Apoderiger sikorai Hlaváč, 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Hlaváč, Peter
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Staphylinidae
Apoderiger
Apoderiger sikorai

description: Apoderiger sikorai sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 0DC01549-A193-45EA-83FC-7EE80B2CAB5B
Figs 2A–C, 3A–C, 4C–D, 5
Diagnosis
Last antennomere slightly curved in distal portion; posterior metaventral process long, slender, parallel-sided with two separate setae; lacking sutural and discal striae; composite tergite in posterior portion with pair of small, bump-like, widely separated projections; mesotibia simple; aedeagus 2.50× as long as wide; endophallus with sclerite; dorsal diaphragm semicircular.
Etymology
Named after the collector of the type serie, Mr Sikora.
Type material
Holotype
MADAGASCAR • ♂; one label “ Mdgk. Sikora / Andrangolaoka [Manjakandriana, forest east from lake Mantasoa, 1389 m]” [white, printed and handwritten]; NMW.
Paratypes (7 ex.)
MADAGASCAR • 3 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, 1 ex.; same data as for holotype; NMW, PCPH • 1 ♂; one label “ASB / May 2011 /01 MADAGASCAR / Andasibe N.P.;´Belle vue; 2.v. / 2011; S18°56’51.5’’ E48°25’31.8’’ / 1029 m; sifting forest litter; Winkler / app. extr.; L.S. Rahanitriniaina lgt.”; PCPH.
Description
BODY. Yellowish-brown, more elongated, about 2.40–2.50 × as long as wide; body 1.70–1.80 mm long and about 0.72 mm wide.
HEAD. Elongate, 2.15–2.30 × as long as wide, 1.90–2.00 × as long as pronotum.
ANTENNA. Trimerous, 0.74–0.75 mm long, terminal antennomere slightly curved in distal portion.
PRONOTUM. Transverse, 1.47 × as wide as long.
METAVENTRITE. With large median impression, posterior metaventral process long, slender, parallel-sided with two separate setae.
ELYTRA. 1.70–1.75 × as wide as long, 1.60–1.70× as long as pronotum; lacking sutural and discal striae; humeri strongly projecting; lateral margin with some stout setae; posterior elytral margin in lateral third with pair of subequal teeth.
ABDOMEN. 1.60–1.80× as long as elytra; composite tergite in posterior portion with pair of small, bump-like, widely separated projections.
MESOTIBIA. Simple, last tarsomere with distal, sharp lamella.
AEDEAGUS (Fig. 4C–D). Elongate, 2.50 × as long as wide, distal lobe with round apex; basal bulb and distal lobe well-separated, ratio length of basal bulb / length of distal lobe 1.20; endophallus with sclerite having two differently shaped arms; dorsal diaphragm semicircular.
Sexual dimorphism
As for the genus.
Distribution
Madagascar (Anjozorobe-Andasibe massif).
Remarks
A. sikorai sp. nov. is related to A. spinosus sharing a pair of small, bump-like, wide-distant projections on the posterior portion of the composite tergite. It is separated from A. spinosus by larger body over 1.7 mm long (length of A. spinosus 1.4 mm) and having mesotibia lacking inner projection which is well-defined in A. spinosus.
Host ant
Unknown.
description: Published as part of Hlaváč, Peter, 2025, The Pselaphinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) of Madagascar. VIII. Revision of the myrmecophilous clavigerine genus Apoderiger Wasmann, 1897, pp. 76-95 in European Journal of Taxonomy 981 on pages 85-87, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.981.2811, http://zenodo.org/record/15120438