New data on the subgenus Harpopaederus of the genus Paederus (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Paederinae) of mainland China

Abstract Paederus (Harpopaederus) xui Peng & Li, sp. n. (Sichuan: Micang Shan) is described. Additional records of five Harpaederus species are reported. All of these species are illustrated.

In recent years numerous Harpopaederus specimens were collected during several field trips. Six species were identified, one of which is described for the first time.

Material and methods
The material treated in this study is deposited in the following collections: SNUC Insect Collection of Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai cAss private collection Volker Assing, Hannover cSch private collection Michael Schülke, Berlin The following abbreviations are used in the text, with all measurements in millimeters: Body length (BL) from the anterior margin of the labrum to the abdominal apex; forebody length (FL) from the anterior margin of the labrum to the posterior margin of the elytra; head length (HL) from the anterior clypeal margin to the occipital constriction; head width (HW): maximum width of head; length of antenna (AnL); length of pronotum (PL) along midline; maximum width of pronotum (PW); elytral length (EL) at the suture from the apex of the scutellum to the posterior margin of the elytra (at the sutural angles); maximum width of the elytra (EW); maximum width of abdomen (AW); length of aedeagus (AL) from the apex of the dorsal plate to the base of the aedeagal capsule. Comment. The original description of P. brevior is based on five type specimens from "Qinling Shan 6 km, E Xunyangba 1000-1300 m" ). The illustrations of the aedeagus provided in the original description leave no doubt that the above specimens are conspecific with the types. The external and sexual characters are illustrated in Figs 1B, 2B, 3. Comment. Although the original description is based exclusively on type specimens from Gansu, Li and Zhou (2007), who repeatedly state that the distribution also includes Shaanxi. The above material, whose identification is based on the illustrations provided in the original description, represents the first confirmed records from Shaanxi.     Comment. The original description is based on 13 type specimens from the Qinling Shan, Shaanxi (Willers 2001b). Li and Zhou (2007) recorded this species from Gansu and Sichuan, but did not specify the localities. Habitus as in Fig. 1F. Coloration: head, labrum and apical segments black, labial palpi and antennae yellowish brown; pronotum brownish red; elytra blackish blue with metallic luster; first four abdominal segments reddish brown; legs yellowish brown, with apical halves of femora black.

Paederus
Head wider than long, widest across eyes; punctation coarse and sparse; interstices glossy. Mandibles without distinct sexual dimorphism. Eyes distinctly convex. Antenna as in Fig. 2F.
Pronotum nearly oviform, strongly convex in cross-section; punctures somewhat sparser and shallower than those of head. Elytra trapeziform; punctation coarse, defined and dense. Hind wings reduced. Metatarsomere I as long as combined length of metatarsomeres II and III.
Abdomen distinctly broader than elytra; punctation coarse; interstices with very shallow microsculpture; posterior margin of tergite VII without palisade fringe.
Distribution and natural history. The type locality is situated in the Micang Shan to the north of Nanjiang, northern Sichuan. The specimens were sifted from leaf litter in a mixed deciduous forest at an altitude of 1,800 m. Etymology. The species is dedicated to Wang Xu, who collected some of the type specimens.
Comparative notes. As can be inferred from the highly similar sexual characters, the new species is allied to the geographically close P. antennocinctus Willers, 2001 (Sichuan: Jiuzhaigou;Gansu: Qiujia Dam), from which it differs by the coloration of legs, the somewhat smaller size, the shape of the labrum, the longer dorsal plate of the aedeagus and the nearly trifurcate posterior margin of the female sternite VIII.