Pselaphodes corniger 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 corniger

description: Pselaphodes corniger sp. nov.
Figs 4B, 6 A-M
Type material (1 specimen): Holotype; MHNG- ENTO-43981; ♂; NEPAL, ‘ NEPAL (Prov. Bagmati), Pokhare NE Barahbise, 3000 m, 7. V.81, Löbl & Smetana’ (MHNG).
Type locality: Nepal, Sindhupalchok District, Pokhare NE Barahbise, 3000 m alt.
Diagnosis of males: Length 3.32 mm. Clypeus projected anteriorly, forming horn-like process in male. Antennomeres 9 with large projection at apex, antennomeres 10 with distinct projection at base. Metaventral processes long, apically broadened. Protrochanters with small ventral spine, profemora with blunt ventral spine, protibiae with triangular preapical spine; mesotrochanters with distinct ventral spine, mesotibiae with small projection at apex. Median lobe of aedeagus abruptly narrowed apically; parameres slender at base and strongly broadened apically.
Description: Male (Fig. 4B). Body reddish brown, BL 3.32 mm. Head as long as wide, HL 0.62 mm, HW 0.62 mm, clypeus projected anteriorly, forming horn-like process (Fig. 6B); each eye composed of about 35 facets; with well-developed ocular canthus. Antennomeres (Fig. 6A) 9-11 forming distinct club, antennomeres 9 with large projection at apex, antennomeres 10 with distinct projection at base. Pronotum (Fig. 6C) longer than wide, PL 0.78 mm, PW 0.70 mm, angularly expanded at anterolateral margins, strongly constricted at apical third. Elytra wider than long, EL 0.84 mm, EW 1.23 mm. Metaventral processes (Fig. 6D) long, apically broadened. Protrochanters with small ventral spine, profemora with large, blunt ventral spine (Fig. 6E), protibiae (Fig. 6F) with triangular spine near apex; mesotrochanters (Fig. 6G) with distinct ventral spine; mesotibiae (Fig. 6H) with small projection at apex; metatrochanters and metafemora (Fig. 6I) simple. Abdomen broad at base and narrowing apically, AL 1.08 mm, AW 1.40 mm. Sternite IX semimembranous, shape as in Fig. 6J. Length of aedeagus (Figs 6 K-M) 0.76 mm; median lobe asymmetric, apically narrowed; parameres moderately elongate, basally narrowed and broadening apically; endophallus composed of one long and one short sclerite.
Female. Unknown.
Distribution: Nepal, Bagmati.
Comparative notes: The new species belongs to the P. bagmatius species-group, and is most similar to P. unicornis Bekchiev & Hlaváč from Nepal and P. monoceros Yin & Hlaváč from Xizang based on the modified clypeus of the male. Pselaphodes corniger can be readily separated from both known species based on the presence of a preapical spine of the protibiae (spine at the apex of the protibiae in P. unicornis and P. monoceros), as well as the unique forms of the antennal clubs, metaventral processes, and the strongly asymmetric median lobe of the aedeagus (median lobe nearly symmetric dorso-ventrally in P. unicornis and P. monoceros).
Etymology: The specific epithet refers to the horned clypeus 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 page 173, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3463445