Corresponding author: Jong-Seok Park (
Academic editor: Zi-Wei Yin
A new endemic genus and seven new species of New Zealand pselaphine staphylinid beetles of the supertribe
Park J-S, Carlton CE (2015)
Approximately four hundred specimens were studied from the Field Museum of Natural History (FMNH), Chicago, IL, USA; Louisiana State Arthropod Museum (LSAM), Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Natural History Museum (NHM), London, United Kingdom; Lincoln University (LUNZ), Lincoln, New Zealand; New Zealand Arthropod Collection (NZAC), Auckland, New Zealand; Auckland Museum, Auckland, New Zealand (AMNZ); personal collection of Donald S. Chandler (DSC), Durham, NH, USA; personal collection of John T. Nunn (JTN), Dunedin, New Zealand.
Holotypes of species described herein are deposited in the New Zealand Arthropod Collection (NZAC), Auckland. Paratype and additional specimen depositions are indicated parenthetically. Specimen label data for types are transcribed verbatim. Data for other specimens are standardized for consistency.
Seven specimens were mounted on permanent slides to aid in observation of internal characters and fine external characters not apparent when using a dissecting microscope. Permanent microscopic slides were prepared using the techniques described by
New Zealand maps were produced by modifying the map of
Each figure of an aedeagus illustrates the organ in dorsal view with the median lobe oriented forward (up on page). Right and left are indicated based on this orientation, not the morphological orientation when inside the body, which would be reversed.
Members of
Body length 1.8–2.8 mm. Body reddish, antennae, legs, maxillary palpi and elytra paler (Fig.
Habiti, dorsal view:
Aedeagi, dorsal view:
The generic name refers to the superficial similarity to the genus
Members of this genus lack distinct external secondary sexual characters except on abdominal sternite IX. Male sternite IX is fragile, and partially concealed by sternite VIII, rendering it simple and reduced in appearance. Females possess a more robust, heart-shaped or rounded sternite IX that bears two pairs of long setae that are usually visible in ventral view. Female genitalia, including spermathecae, apparently are membranous and were not observed after clearing specimens using 10% potassium hydroxide.
1 | Elytra as long as wide (Fig. |
|
– | Elytra longer than wide, abdominal tergite IV with transverse patches of microtrichia |
|
2 (1) | Left paramere at least twice as wide as right paramere at midpoint (Fig. |
|
– | Let paramere close to as wide as right paramere at midpoint |
|
3 (2) | Median lobe of genitalia at least 3 times as wide as either paramere (Fig. |
|
– | Median lobe of genitalia at most slightly more than twice as wide as either paramere | 4 |
4 (3) | Parameres broader than median lobe of genitalia (Fig. |
|
– | Parameres narrower than median lobe of genitalia |
|
5 (4) | Median lobe of genitalia with acute spine at one-third length (Fig. |
|
– | Median lobe of genitalia lacking branch |
|
6 (5) | Apical lobe of genitalia triangular (Fig. |
|
– | Apical lobe of genitalia bluntly rounded |
|
7 (6) | Left paramere longer than right (Fig. |
|
– | Right paramere longer than left |
|
8 (7) | Major apical lobe of genitalia rectangular (Fig. |
|
– | Major apical lobe of genitalia inverted triangular apically |
|
9 (8) | Major apical lobe of genitalia with slightly wider apical margin (Fig. |
|
– | Major apical lobe of genitalia with distinctly wider apical margin (Fig. |
|
This species is distinguished from the other species of this genus by the following combination of characters: body length 2.3–2.8 mm; eyes large, as long as temples (Fig.
Length 2.3–2.8 mm. Body reddish brown, antennae, legs, maxillary palpi and elytra paler (Fig.
Mount Pirongia (WO), New Zealand.
Auckland (AK), Bay of Plenty (BP), Buller (BR), Central Otago (CO), Coromandel (CL), Fiordland (FD), Gisborne (GB), Northland (ND), Nelson (NN), Otago Lakes (OL), Rangitikei (RI), Marlborough Sounds (SD), Southland (SL), Taupo (TO), Westland (WD), Wanganui (WI), Wellington (WN), Waikato (WO) (Fig.
Known collection localities of
Most specimens were collected using malaise, flight intercept, window traps, or by sifting leaf litter in broadleaf, podocarp, hardwood and
Specimens of
This species is distinguished from the other species of this genus by the following combination of characters: body length 2.2–2.5 mm; eyes large, two-thirds length of temples (Fig.
Length 2.2–2.5 mm. Body reddish brown, antennae, legs, maxillary palpi and elytra paler (Fig.
McClennan’s Bush, near Methven (MC), New Zealand.
Dunedin (DN), Fiordland (FD), Mid Canterbury (MC) (Fig.
Specimens were collected using flight intercept traps, and by soil washing or sifting leaf and wood litter.
The type specimen of
This species is distinguished from the other species of this genus by the following combination of characters: body length 2.3–2.6 mm; eyes one-half lengths of temples (Fig.
Length 2.3–2.6 mm. Body reddish brown, antennae, legs, maxillary palpi and elytra paler (Fig.
Timaru (SC), New Zealand.
Mackenzie (MK), South Canterbury (SC) (Fig.
Specimens were collected by soil washing and sifting moss litter in broadleaf or podocarp forests.
This species is named after Dr. Sung Min Boo, Professor of Biology, Chungnam National University (Daejeon, South Korea), world algal systematist and, an enthusiastic supporter of this study.
This species is distinguished from other the species of this genus by the following combination of characters: body length 1.9–2.1 mm; eyes two-thirds length of temples (Fig.
Known collection localities of
Length 1.9–2.1 mm. Body reddish brown, antennae, legs, maxillary palpi and elytra paler (Fig.
Nelson (NN) (Fig.
Specimens were collected by sifting moss and leaf litter.
This species is named for Dr. Kwang-Guk An, Professor of Biology, Chungnam National University (Daejeon, South Korea), freshwater ecosystem specialist, and an enthusiastic supporter of this study.
This species is distinguished from the other species of this genus by the following combination of characters: body length 1.8–2.0 mm; eyes one-half lengths of temples (Fig.
Length 1.8–2.0 mm. Body reddish brown, antennae, legs, maxillary palpi and elytra paler (Fig.
Stewart Island (SI) (Fig.
Specimens were collected by sifting moss litter.
This species is named after Dr. Young Bok Cho, curator of Natural History Museum of Hannam University (Daejeon, South Korea), carrion and rove beetles specialist, and an enthusiastic supporter of this study.
This species is distinguished from the other species of this genus by the following combination of characters: body length 1.9–2.2 mm; eyes large, two-thirds lengths of temples (Fig.
Length 1.9–2.2 mm. Body reddish brown, antennae, legs, maxillary palpi and elytra paler (Fig.
Mid Canterbury (MC) (Fig.
Specimens were collected using flight intercept or yellow pan traps, or by sifting moss and leaf litter in broadleaf and podocarp forests.
This species is named after Dr. Sei-Woong Choi, Professor at Mokpo National University (Mokpo, South Korea), world moth specialist, and an enthusiastic supporter of this study.
This species is distinguished from the other species of this genus by the following combination of characters: body length 1.9–2.1 mm; eyes large, as long as temples (Fig.
Length 1.9–2.1 mm. Body reddish brown, antennae, legs, maxillary palpi and elytra paler (Fig.
Mid Canterbury (MC), Wellington (WN) (Fig.
The paratype was collected by sifting leaf and moss litter.
This species is named after Dr. Joseph Parker, world pselaphine beetle specialist, and an enthusiastic supporter of this study.
This species is distinguished from the other species of this genus by the following combination of characters: body length 1.8–2.0 mm; eyes large, as long as temples (Fig.
Length 1.8–2.0 mm. Body reddish brown, antennae, legs, maxillary palpi, elytra paler (Fig.
Central Otago (CO), Dunedin (DN), Mid Canterbury (MC), Otago Lakes (OL), Westland (WD) (Fig.
Specimens were collected using yellow pan traps, by sweeping, or by sifting forest litter.
This species is named after Mr. Peter Hlaváč, world pselaphine beetle specialist, and an enthusiastic supporter of this study.
This species is distinguished from the other species of this genus by the following combination of characters: body length 2.3–2.6 mm; eyes large, as long as temples (Fig.
Length 2.3–2.6 mm. Body reddish brown, antennae, legs, maxillary palpi and elytra paler (Fig.
Dunedin (DN), Southland (SL) (Fig.
Known collection localities of
Specimens were collected mostly by soil washing in
This species is named after Dr. Shûhei Nomura, co-collector of the holotype, world pselaphine beetle specialist, and an enthusiastic supporter of this study.
This species is distinguished from other species of this genus by the following combination of characters: body length 2.0 mm; eyes one-half length of temples (Fig.
Length 2.0 mm. Body reddish brown, antennae, legs, maxillary palpi and elytra paler (Fig.
North Canterbury (NC) (Fig.
The holotype was collected by sifting leaf litter.
We thank James H. Boone, Margaret K. Thayer, Alfred F. Newton (FMNH), John T. Nunn (Dunedin, New Zealand), Richard Leschen (Landcare Research, Auckland, New Zealand), John Early (Auckland Museum, Auckland, New Zealand), John Marris (Lincoln University, Lincoln, New Zealand), and Donald S. Chandler (Durham, New Hampshire, USA) for the loan of valuable specimens and encouragement, and Roger G. Booth (BMNH) for helping with type examinations. Comments of J. T. Nunn and anonymous reviewers guided substantial improvements to the manuscript. This publication is approved by the Director, Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station as manuscript number 2014-234-18916. This project was funded in part by the Ernst Mayr Travel Grant (Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University) to Jong-Seok Park. This work is/was supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Hatch Project LAB94244.