Baraxina amieuana, 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 : 202-203

Baraxina amieuana sp. n.

( Figs 18–19 )

Material studied. Holotype: ♁: NEW CALEDONIA, with two labels: “ NEW CALEDONIA 11667 / 21°37’S x 165°49’E, 470 m / Col d’Amieu, west slope / 29 Sep 2004, G. Monteith / pyrethrum, trees & logs“ [white, printed], “QUEENSLAND / MUSEUM LOAN / Date: January 2006 / No. LE 06.01 “ [green, printed] ( MNHN) . Paratypes (6 ♁♁, 2 ♀♀): 1 ♁, 1 ♀: same data as for holotype ( QMBA, PCPH); 4 ♁♁: one label: “ NEW CALEDONIA 11427 / 21°37’S x 165°49’E, 470 m / Col d’Amieu, west slope / 25 Nov 2003, G. Monteith / Pyrethrum, trees & logs“ [white, printed] ( QMBA, PCPH); 1 ♁, 1 ♀: one label: “ NEW CALEDONIA 11517 / 21°37’S x 165°49’E, 470 m / Col d’Amieu, west slope / 27 Jan 2004, G. Monteith / pyreth., log with epiphytes“ [white, printed] ( QMBA, MNHW) .

Diagnosis. Profemora in male lacking spines; maxillary palpomere 4 stout, less than 4 times as long as wide; external apical margins of maxillary palpomeres 2 and 3 evenly rounded; median basal impression of the first visible abdominal tergite indistinct, laterally bordered by barely discernible discal carinae; aedeagus with deeply bifurcate apex of median lobe, two elongate lateral groups of sclerites in basal half, and parameres with conspicuously sinuate and projecting apical regions, each with one subapical seta.

Description. Body bicoloured, head and pronotum pitchy black, elytra and abdomen reddish-brown, maxillary palpi, antennae and legs reddish-brown, maxillary palpi ligther than other appendages. Body length 1.75–1.95 mm, maximum width 0.65–0.75 mm.

Head about as long as wide. External apical margin of maxillary palpomere 2 evenly rounded, not projecting; palpomere 3 subrectangular with external margin rounded; palpomere 4 stout, 0.24–0.25 mm long, about 3.4–3.6 times as long as wide.

Antennae 0.85–0.90 mm long, scape about 2.5 times as long as pedicel; pedicel slightly longer than antennomere 3; antennomeres 2, 4 and 6 subequal in length; antennomere 5 1.30–1.35 times as long as 6; antennomeres 3, 7 and 9 equal in length antennomere 8 shortest; antennomere 7 1.25 times as long as 8; antennomere 9 transverse, about 1.4 times as wide as long; 10 transverse, 1.25 times as wide as long and 1.6 times as long as 9; antennomere 11 0.20 mm long, asymmetrical, with deep basal notch.

Pronotum transverse, 1.05–1.15 times as wide as long, 1.10–1.15 as long as and about 1.2 times as wide as head.

Elytra 1.4–1.5 times as long as pronotum, 1.15–1.20 times as wide as long.

First visible abdominal tergite (IV) with basal impression poorly defined, discal carinae short and indistinct.

Profemora lacking spine, protibiae in apical fifth with minute spine.

Aedeagus ( Figs 18–19 ) in dorsal view symmetrical, 0.41 mm long, distal half of median lobe deeply bifurcate, endophallus with elongate sclerites distributed in two lateral groups in basal half; parameres with narrowing apices, each with sinuate external margin and one subapical seta.

Etymology. Named after Col d’Amieu, the type locality.

Distribution. New Caledonia, Southern Province.

Remarks. All studied specimens were collected by a pyrethrum fogging of various trees and logs.

Figures

FIGURES 17–30. Aedeagus in dorsal (17, 18, 20, 22–24, 26–29) and lateral (19, 21, 25, 30) views. Baraxina francoisi Raffray (17); B. amieuana sp. n. (18–19); B. grimbacheri sp. n. (20–21); B. kanakorum sp. n. (22); B. rutai sp. n. (23); B. aoupinica sp. n. (24–25); B. asymmetrica sp. n. (26); B. burwelli sp. n. (27); B. dzumacana sp. n. (28); B. jenisi sp. n. (29–30).