Pselaphodes robustus Huang & Yin, 2019, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Huang, Meng-Chi
name: Yin, Zi-Wei
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Staphylinidae
Pselaphodes
Pselaphodes robustus

description: Pselaphodes robustus sp. nov.
Figs 13B, 15 A-K
Type material (32 specimens): Holotype; MHNG- ENTO-44031; ♂; NEPAL, ‘ NEPAL: distr. Kathmandu: Phulcoki, 2400 -2600 m, 28-30.IV.84, Löbl - Smetana’ (MHNG). – Paratypes; MHNG-ENTO-44032 to 44036; 2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; NEPAL, same label data as holotype. – MHNG-ENTO-44037 to 44047; 5 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀; NEPAL, same label data as holotype, except ‘ 2500 m, 28-29. IV.84’. – MHNG-ENTO-44048 & 44049; 1 ♂, 1 ♀; NEPAL, ‘ NEPAL, Lalitpur Distr., Phulcoki, 2600 m, 14.X.83, Smetana & Löbl’. – MHNG-ENTO-44050 to 44054; 3 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; NEPAL, ‘ NEPAL, Lalitpur Distr., Phulcoki, 2650 m, 13.X.83, Smetana & Löbl’. – MHNG-ENTO-44055 to 44056; 2 ♂♂; NEPAL, ‘ NEPAL, Lalitpur Distr., Phulcoki, 2550 m, 15.X.83, Smetana & Löbl’. – MHNG-ENTO-44057; 1 ♂; NEPAL, ‘ NEPAL, Lalitpur Distr., Phulcoki, 2700 m, 16.X.83, Smetana & Löbl’. – MHNG-ENTO-44058; 1 ♂; NEPAL, ‘ NEPAL (Prov. Bagmati), Phulchauki nr., Kathmandu, 2500 m, 10. V.81, l. Löbl’. – MHNG- ENTO-44059 to 44062; 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; NEPAL, ‘ NEPAL, Kathmandu District, Phulcoki, 2550 m, 21.IV.1982, A. & Z. Smetana’ (all paratypes in MHNG).
Type locality: Nepal, Kathmandu District, Phulchoki Hill, 2400 -2600 m alt.
Diagnosis of males: Length 3.37-3.43 mm. Antennomeres 9 with disc-shaped process at apex. Metaventral processes short and broad. Protrochanters with small ventral spine, profemora with bluntly triangular projection, protibiae with small projection at apex; mesotrochanter with sharp ventral spine. Median lobe of aedeagus strongly asymmetric at apex; parameres elongate and broadened throughout entire length.
Description: Male (Fig. 13B). Body reddish brown, BL 3.37-3.43 mm. Head longer than wide, HL 0.71- 0.74 mm, HW 0.63-0.65 mm; each eye composed of about 32 facets; with well-developed ocular canthus. Antennomeres 9-11 (Fig. 15A) forming distinct club, antennomeres 9 slightly modified, with disc-shaped process at apex, antennomeres 10 simple. Pronotum (Fig. 15B) longer than wide, PL 0.71-0.76 mm, PW 0.66-0.68 mm, angularly expanded at anterolateral margins, strongly constricted at apical third. Elytra wider than long, EL 0.88-0.89 mm, EW 1.34-1.41 mm. Metaventral processes (Fig. 15C) short and broad, apically rounded. Protrochanters with small ventral spine, profemora with bluntly triangular ventral projection (Fig. 15D), protibiae (Fig. 15E) with small projection at apex; mesotrochanters (Fig. 15F) with sharp triangular ventral spine; metatrochanters and metafemora (Fig. 15G) simple. Abdomen broad at base and narrowing apically, AL 1.03-1.06 mm, AW 1.46-1.49 mm. Sternite IX semi-membranous, shape as in Fig. 15H. Length of aedeagus (Figs 15 I-K) 0.75 mm; median lobe broad and strongly asymmetric; parameres moderately broadened throughout entire length; endophallus composed of one long and one short sclerites.
Female. Each eye composed of about 30 facets; antennae simple. Measurements: BL 3.21-3.64 mm, HL 0.63- 0.74 mm, HW 0.62-0.68 mm, PL 0.69-0.73 mm, PW 0.67-0.69 mm, EL 0.82-0.88 mm, EW 1.20-1.46 mm, AL 1.00- 1.29 mm, AW 1.44-1.57 mm.
Distribution: Nepal, Bagmati.
Comparative notes: The new species belongs to the P. bagmatius species-group, but has less modified antennal clubs. It can be readily separated from all other members of the group based on the elongate antennomeres, the short metaventral processes, and the apically strongly asymmetric median of the aedeagus.
Etymology: The specific epithet refers to the short and broad male metaventral processes of the new species.
description: Published as part of Huang, Meng-Chi & Yin, Zi-Wei, 2019, The Pselaphodes (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae) of Nepal, pp. 165-196 in Revue suisse de Zoologie 126 (2) on pages 183-185, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3463445