Quedius (Microsaurus) acutulus Cai, Zhao & Zhou, 2015, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Cai, Yan-Peng
name: Zhao, Zong-Yi
name: Zhou, Hong-Zhang
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Staphylinidae
Quedius
Quedius acutulus

description: Quedius (Microsaurus) acutulus sp. nov.
(Figs. 3, 3-1)
Type material. Holotype ♂, CHINA: Sichuan Province: Kangding County, Mugecuo, 3800 m, 23. V. 2009, coll. Yulingzi Zhou. Paratypes: CHINA: Sichuan Province: 1 ♀, Kangding County, Mugecuo, 3800 m, 23. V. 2009, coll. Yulingzi Zhou.
Description. Head black; pronotum, scutellum and elytra dark brown; abdomen blackish brown, each tergite with posterior margin distinctly paler; antennae dark brown, labrum and mandibles dark reddish brown, maxillary and labial palpi dark brown; legs dark brown, tibiae blackish brown.
BL = 8.0 mm, BW = 1.6 mm, MHWL = 4.4 mm, FHWL = 2.0 mm, HL/PL/EL/MHWL/FHWL = 1.00: 1.16: 1.45: 4.20: 1.94, HW/PW/EW/AW = 1.00: 1.20: 1.35: 1.20
Head (Fig. 3A) round, wider than long, HW/HL = 1.11; eye very large and convex, in dorsal view tempora shorter than length of eye, sharply narrowed posteriad, HEL/HTL = 2.15; posterior frontal setiferous puncture situated slightly before level of posteriomedial margin of eye, separated by distance about equal to diameter of puncture; one smaller setiferous puncture between it and temporal setiferous puncture at posterior margin of eye; temporal setiferous puncture situated very close to posterior margin of eye, separated by distance equal to diameter of puncture, several small setiferous punctures arranged in an oblique curve behind it; two basal setiferous punctures situated close to nuchal constriction; head with fine and dense microsculpture of transverse waves and irregular meshes. Antenna somewhat robust, with segment I longer than segment II or III, segment III slightly longer than segment II, segments IV–VI, XI slightly longer than wide, VII–X wider than long.
Pronotum (Fig. 3B) wider than long, PW/PL = 1.15, slightly narrowed anteriad, posterolateral and posterior margins continuously and broadly rounded, lateral margins not explanate; three setiferous punctures in each dorsal and sublateral row, last sublateral row puncture situated behind level of large lateral setiferous puncture; surface of pronotum with fine and dense microsculpture of transverse waves and irregular meshes.
Scutellum (Fig. 3C) with very fine and dense microsculpture of transverse waves, impunctate.
Elytra (Fig. 3C) moderately long, about as wide as long, EW/EL = 1.04, ESL/EL = 0.59, slightly broadened posteriad, surface of each elytron covered with dense and coarse setiferous punctures, transverse interspaces between punctures a little wider than diameter of puncture, surface between punctures without microsculpture.
Abdominal tergite II impunctate, with some fine setae along posterior margin; setiferous punctures of other tergites finer and denser than those of elytra, almost evenly distributed on each tergite, and generally becoming slightly sparser toward apex of abdomen; tergite VII with whitish apical seam of palisade setae.
Male first four segments of fore tarsus moderately dilated, sub-bilobed, each heavily covered with modified pale setae ventrally, segment II slightly wider than apex of tibia; sternite VII (Fig. 3-1A) with six long setae on each side, with a wide and shallow medioapical emargination at apical margin, a relatively large triangular area in front of the emargination impunctate; tergite VIII with basal ridge complete and straight, with two long setae on each side; sternite VIII (Fig. 3-1B) with basal ridge complete, slightly sinuated, with four long setae on each side, apical margin with a wide and shallow medioapical emargination, a relatively deep and large triangular area in front of the emargination impunctate; sternite IX (Fig. 3-1C) with basal portion rather wide, with apex narrowly rounded, with one differentiated seta on each side; tergite X (Fig. 3-1D) with basal side broadly and moderately deeply concave, apical margin widely rounded; aedeagus in lateral view (Fig. 3-1F) with apex of paramere distinctly protruding beyond that of median lobe, median lobe with distinct medial carina at apex; aedeagus in parameral view (Fig. 3- 1G) with paramere wide at base, middle and apical portion conspicuously narrowed, apex narrowly truncated, median lobe slightly wider than paramere in general, and gradually narrowed to acute apex (Figs. 3E, 3-1I). apical portion of paramere with four long apical setae, and 2–3 similar subapical setae on each lateral side below apex, underside with 4 sensory peg setae arranged in two groups far below apex (Figs. 3D, 3-1H).
Female first four segments of fore tarsus similar to those of male, but much less dilated, segment II slightly narrower than apex of tibia; tergite VIII with basal ridge complete, nearly straight, with one long seta on each side; sternite VIII with basal ridge complete, slightly sinuate, with three long setae on each side; tergite X (Fig. 3-1E) with basal side broadly and deeply concave, apical margin protruded and subacute.
Hind wings. Male and female with hind wings dimorphic. Male with hind wings fully developed, much longer than those of female, female with hind wings markedly reduced, not functional, BL/MHWL/FHWL = 1.00: 0.55: 0.25; MHWL/FHWL = 2.16.
Distribution. China (Sichuan).
Diagnosis. This new species belongs to the lineage comprised of Q. zenon Smetana, Q. zheduo Smetana and Q. tyrrhus Smetana within euryalus group by sharing the characters of all having the male sternite VII modified. It is most similar to Q. zenon Smetana, but can be distinguished from the latter by having setae along apical margin of male sternite VIII shorter; paramere of aedeagus distinctly wider and sensory peg setae on underside of paramere much closer to apex; whereas the latter has setae along apical margin of male sternite VIII longer; paramere of aedeagus distinctly narrower and sensory peg setae on underside of paramere much farther away from apex.
Etymology. The specific name is from the Latin adjective acutulus (acute), referring to the conspicuously narrowed middle and apical portion of paramere.
description: Published as part of Cai, Yan-Peng, Zhao, Zong-Yi & Zhou, Hong-Zhang, 2015, Taxonomy on Quedius euryalus group (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylinini: Quediina) from China with description of eight new species, pp. 1-70 in Zootaxa 3966 (1) on pages 12-15, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3966.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/14952367