Erichsonius (Sectophilonthus) sodwanaensis Janák & Uhlig 2022, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Janák, Jiří
name: Uhlig, Manfred
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Staphylinidae
Erichsonius
Erichsonius sodwanaensis

description: Erichsonius (Sectophilonthus) sodwanaensis sp. nov.
(Figs. 29–59, Tables 3, 4)
Type locality. South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Sodwana Bay, 27°32.4´S; 32°40.4´E.
Type material. Holotype ♂ (Figs. 29–37): SOUTH AFRICA: || South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal | Isimangaliso Wetland Park | Sodwana Bay; swamp in litoral | forest; 27°32.4´S; 32°40.4´E | 23.i.2019; J.Janák lgt. || Holotypus ♂ | Erichsonius | (Sectophilonthus) | sodwanaensis sp. n. | det. Janák & Uhlig 2019 || (TMSA). Paratypes: same data as holotype, 103 ♂, 91 ♀ (2 ♂, 2 ♀ in MFNB, 1 ♂, 1 ♀ in NMPC, remaining in TMSA and JJRC). All paratypes with additional label: || Paratypus ♂ | Erichsonius | (Sectophilonthus) | sodwanaensis sp. n. | det. Janák & Uhlig 2019 || in males and Paratypus ♀ | Erichsonius | (Sectophilonthus) | sodwanaensis sp. n. | det. Janák & Uhlig 2019 || in females.
Description. Length LCo [mm] 5.3 ± 0.3 (5.9 / 4.8–5.9). Anterior body length L Ca [mm] 2.6 ± 0.1 (2.2 / 2.2–2.8).
Colour. Pitchy black to almost black. Posterior margins of tergites, sometimes anterior margin of pronotum and suture dark reddish brown. Genital segment yellowish brown to pitchy brown, styli of tergite IX pitchy black. Legs dark yellowish brown with tibiae almost completely infuscate. Antennae pitchy black with antennomere 1 and base of segments 2 and 3 yellowish brown, antennomeres 9 to 11 light yellowish brown, apical part of antennomere 8 mostly lighter than basal part. Mouthparts dark yellowish brown, mandibles pitchy brown.
Head (Figs. 29, 31) of rounded square to slightly transverse-rectangular shape, slightly shorter as long as or slightly longer than across eyes, temples parallel-sided or only slightly dilated posteriad, eyes slightly prominent to prominent, slightly to distinctly shorter than temples. Head transversally convex, shorter than pronotum but about as wide as pronotum. Antennae (Figs. 29, 34) long and slender, all segments longer than wide. Length, width and indices of all antennomeres of holotype are presented in Table 3; variation of length, width and indices of antennomeres 5 and 10 are presented in Table 4.
Pronotum (Figs. 29, 32) longer than wide, of inverted trapezoid shape with rounded angles, slightly narrowed posteriorly, broadest at anterior third, transversally convex.
Scutellum (Figs. 29, 33) moderate finely and sparingly punctate, punctation consisting of 15–22 punctures and slightly denser than on elytra.
Elytra (Figs. 29, 33) markedly longer and wider than pronotum. Elytra together slightly to moderately longer than wide, of rounded rectangular shape, sides slightly dilated posteriorly, broadest at third fourth to fourth fifth of their length. Elytra slightly convex transversally. Posterior wings completely developed. Abdomen (Fig. 29) staphylininae-shaped (abdominal outline long-ovoid with tergite III narrow, tergites IV and V broadest, tergite VI and following continuously narrower). Terga III to V with feeble basal impressions. Tergum VII with complete membranous palisade fringe at its posterior margin.
Pubescence, punctation and microsculpture. Pubescence dark. Punctation of head (Figs. 29, 31) and pronotum (Figs. 29, 32) moderate and sparse, temples and posteriomedial area of head more densely and finely punctate. Diameter of punctures between eyes slightly smaller than one median eye facet. Microsculpture on head distinct, consisting of nearly isodiametric (clypeus) to net-like meshes, those of pronotum less distinct, markedly weaker with more slightly transverse meshes but especially on posterior part of pronotum more long-transverse. Punctures of elytra (Figs. 29, 33) moderately dense and moderately fine. Elytra without microsculpture. Abdomen (Fig. 29) finely and densely punctate, microsculpture more distinct than on pronotum, consisting of dense, slightly transverse to net-like meshes, these dense. Interior puncture series of pronotum consisting of 1+12 ± 1 (12|13 / 9–14) punctures.
Male. Tarsomeres 1 to 4 of protarsus dilated (Fig. 29), as broad as or slightly broader than apex of protibia. Abdominal tergite X (Fig. 48–50) evenly curved apically, posterior margin with (3)2-1-2(3) long and strong bristles and fine cuticular fringes. Posterior margin of sternite VIII (Fig. 41–42) with broad arcuate emargination and moderately long and moderately strong bristles. Sternite IX (Fig. 51) markedly narrowed apically, with an asymmetrical basal process, posterior margin pointed, with medium-sized and fine apical bristles at posterior margin distributed according to Fig. 51.
Aedeagus (Figs. 35–40, 43–47). Aedeagus and parameral rami strongly sclerotized. Parameral side facing ventrally when in repose (resting position of aedeagus 0° according to Coiffait 1972). For measurements and proportions see Table 4. Parameral rami moderately exceeding top of median lobe [i (DA-Pm): L Pm +0.097 (0.081 - 0.107)]. Median lobe in overall outline rounded apically, apex laterally straight or slightly emarginate and medially shortly rounded or slightly emarginate. Median lobe slightly flattened on ventral side of its tube along longitudinal axis. Distal orifice situated dorso-apically.
Parameral rami in the middle parts of ventral side broad and flat between the lateral and the median keel thus in cross-section triangular. Parameral rami in basal three quarters parallel to median lobe, in apical quarter pointed spoon-like dilated and markedly twisted along longitudinal axis; spoon-like apical part at inner side with few (about 10) moderately long more basally and with 6–9 peg setae more distally located in spoon (Figs. 38–40, 47). Internal sac with fine and moderate spines, squamous structures and one pair of elongate sclerites and one pair of sclerites forming horseshoe shape as in (Figs. 38–40, 43–46).
Female. In general appearance similar to male. Anterior tarsomeres less dilated than in males. Abdominal tergite X (Figs. 52–54) rounded wedge-shaped, somewhat slenderer than those of males, apex rounded, bearing (4)3- (1)-3(4) rather long apical setae. Valves (lateral sternal sclerites IX + coxite + stylus) with lateral sternal sclerites IX slightly longer than coxite + stylus (Figs. 55–57). Coxite long and moderately broad, stylus moderately large. Chaetotaxic formula (for explanation see Uhlig 1988 and Uhlig & Watanabe 1992):
Valval chaetotaxy: Digging spines: z1, y2; small spines: y6, y7. The left stylus of a female (Fig. 57) has an additional digging spine. Large and strong bristles: y3α, y4, y5α. Large and thin bristles: z2, y3β. Fine setae: all others.
Measurements, indices and variability. See Table 4.
Differential diagnosis. For position of the new species in the genus Erichsonius, see paragraph above before description of the species. E. (S.) sodwanaensis sp. nov. shares similar characters as above described for Erichsonius (S.) muellerae sp. nov., but it can be distinguished from this species mainly by the finely and densely punctured (best seen on tempora and near interior margin of eyes) and slightly less rounded head, larger body size, parameral rami more exceeding top of median lobe and darker antennomere VIII, at most slightly lighter than preceding antennomeres.
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TABLE 4. (Continued)
Derivatio nominis. The name of this new species is derived from the name Sodwana Bay, the type locality where the type specimens have been found. The specific epithet is an adjective in apposition.
Distribution and bionomics. Erichsonius (S.) sodwanaensis sp. nov. is only known from one locality situated very close before the entrance to the fenced areas of Sodwana Bay in iSimangaliso Wetland Park, KwaZulu-Natal Province (South Africa) (Fig. 59). All specimens of the new species were found in wet littoral forest by treading a swamp, together with the above described E. (S.) muellerae sp. nov. (Fig. 58).
description: Published as part of Janák, Jiří & Uhlig, Manfred, 2022, Two new Erichsonius species of iSimangaliso Wetland Park in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae, Staphylininae), pp. 501-520 in Zootaxa 5100 (4) on pages 510-519, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5100.4.3, http://zenodo.org/record/6224923