China: Hubei: 1 ♀, Shennongjia, Xiaolongtan, 05.VIII.2002, Li & Tang leg. (SNUC).

The above specimen was collected near the type locality of this species. The female external and sexual characters are illustrated in Figs 1A, 2A, 2G–J. For illustrations of the male sexual characters see Willers (2001a).

Figure 1. 

Habitus, AP. (Harpopaederus) apfelsinicusBP. (H.) breviorCP. (H.) gottscheiDP. (H.) gracilacutusEP. (H.) konfuziusFP. (H.) xui. Scale bars: 2.0 mm.

Figure 2. 

Antenna (A–F) and Paederus apfelsinicus (G–J), A P. apfelsinicus B P. brevior C P. gottschei D P. gracilacutus E P. konfuzius F P. xui; G female labrum H female tergite VIII I female sternite VIII J female tergite IX. Scale bars: A–F 1.0 mm; G–J 0.5 mm.

China: Shaanxi: 4 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, Ningshan Hsien, Huoditang, 33°26'N, 108°26'E, 1724 m, 24–25.V.2008, Huang & Xu leg. (SNUC); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Zhouzhi Hsien, Houzhenzi, 33°51'N, 107°50'E, 1260 m, 05.V.2008, Huang & Xu leg. (SNUC); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Ningshan Hsien, Huoditang, 33°26'N, 108°27'E, 1500–1700 m, 12.VII.2012, Yu-Hong Pan leg. (SNUC); 7 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, Foping Hsien, Foping Nature Reserve, 33°38'N, 107°58'E, 1250–1400 m, 18.VII.2004, Hu, Tang & Zhu leg. (SNUC).

The original description of P. brevior is based on five type specimens from “Qinling Shan 6 km, E Xunyangba 1000–1300 m” (Li et al. 2014). 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.

Figure 3. 

Paederus brevior. A male left mandible B male labrum C female labrum D male right mandible E female tergite VIII F female sternite VIII G female tergite IX H male tergite VIII I male sternite VIII J male sternite IX K aedeagus in ventral view L aedeagus in lateral view M aedeagus in dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

China: Jilin: 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀, Changbai Shan, 25.VII.2004, Li-Zhen Li leg. (SNUC).

The currently known distribution ranges from the Russian Far East, northern China (Heilongjiang, Jilin) to North and South Korea. The external and sexual characters are illustrated in Figs 1C, 2C, 4.

Figure 4. 

Paederus gottschei. A male left mandible B male labrum C female labrum D male right mandible E female tergite VIII F female sternite VIII G female tergite IX H male tergite VIII I male sternite VIII J male sternite IX K aedeagus in ventral view L aedeagus in lateral view M aedeagus in dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

China: Shaanxi: 5 ♂♂, 1 ♀, Nanzheng Hsien, Liping National Forest Park, 35°50'N, 106°36'E, 1400–1600 m, 15.VII.2012, Chen, Li, Ma & Zhao leg. (SNUC); 4 ♂♂, 1 ♀, Zhouzhi Hsien, Houzhenzi, Sangongli Gou, 33°51'N, 107°49'E, 1336 m, 17–19.V.2008, Huang & Xu leg. (SNUC).

Although the original description is based exclusively on type specimens from Gansu, Li and Zhou (2007) repeatedly state in the text of the same article 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.

Figure 5. 

Paederus gracilacutus. A male left mandible B male labrum C female labrum D male right mandible E female tergite VIII F female sternite VIII G female tergite IX H male tergite VIII I male sternite VIII J male sternite IX K aedeagus in ventral view L aedeagus in lateral view M aedeagus in dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

China: Shaanxi: 6 ♂♂, Ningshaan Hsien, Pingheliang, 33°28'N, 108°29'E, 2100 m, 13.VII.2012, Chen, Li, Ma & Zhao leg. (SNUC); 1 ♂, 4 ♀♀, Zhouzhi Hsien, Daoban, 33°44'N, 107°58'E, 1900 m, 04.V.2008, Huang & Xu leg. (SNUC); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Zhouzhi Hsien, Houzhenzi, Qinlingliangxia, 33°49'N, 107°44'E, 1820 m, 18.V.2008, Huang & Xu leg. (SNUC); 3 ♀♀, Mei Hsien, Taibai Shan, 34°01'N, 107°51'E, 1853 m, 22–23.V.2008, Huang & Xu leg. (SNUC).

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.

Figure 6. 

Paederus konfuzius. A male left mandible B male labrum C female labrum D male right mandible E female tergite VIII F female sternite VIII G female tergite IX H male tergite VIII I male sternite VIII J male sternite IX K aedeagus in ventral view L aedeagus in lateral view M aedeagus in dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Holotype: ♂, labelled ‘China: Sichuan Province, Nanjiang Hsien, Micang Shan, Daba, 32°40‘N, 107°02‘E, 1800 m, 27.IV.2008, Huang & Xu leg.’ (SNUC). Paratypes: 2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, same label data as holotype (SNUC); 1♀ [teneral]: ‘CHINA (S.Shaanxi) Micang Shan, 33 km S Hanzhong, 32°44'44"N, 106°52'46"E 1360 m (stream valley, forest margin with tall herbaceous vegetation, pitfall traps, vinegar) 15.-16.VIII.2012 D.W. Wrase [30A]’ (cSch); 2♀♀: ‘CHINA: S-Shaanxi [CH12-31], Micang Shan, 40 km SW Hanzhong, 32°52'25"N, 106°37'11"E, 1530 m, N-slope, mixed secondary forest, litter and moss sifted, 16.VIII.2012, leg. M. Schülke’ (cSch, cAss).

Measurements (in mm) and ratios: BL: 8.67–9.34; FL: 4.72–4.95; HL: 0.93–0.98; HW: 1.07–1.11; AnL: 2.72–2.95; PL: 1.23–1.26; PW: 1.10–1.13; EL: 0.87–0.94; EW: 1.13–1.20; AW: 1.74–1.77; AL: 1.38–1.41; HL/HW: 0.84–0.87; HW/PW: 0.96–0.98; HL/PL: 0.76–0.78; PL/PW: 1.10–1.13; EL/PL: 0.71–0.75; diameter of eye: 0.34–0.36.

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.

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.

Male. Anterior margin of labrum (Fig. 7B) distinctly sinuate; each mandible (Fig. 7A, D) with single bicuspidate tooth. Posterior margin of tergite VIII (Fig. 7H) convex; sternite VII unmodified; sternite VIII (Fig. 7I) with deep posterior incision, this incision approximately 0.4 times as long as sternite VIII; sternite IX as in Fig. 7J; aedeagus as in Fig. 7K–M; dorsal plate of median lobe nearly symmetric, long and slender; parameres very slender and curved apically; internal sac without sclerotized spines.

Figure 7. 

Paederus xui. A male left mandible B male labrum C female labrum D male right mandible E female tergite VIII F female sternite VIII G female tergite IX H male tergite VIII I male sternite VIII J male sternite IX K aedeagus in ventral view L aedeagus in lateral view M aedeagus in dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Female. Labrum as in Fig. 7C. Posterior margin of tergite VIII (Fig. 7E) truncate; posterior margin of sternite VIII (Fig. 7F) with narrowly triangular median process; tergites IX and X as in Fig. 7G.

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.

The species is dedicated to Wang Xu, who collected some of the type specimens.

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.