On Zyras sensu strictu in the East Palaearctic and Oriental regions, with a focus on the faunas of the Himalaya, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Sulawesi (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae: Lomechusini)
Author
Assing, Volker
text
Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology
2017
2017-06-30
67
1
117
192
journal article
2472
10.21248/contrib.entomol.67.1.117-192
39f2d8c0-d0e4-46ea-8d5d-63e668fe9e43
0005-805X
5742363
FD33C1AE-F7D9-4E3A-A053-A2CAA7261CFE
Zyras
(incertae sedis)
rufescens
CAMERON, 1939
Zyras
(
Zyras
)
rufescens
CAMERON, 1939a: 534
.
Type material examined
:
Holotype
♂
: “
Ceylon
/ Ceylon /
Z. rufescens
Cam.
Type / Sharp Coll., 1905-313 / Holotype / Holotype
Zyras rufescens
Cam.
, det.
R.G. Booth
2016” (
BMNH
).
Comment
: The original description is based on a unique specimen from “
Ceylon
” (
CAMERON 1939a
). This species differs in numerous respects from all the revised representatives of the subgenus
Zyras
, i.e., the shape of the head (somewhat resembling that of the genus
Orphnebius
MOTSCHULSKY, 1858
), the practically impunctate dorsal surface of the head, the shape of the pronotum (strongly transverse and of transversely quadrangular shape), the presence of conspicuously long setae on the antennae, very finely and sparsely punctate elytra, the complete absence of non-setiferous punctation on the abdomen, the presence of twelve setiferous punctures at the posterior margin of tergite VI (only few setiferous puntures present at the posterior margins of the other tergites), the absence of distinct anterior impressions on tergites III–V, the presence of numerous long black setae in the posterior two-thirds of sternite VIII, the shape and internal structures of the median lobe of the aedeagus (somewhat resembling those of
Orphnebius
), and by the completely different morphology of the paramere. In consequence,
Z. rufescens
is excluded from the subgenus
Zyras
and treated as
Zyras
incertae sedis
. Based on the illustrations provided by
PACE (2011)
, it seems possible that this species is congeneric with
Oriyadota orissaensis
PACE, 2011
.
Distribution
: The known distribution is confined to
Sri
Lanka.