New species and additional records of Homalotini, Athetini, Pygostenini, and Lomechusini from Yunnan, China (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) Author Assing, V. text Linzer biologische Beiträge 2009 2009-08-30 41 1 485 507 journal article 10.5281/zenodo.5276225 0253-116X 5276225 Atheta ( Microdota ) excaecata nov.sp. ( Figs 37-41 ) Holotype ♀ : China : Yunnan [ CH 07-26], Nujiang Lisu Aut. Pref., Gaoligong Shan, pass 21 km NW Liuku, 3150 m , 25°58'22"N , 98°41'00"E , bamboo with shrubs, litter sifted, 9. VI .2007 , M. Schülke / Holotypus ♀ Atheta excaecata sp.n. det. V . Assing 2007 (cAss). D e s c r i p t i o n: 2.6 mm . Habitus as in Fig. 37 . Coloration of whole body uniformly yellowish to yellowish-brown. Head slightly wedge-shaped, approximately as wide as long ( Fig. 38 ); punctation rather sparse and extremely fine, barely noticeable; surface with distinct microreticulation and with moderate shine. Eyes strongly reduced ( Fig. 39 ), composed of only approximately 4 ommatidia, not projecting from lateral contours of head, approximately 1/6 the length of postocular region in dorsal view. Antennae gradually and distinctly incrassate apically, antennomere X approximately twice as wide as long ( Fig. 40 ). Pronotum slender, approximately 1.10 times as wide as long and 1.15 times as wide as head; maximal width in anterior half; posterior angles weakly marked, rounded ( Fig. 38 ); punctation and microsculpture slightly more distinct than those of head; pubescence of midline unclear (somewhat disturbed in holotype ). Elytra reduced, slightly narrower than and at suture approximately 0.5 times as long as pronotum ( Fig. 38 ); punctation sparse and very fine, slightly more distinct than that of pronotum; microsculpture absent, interstices shiny. Hind wings completely reduced. Metatarsomere I short, approximately as long as II. Abdomen conspicuously large in relation to forebody ( Fig. 37 ), approximately 1.4 times as wide as elytra, widest at segment V ; tergites III-V anteriorly with shallow impression; punctation very fine, moderately sparse on tergite III , decreasing in density from tergites IV-VI, and extremely sparse on tergites VI-VIII; microsculpture very shallow on anterior tergites, distinct on posterior tergites; posterior margin of tergite VII without palisade fringe; tergite VIII apparently with sexual dimorphism. Ƌ: unknown. ♀ : posterior margin of tergite VIII in the middle broadly and shallowly concave ; sternite VIII slightly longer than tergite VIII , its posterior margin strongly convex, not concave in the middle; spermatheca of highly distinctive morphology ( Fig. 41 ). E t y m o l o g y: The name (Latin, adjective: blinded) refers to the strongly reduced eyes. Figs 37-41 : Atheta excaecata nov.sp. : ( 37 ) habitus; ( 38 ) forebody; ( 39 ) head in lateral view; ( 40 ) antenna; ( 41 ) spermatheca. Scale bars: 37: 1.0 mm; 38-40: 0.2 mm; 41: 0.1 mm. C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: From all its congeners known from China , this remarkable species is readily distinguished by numerous characters: the uniformly pale coloration, the strongly reduced eyes, the extremely short and narrow elytra, as well as the distinctive female primary and secondary sexual characters. D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d b i o n o m i c s: The type locality is situated in the Gaoligong Shan , to the northwest of Liuku in western Yunnan province . As can be inferred from the adaptive reductions of pigmentation, eye size, and wings, as well as from the altitude ( 3150 m ) of the type locality, the distribution of the species is probably restricted. The holotype was sifted from litter beneath bamboo and shrubs.