Eupines (Byraxis) conspicua (Broun, 1893)

Shen, Jia-Wei & Leschen, Richard A. B., 2020, Revision of Eupines King of New Zealand (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae: Goniaceritae), Zootaxa 4777 (1), pp. 1-84 : 20-21

Eupines (Byraxis) conspicua (Broun, 1893)

Fig. 11 ; map Fig. 49

Bryaxis conspicua Broun, 1893a: 1415 .

Eupines (Byraxis) conspicua : combination and subgeneric assignment by Raffray 1904: 207. Raffray 1911: 82, 1924: 156; Hudson 1923: 364, 1934: 183; Nomura and Leschen 2006: 254; Maddison 2010: 417; Shen and Leschen 2019: 261 .

Type locality: [AK] Hunua Range, Maketu.

Type depository: BMNH LT ♂, 3 PLT ; NZAC 14 PLT .

Diagnosis: Head with vertexal foveae punctiform; antennae 10-segmented with 2-segmented antennal club; A4, A5, A6, A7 and A8 unmodified, A9 boot-shaped with curved basal spine, A10 bean-shaped, truncate at base in dorsal view, with bi-excavation in ventral view. Abdominal ventrite 2 with pair of large discal protuberances, inserted with strongly curved apical setae; ventrite 6 with pair of median struts, slightly shorter than one-fourth of ventral length. Protrochanters with long ventral spine, about four-sevenths of protrochanteral width; protibiae and mesotibiae unmodified.

Redescription: Body length 1.45–1.56 mm; body colour reddish brown to dark brown with lighter coloured elytra and legs. Head slightly wider than long; frons slightly narrowed at end, about two-thirds width of head at eye level; eyes prominent, with about 38 facets; vertexal foveae punctiform; antennal tubercles weak; postantennal notches weak; postantennal cavities well developed, about two-thirds length of antennal tubercles in dorsal view; antennae 10-segmented with 2-segmented antennal club; A4, A5, A6, A7 and A8 unmodified, A9 boot-shaped with curved basal spine, A10 bean-shaped, truncate at base in dorsal view, with bi-excavation in ventral view. Pronotum as long as wide, about as wide as head at eye level; lacking lateral antebasal foveae. Elytra as long as wide, widest at apical two-thirds; humeral calli vaguely visible; sutural stria distinctively extending from base to apex. Abdomen with tergite 1 about twice length of tergite 2; ventrite 2 with pair of large discal protuberances, inserted with strongly curved apical setae; ventrite 6 with pair of median struts, slightly shorter than one-fourth of ventral length. Legs with protrochanters modified with long ventral spine, about four-sevenths of protrochanteral width; protibiae and mesotibiae unmodified. Aedeagus about 0.32 mm long, with parameres elongate and thick, curved downwards; median lobe with two long sclerites, narrower than parameres in dorsal view, both bent inwards subapically in dorsal view, with left one longer than right one.

Comments: This species is most similar to E. (B.) monstrosa by having similar modifications of A9 and A10 and can be separated by A10 lacking a small internal hook at the apex ( Fig. 11B ).

Distribution: North Island. ND, AK, WO, CL, TO, GB, HB.

Additional material examined: 23 ♂♂, ND: 3, 20/vi/51, moss, Ruakaka, N.I., N.Z.; AK: 1, Bethells, Matuku Reserve, 23/Jun/1987, R. C. Craw; CL: 1, AMNZ, Orewa Gorge, Karangahaka, 11/10/42, C. E. Clark Collection; WO: 3, JNPC, Maungatautari, Hamilton, 6/Sep/04, forest floor litter, collected by Sue Nunn; GB: 4, Motu river, April/1928, A. E. Brookes Collection; To: 1, Waipunga River, nr. Falls, 14/March/1980, C. F. Butcher; HB: 2, Waipatiki Res., 23/Dec/1983, J. C. Watt. Sifted, wood mould, 83/144; 3, White Pine Bush, 18/Nov/1984, J. G. Charles. Unknown locality: 3, 2464, T. Broun Collection, A. E. Brookes Collection; 2, 2464, T. Broun. Associated females (6 ♀♀): ND: 1, 20/vi/51, moss, Ruakaka, N.I. N.Z.; WO: 3, JNPC, Maungatautari, Hamilton, 6/Sep/04, forest floor litter, collected by Sue Nunn; GB: 2, Motu river, April/1828, A. E. Brookes Collection.

Figures

FIGURE 11. Diagnostic characters of E. (B.) conspicua (Broun, 1893). A) Habitus. B) Antenna, in dorsal view. C) Same, in lateral view. D) Same, in ventral view. E) Protrochanter. F) Ventrite 6. G) Ventrite 2. H) Aedeagus, in dorsal view. I) Same, in lateral view. J) Same, in ventral view. Scale bars: A = 1 mm, B–E, G = 0.2 mm, F, H–J = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 49. Geographic distributions of E. (B.) anisarthra (Broun, 1914), E. (B.) bisulcifrons (Broun, 1914), E. (B.) brevis sp. n., E. (B.) caesta sp. n., E. (B.) carinata sp. n., E. (B.) coalita sp. n., E. (B.) complector sp. n. and E. (B.) conspicua (Broun, 1893) in New Zealand.