0.67 mm.

Head about as long as wide. External apical margin of maxillary palpomere 2 with prominent round projection; palpomere 3 subrectangular, external margin rounded; palpomere 4 slender, 0.25 mm long, 3.57 times as long as wide.

Antennae 0.91 mm long, scape 2.23 times as long as pedicel; pedicel 1.08 times as long as antennomere 3; antennomeres 3, 4, 6 and 7 subequal in length; antennomere 5 1.17 times as long as 6; antennomere 7 1.10 times as long as 8; antennomere 9 transverse, 1.60 times as wide as long; antennomere 10 transverse, 1.2 times as wide as long, about twice as long as 9; antennomere 11 0.21 mm long, asymmetrical, with basal notch.

Pronotum 0.90 times as long as wide, 1.06 times as long and 1.17 times as wide as head.

Elytra 1.55 times as long as pronotum, 1.08 times as wide as long.

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

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

Aedeagus (Fig. 39) in dorsal view slightly asymmetrical, 0.49 mm long, apex of median lobe undivided, endophallic sclerites arranged in four separated groups: median group of three conspicuously large sclerites, and three subapical groups (two lateral and one median), each paramere with narrowed, subtriangular apex bent mesad, one apical and one external subapical seta.

Etymology. This species is dedicated to Steward B. Peck (Ottawa, Canada), a specialist on Leiodidae and collector of many New Caledonian pselaphines, including the type series of this species.

Distribution. New Caledonia, Southern Province.