Taxonomy of ' Euconnus complex'. Part VIII. Subgenera Napoconnus, Himaloconnus and Nepaloconnus removed from Euconnus (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae)
Author
Jałoszyński, Paweł
text
Zootaxa
2016
4103
5
463
472
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.4103.5.4
b9b4b63c-d1af-47a8-8e0a-3c63a6cbcc91
1175-5326
263213
D31571A3-8049-423F-AF40-37E4D5FA18D2
3. Morphological structures and taxonomic status of
Euconnus
(
Nepaloconnus
Franz
)
The general body shape of
Euconnus
(
Nepaloconnus
)
khumbuensis
(
Fig. 7
) is identical to that typical of the genus
Microscydmus
and strongly dissimilar to that of any subgenus of
Euconnus
.
Microscydmus
is a remarkable genus possible to identify based on the general appearance and dorsal structures, and
Euconnus
(
Nepaloconnus
)
khumbuensis
can be placed in
Microscydmus
when studied in dorsal view. The following characters support this view: the short and broad head with short tempora and subtriangular frons, the latter forming a narrow and nearly vertical carina between antennal insertions; the nearly circular pronotum with four antebasal pits, of which the inner pair is connected by a deep transverse impression; and each elytron with one large and setose basal fovea. The only ventral structure suggested by
Franz (1979)
as diagnostic for
Nepaloconnus
and different from the condition known in
Microscydmus
was a broad separation of the metacoxae. This character was clearly misinterpreted, as in the
holotype
of
E. khumbuensis
the metacoxae are narrowly separated by a metaventral intercoxal process bearing a pair of pointed spines directed posteriorly. This is another structure that can be found in
Microscydmus
. Moreover, the aedeagus of
E. khumbuensis
(
Figs 8–9
) is typical of
Microscydmus
, thin-walled, with simple sclerotized endophallic structures.
Conclusions.
Morphological structures of
Nepaloconnus
were clearly misinterpreted by
Franz (1979)
; the metacoxae in the
holotype
of
E. khumbuensis
are not broadly separated, but nearly contiguous, separated only by a pair of slender spines of the metaventral intercoxal process. All structures of
E. khumbuensis
are typical of
Microscydmus
s. str.
, including the general body form, the shape of head and prothorax, the antebasal pits of pronotum; the large and setose basal fovea on each elytron; the ventral structures of the head and thorax, and the aedeagus.
Nepaloconnus
is here placed as a junior synonym of
Microscydmus
s. str.
, resulting in
Microscydmus
(s. str.)
khumbuensis
(Franz)
,
comb. n.
It is one of species of
Microscydmus
with the largest adults; the body of the
holotype
males measures 1.22 mm.