Protocypus J. Muller 1923
Creators: name: He, Liang
name: Zhou, Hong-Zhang
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Staphylinidae
Protocypus

description: Key to species of the genus Protocypus J. Müller, 1923 from China
(modified from Smetana, 2005)
1. Antenna short, when reclined, tip of third segment distinctly not reaching posterior margin of eye, segments 3 and 4 only slightly longer than wide................................................................................2
- Antenna long, when reclined, tip of third segment reaching variably beyond posterior margin of eye, segments 3 and 4 distinctly longer than wide................................................................................. 4
2. Legs at least partially darkened, dark brunneous to brunneopiceous. Each elytron with vague, slightly elevated area in middle behind scutellum. Pronotal hypomeron extensively and relatively densely setose. Aedeagus as in Smetana (2005: Figs. 15–17). Length 18.5 mm. Chonqing........................................................ P. beckeri (Bernhauer, 1933)
- Legs entirely reddish. Elytron without elevated area in middle behind scutellum. Pronotal hypomeron not extensively and densely setose. Aedeagus different........................................................................ 3
3. Apical portion of median lobe of aedeagus relatively narrow (Fig. 3-2. F), paramere smaller with apical portion shorter and
with apex wider (Figs. 3-1. D, 3-2. G). Aedeagus (Figs. 3-1. B & C, 3-2. B, C & D) in general only moderately large (on average 2.3 mm long). Smaller, less robust species. Length 14.5–23.8 mm. Beijing, Gansu, Heibei, Ningxia, Shanxi .................................................................................. P. fulvotomentosus (Eppelsheim, 1889) - Apical portion of median lobe of aedeagus wider and of different shape (Smetana, 2005, Fig. 11), paramere distinctly larger with apical portion longer and with apex narrower (Smetana, 2005: Fig. 12). Aedeagus (Smetana, 2005: Figs. 9–13) in general markedly larger (on average 3.0 mm). Larger, more robust species. Length 18.0–20.0 mm. Henan, Shaanxi, Shanxi .......................................................................................... P. vulpes Smetana, 2005
4. Visible abdominal tergites 4 and 5 each with a patch of golden-yellow tomentose pubescence at middle.................5
- Visible abdominal tergites 4 and 5 with uniform, dark pubescence, without patches of golden-yellow pubescence at middle..8
5. Apex of median lobe of aedeagus in ventral view acute; apex of paramere narrowly arcuate to subacute.................6
- Apex of median lobe of aedeagus in ventral view obtuse, widely rounded to subtruncate; apical portion of paramere wide, with apex obtuse to widely rounded.......................................................................... 7
6. Aedeagus moderately robust (Figs. 5-1 C, 5-2 C). Apex of paramere widely rounded, shaped as in Figs. 5-1 D, 5-2 G. Male sternite 9 markedly elongate (Fig. 5-2 H). Length 19.0– 23.1 mm. Gansu, Shaanxi, Hubei, Sichuan ................................................................................................... P. lupus Smetana, 2005 (pars)
- Aedeagus markedly slender (Figs. 1-1 C, 1-2 C). Apex of paramere narrow and knife-like, shaped as in Figs. 1-1 D, 1-2 G. Male sternite 9 not distinctly elongate (Fig. 1-2 H). Length 19.5–25.7 mm. Shaanxi ................ P. taibaiensis sp. nov.
7. Median lobe only slightly curved, with almost parallel lateral sides (Smetana, 2005, Figs. 40, 42). Length 18.0–23.0 mm. Shaanxi...................................................................... P. meles Smetana, 2005 (pars)
- Median lobe distinctly curved, with apex pointed towards left sides in ventral view (Smetana, 2011: Fig. 12). Length 20.0–25.0 mm. Gansu........................................................................ P. ursus Smetana, 2011
8. Pronotal hypomeron with numerous setiferous punctures distributed over major portion of hypomeron..................9
- Pronotal hypomeron with only a few setiferous punctures.....................................................14
9. Aedeagus in ventral view with apical portion of paramere conspicuously wrapped around left side of median lobe, with prominent longitudinal carina; apical portion of median lobe subacute, right side of median lobe below apex conspicuously, arcuately dilated (Smetana, 2005: Fig. 46). Length 18.0–20.0 mm. Shaanxi.......................... P. felis Smetana, 2005
- Aedeagus in ventral view with apical portions of both paramere and median lobe markedly different in shape............10
10. Apical portion of median lobe of aedeagus in ventral view with distinct, more or less acute triangular apex (Smetana, 2005: Figs. 19, 21, 32, 33, 35)................................................................................ 11
- Apical portion of median lobe of aedeagus in ventral view with apex of different shape, with no more than minute, sharp dent at middle (Smetana, 2005: Figs. 26, 28, 40, 42, 46, 48).......................................................12
11. Apical portion of paramere of aedeagus markedly asymmetrical, with subacute apex (Figs. 7-1 C, 7-2 C). Aedeagus as in Figs. 7-1 B & C, 7-2 B, C & D. Smaller species of length l 6.5–24.7 mm. Shaanxi .................... P. wrasei Smetana, 2005
- Apical portion of paramere of aedeagus not appreciably asymmetrical (Figs. 5-1 D, 5-2 G). Aedeagus as in Figs. 5-1 B & C, 5- 2 B, C & D. Larger species of length 18.7–23.1 mm. Gansu, Hubei, Shaanxi, Sichuan ........ P. lupus Smetana, 2005 (pars)
12. Apex of median lobe of aedeagus in ventral view with minute, sharp projection in middle (Smetana, 2005: Figs. 26, 28). Smaller species of length 16.0– 17.5 mm. Hubei............................................ P. canis Smetana, 2005
- Apex of median lobe of aedeagus in ventral view without minute, sharp projection in middle, either simple (Smetana, 2005: Figs. 40, 42), or with oblique double carina splitting apical portion (Smetana, 2005: Figs. 53, 55). Larger species of length 18.0– 25.8 mm .......................................................................................13
13. Apical portion of median lobe in ventral view straight and simple (Smetana, 2005: Fig. 40). Aedeagus as in Smetana (2005: Figs. 40–44). Length 18.0–23.0 mm. Shaanxi........................................ P. meles Smetana, 2005 (pars)
- Median lobe with right side distinctly curved in ventral view (Figs. 6-1 C, 6-2 C & F). Aedeagus as in Figs. 6-1 B & C, 6-2 B, C & D. Length 18.0– 25.8 mm. Hubei, Shaanxi ............................................ P. pilifer Smetana, 2005
14. Apical portion of median lobe in ventral view distinctly expanded, more robust than middle portion (Smetana, 2005: Fig. 65). Large, robust species with wide abdomen, abdomen markedly dilated to posterior margin of third visible tergite. Length 19.0–23.0 mm. Shaanxi.......................................................... P. lativentris Smetana, 2005
- Apical portion of median lobe in ventral view not distinctly expanded. Abdomen only moderately dilated to posterior margin of third visible tergite.................................................................................15
15. Apical portion of median lobe shaped as in Smetana (2005: Fig. 61); paramere with semicircular apical portion widely rounded (Smetana, 2005: Fig. 63). Length 17.0– 25.8 mm. Hubei...................................... P. latro Smetana, 2005
- Apical portion of median lobe distinctly different, shaped as in Fig. 2-2. F; paramere with apical portion lingulate (Fig. 2-1. D). Length 19.3–24.2 mm. Hubei........................................................... P. admirabilis sp. nov.
description: Published as part of He, Liang & Zhou, Hong-Zhang, 2017, Taxonomy of the genus Protocypus J. Müller, 1923 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylinini) and two new species from China, pp. 458-480 in Zootaxa 4291 (3) on pages 459-460, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4291.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/827606