Pselaphodes khandbarius 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 khandbarius

description: Pselaphodes khandbarius sp. nov.
Figs 7B, 9 A-K
Type material (15 specimens): Holotype; MHNG- ENTO-43992; ♂; NEPAL, ‘ NEPAL, Khandbari District, above Tashigaon, 3600 m, 6.IV.1982, A. & Z. Smetana’ (MHNG). – Paratypes; MHNG-ENTO-43993 to 43998; 5 ♂♂, 1 ♀; NEPAL, same label data as holo- type (MHNG). – 5 ♂♂, 2 ♀; CHINA, ‘China: Xizang, Cuona County (Ñẘǥ), 13 km of Bian-fang-liu-lian Road. (ÒÈĂÉÀ ầ 13 Àmü), 2016. VI.4, 3356 m, N° 27.8050, E° 91.7620, beating, Hong-Bin Liang (ỸḦự) leg.’ (IZ-CAS). – 1 ♂, also from Cuona, ‘ Le Village, Simuzha Park (MḢÁƗṻợữ), 2016. VI.1, 2793 m, N° 27.8262, E° 91.7293, Hong-Bin Liang leg.’ (IZ-CAS)’.
Type locality: Nepal, Khandbari District, above Tashigaon, 3600 m alt.
Diagnosis of male: Length 2.71-2.76 mm. Antennomeres 9 strongly constricted at apical third, with disc-shaped process at apex, antennomeres 10 with strongly constricted at base, asymmetrically conjoined to antennomeres 9. Metaventral processes long, with pair of small projection in addition to long processes. Profemora with large ventral spine, protibiae with acute spine at apex; mesotrochanters with three ventral spines. Median lobe of aedeagus nearly asymmetric, strongly constricted at apex; parameres long and symmetric.
Description: Male (Fig. 7B). Body reddish brown, BL 2.71-2.76 mm. Head longer than wide, HL 0.57-
0.59 mm, HW 0.55-0.57 mm; each eye composed of about 38 facets; with well-developed ocular canthus. Antennomeres (Fig. 9A) 9-11 forming distinct club, antennomeres 9 strongly constricted at apex, and with disc-shaped apical process, antennomeres 10 strongly constricted at base, laterally conjoined to antennomeres 9. Pronotum (Fig. 9B) wider than long, PL 0.54- 0.55 mm, PW 0.55-0.57 mm, rounded at anterolateral margins, strongly constricted at apical third. Elytra wider than long, EL 0.84-0.88 mm, EW 1.12-1.17 mm. Metaventral processes (Fig. 9C) long, with pair of small projection in addition to long processes. Protrochanters with small spine, profemora with distinct large ventral spine (Fig. 9D), protibiae (Fig. 9E) with acute spine at apex; mesotrochanters (Fig. 9F) with three ventral spines, metatrochanters and metafemora (Fig. 9G) simple. Abdomen broad at base and narrowing apically, AL 0.74-0.76 mm, AW 1.16-1.17 mm. Sternite IX semimembranous, shape as in Fig. 9H. Length of aedeagus (Figs 9 I-K) 0.63 mm; median lobe asymmetric, strongly narrowed at apex; parameres long, almost symmetric, each with one macroseta at apex; endophallus composed of one long and one short sclerites.
Female. Each eye composed of about 32 facets; antennae simple. Measurements: BL 2.50 mm, HL 0.53 mm, HW 0.52 mm, PL 0.54 mm, PW 0.53 mm, EL 0.64 mm, EW 1.02 mm, AL 0.79 mm, AW 1.16 mm.
Distribution: Nepal, Koshi; China, Xizang.
Comparative notes: The new species seems to be a derived member of the P. bagmatius species-group, and can be readily recognized based on the unique form of the male antennal clubs, the distinct large ventral spine of the profemora, the multiple spines of the mesotrochanters, the almost symmetric median lobe of the aedeagus, and the elongate parameres with single long apical seta. The males of Xizang, China differs slightly from that of Nepal in the form of the apex of the aedeagal median lobe (shallowly split), but otherwise the combination of the rest sexual features seems quite stable.
Etymology: The specific epithet refers to the type locality of the new species, i. e., Khandbari District.
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 174-177, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3463445