Euplectus lapponicus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae), a new species from boreal Finland

A new species of the genus Euplectus Leach, 1817, E. lapponicus sp. n. Löbl & Mattila, is described from the North Boreal zone of Finland. The species is distinctive, and may be easily distinguished by the reduced number of elytral foveae, in combination with the size of the body, the punctation, and the genital characters

Die Käfer der Paläarktis: Probleme und Perspektiven.

Taxonomie liefert grundlegende Kenntnisse über die Vielfalt des Lebens sowie eine universelle Sprache, die eine eindeutige Übertragung biologischer Informationen ermöglicht. Trotzdem ist ein Rückgang der Taxonomie in vielen europäischen Ländern und eine fortschreitende Krise der Bio-Information zu registrieren. Erfahrungen mit dem Katalog der paläarktischen Käfer und der Kontakt zu zahlreichen Koleopterologen zeigen, dass die gegenwärtige Behinderung der Taxonomie ein Resultat mehrere Faktoren ist. Als entscheidend dürften die Unterschätzung der Variabilität der Lebewesen, der Glaube an neue Technologien, die der taxonomischen Realität nicht adaptierte Wertung wissenschaftlicher Arbeit, die Konfusion von Taxonomie mit ihrer Bestimmungsfunktion und die Erwartung endgültiger Erkenntnisse sein. Methoden, die eine Überwindung der Probleme versprechen, sind diskutiert worden. Entweder fußen sie auf fraglichen Konzepten oder sie könnten zwar die gegenwärtige Lage verbessern, jedoch ohne eine nötige Wende zu bewirken. Es scheint, dass ein wirklicher Fortschritt nur durch angemessene Unterstützung und eine von a priori befreite Wertung der Taxonomie (und Systematik) in den Universitäten und Museen erreicht werden kann. Sollten die gegenwärtigen Tendenzen andauern, wird man die professionelle Taxonomie und die mit ihr zusammenhängenden Kenntnisse und Erkenntnisse in viele europäische Länder importieren müssen.StichwörterBio-information crisis, taxonomy, impediments, perspectives.Taxonomy provides basic information about the diversity of life, and a universal language that unambiguously vehicles such information. Nevertheless, a demise of taxonomy is widespread in many European countries and results in a bio-information crisis. Based on experience with Palaearctic Coleoptera and a large number of coleopterists, the taxonomic impediment is seen as a consequence of a number of factors. Among them, the underestimation of the variability of species, the believe in new technologies that are assumed to provide more relevant data than complex knowledge, the inadequate means of evaluation of work in taxonomy, the confusion of taxonomy with its means of identification, and the expectation of finality in taxonomic research appear to have a particularly negative impact. New methods proposed as salvage for taxonomy are discussed. They appear either ill-based, or may punctually approve deficits, but luck potential to reverse the present situation. It is suggested that true progress requires adequate support, and a priori free re-evaluation of taxonomy (and biosystematics) in universities as in museums. Should the present tendencies in many European countries last, the professional taxonomy and associated knowledge will have to be imported, or may vanish.KeywordsBio-information crisis, taxonomy, impediments, perspectives

ZOOTAXA

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Forest leaf litter beetles of Taiwan: first DNA barcodes and first insight into the fauna

We report the publication of 953 DNA barcodes of forest leaf litter beetles from central Taiwan, in total representing 334 spe- cies of 36 beetle families. This is the first bulk of data from the Taiwanese Leaf Litter beetles project focused on uncovering the under-explored diversity of leaf litter beetles across Taiwan. Based on these data, we provide the first records of the following taxa for Taiwan: family Sphindidae (genus Aspidiphorus Ziegler, 1821); tribes Trichonychini, Ctenistini, and Bythinoplectini (all Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae); genera Gyrelon Hinton, 1942, Thyroderus Sharp, 1885, Cautomus Sharp, 1885 (all Cerylonidae), Dermatohomoeus Hlisnikovský, 1963 (Leiodidae), Paraploderus Herman, 1970 (Staphylinidae: Oxytelinae), Thinocharis Kraatz, 1859 (Staphylinidae: Paederinae), Cephennodes Reitter, 1884, Napoconnus Franz, 1957 (both Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae), Bicava Belon, 1884 (Latridiidae), Otibazo Morimoto, 1961, Seleuca Pascoe, 1871 and Acallinus Morimoto, 1962 (all Curculioni- dae); species Oodes (Lachnocrepis) japonicus (Bates, 1873) (Carabidae: Licininae), Drusilla obliqua (Bernhauer, 1916) (Staphylin- idae: Aleocharinae) and Coccotrypes advena Blandford, 1894 (Curculionidae: Scolytinae). The records of Anapleus Horn, 1873 (Histeridae) and Batraxis Reitter, 1882 (Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae) have been confirmed. The male of Sivacrypticus taiwanicus Kaszab, 1964 (Archeocrypticidae) is described for the first time. Gyrelon jenpani Hu, Fikáček & Matsumoto, sp. nov. (Cerylon- idae) is described, illustrated, and compared with related species. DNA barcodes associated larvae of 42 species with adults, we are concisely illustrating some of these: Oodes japonicus, Perigona cf. nigriceps Dejean, 1831 (both Carabidae), Ptilodactyla sp. (Ptilodactylidae), Maltypus ryukyuanus Wittmer, 1970 (Cantharidae), Drusilla obliqua, Myrmecocephalus brevisulcus (Pace, 2008), Diochus sp., Mimopinophilus sp. (all Staphylinidae), Stelidota multiguttata Reitter, 1877, Lasiodites inaequalis (Grouvelle, 1914) (both Nitidulidae), Lagria scutellaris Pic, 1910, and Anaedus spinicornis Kaszab, 1973 (both Tenebrionidae). We also report the first cases of Rickettsia infections in Scydmaeninae and Pselaphinae. All data (sequences, metadata, and voucher photos) are made public in BOLD database and in a Zenodo Archive

Photography-based taxonomy is inadequate, unnecessary, and potentially harmful for biological sciences

The question whether taxonomic descriptions naming new animal species without type specimen(s) deposited in collections should be accepted for publication by scientific journals and allowed by the Code has already been discussed in Zootaxa (Dubois & Nemésio 2007; Donegan 2008, 2009; Nemésio 2009a–b; Dubois 2009; Gentile & Snell 2009; Minelli 2009; Cianferoni & Bartolozzi 2016; Amorim et al. 2016). This question was again raised in a letter supported by 35 signatories published in the journal Nature (Pape et al. 2016) on 15 September 2016. On 25 September 2016, the following rebuttal (strictly limited to 300 words as per the editorial rules of Nature) was submitted to Nature, which on 18 October 2016 refused to publish it. As we think this problem is a very important one for zoological taxonomy, this text is published here exactly as submitted to Nature, followed by the list of the 493 taxonomists and collection-based researchers who signed it in the short time span from 20 September to 6 October 2016

Cyparium celebense Ogawa & Löbl 2016

<p> * <i>Cyparium celebense Ogawa & Löbl, 2016</i></p> <p>in OGAWA et al. (2016)</p> <p>N Sulawesi</p>Published as part of <i>Löbl, Ivan, 2018, A review of Scaphisomatini from Sulawesi, with descriptions of ten new species (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scaphidiinae), pp. 151-165 in Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 58 (1)</i> on page 164, DOI: 10.2478/aemnp-2018-0013, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/3699163">http://zenodo.org/record/3699163</a&gt

Scaphisoma ancora Löbl 2018, sp. nov.

<i>Scaphisoma ancora</i> sp. nov. <p>(Figs 6–12, 50, 51)</p> <p> <b>Type locality.</b> Indonesia, Central Sulawesi, Palu District, Taman Nasional Lore Lindu [National Park], environs of Wuasa, 1°24,445 <i>′</i> S, 120°18,801 <i>′</i> E.</p> <p> <b>Type material.</b> HOLOTYPE: (NMPC), SULAWESI, Palu dist. / Lore Lindu N.P., Wuasa env., / 1°24,445’S, 20°18,801’E [sic!], / 15.viii. 2013, V.Hula lgt. PARATYPES: 5 6 ♀♀ (NMPC, MHNG), with the same data as the holotype.</p> <p> <b>Description.</b> Length 1.64–1.80 mm, width 1.05–1.10 mm. Head, pronotum and elytra reddish-brown, abdomen and appendages lighter, ochreous. Antennae long, length/ width ratios of antennomeres as: III 10/9: IV 38/7: V 44/8: VI 39/7: VII 46/13: VIII 37/8: IX 48/12: X 44/12: XI 51/13. Pronotum and elytra not microsculptured. Pronotum weakly narrowed anteriad, with regularly rounded lateral margins, lateral margins carinae throughout visible in dorsal view; punctation on disc very fine, sparse, hardly visible at magnification 30×, consisting of sharply delimited punctures, puncture intervals much larger than puncture diameters, punctures along lateral carinae absent. Minute tip of scutellum exposed. Elytra fairly narrowed apically, lateral margins almost regularly curved, lateral margin carinae exposed throughout in dorsal view, shape of apices sexually dimorphic; sutural margin not raised, adsutural areas flat, narrow, each with single puncture row. Sutural striae converging apically, curved near pronotal lobe, not extended laterally along basal margins. Punctures along lateral margins absent. Elytral disc with punctures very fine and shallow, somewhat larger than those on pronotal disc, not clearly delimited, puncture intervals mostly about three to five times as large as puncture diameters. Hind wings completely reduced. Hypomera smooth. Mesepimera almost two times longer than interval to mesocoxae and about five times as long as wide. Metaventrite lacking microsculpture except on minute areas near metacoxae, entirely very finely and sparsely punctate, antecoxal puncture rows absent; margin of intercoxal process slightly concave; submesocoxal lines convex, very finely punctate; submesocoxal areas 0.04 mm, about as long as halves of shortest intervals between them and metacoxae. Metanepisterna flat, not narrowed anteriad, with straight suture. Abdominal ventrite I very finely and sparsely punctate, without obvious microsculpture; submetacoxal lines subparallel, distinctly punctate, 0.03 mm, about as long as seventh of shortest intervals between them and apical margin of ventrite. Following ventrites with conspicuous punctulate microsculpture.</p> <p> <i>Male characters.</i> Protarsomeres I strongly widened, about as wide as apices of protibiae and almost twice as wide as tarsomeres III; protarsomeres II somewhat narrower than protarsomeres I (Fig. 8). Protibiae straight, mesotibiae straight near base, curved posterior basal fourth (Fig. 9), metatibiae slightly curved posterior basal third. Elytral apices truncate, perpendicular to sutural margin, inner apical angles in level with outer apical angles (Fig. 50). Median part of metaventrite with large, subtriangular impression. Abdominal ventrite VI with deeply emarginate apical margin (Fig. 10). Tergite IX with one macroseta on each plate, stalk widened basally, with lateral sections concavely impressed (Fig. 11). Aedeagus (Figs 6, 7) 0.65 mm long, asymmetrical. Median lobe with small basal bulb bearing proximal anchor-like process, apical process asymmetrically curved, with small subapical tooth. Basal parts of parameres strongly expanded, apical parts lobate bearing very dense pores. Internal sac simple, tubular, membranous, lacking sclerotized pieces.</p> <p> <i>Female characters.</i> Elytra with prominent apical angles, apical margins oblique and concave, inner apical angles situated far posterior outer apical angles (Fig. 51). Median part of metaventrite flattened. Pro- and mesotibiae straight, metatibiae hardly bent, tarsomeres not widened. Gonocoxite bent, evenly narrow (Fig. 12).</p> <p> <b>Differential diagnosis.</b> The sexually dimorphic elytra are unusual within the Scaphisomatini. They are described in several species of the <i>Scaphisoma tricolor</i> species group (see LÖBL & OGAWA 2016), which are quite unrelated to <i>S. ancora</i> sp. nov. Unlike in <i>S. ancora</i> sp. nov., the inner apical elytral angles are usually denticulate in females of the <i>S. tricolor</i> group. Members of the <i>S. tricolor</i> group differ notably by the elytra with shortened sutural striae, the strigulate abdominal microsculpture, the aedeagi with large, weakly sclerotized basal bulbs lacking proximal processes, the apical processes of the median lobes consisting of asymmetrical dorsal and ventral branches, the parameres lobed and overlapping apically, and the complex internal sacs. An anchor-like aedeagal process is well developed in the Moluccan <i>S. semibreve</i> Löbl, 2014. This species also shares reduced hind wings, likely correlated with a short metaventrite. <i>Scaphisoma semibreve</i> differs notably from <i>S. ancora</i> sp. nov. by the internal sac of the aedeagus bearing rows of robust teeth-like sclerites, and by the abdomen lacking microsculpture.</p> <p> <b>Etymology.</b> The species epithet is a Latin noun in apposition, <i>ancora</i>, meaning ‘anchor’, and refers to the shape of the proximal aedeagal process.</p> <p> <b>Distribution.</b> Indonesia, Central Sulawesi.</p>Published as part of <i>Löbl, Ivan, 2018, A review of Scaphisomatini from Sulawesi, with descriptions of ten new species (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scaphidiinae), pp. 151-165 in Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 58 (1)</i> on page 153, DOI: 10.2478/aemnp-2018-0013, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/3699163">http://zenodo.org/record/3699163</a&gt

Scaphicoma subflava Ogawa & Löbl 2014

<p>* Scaphicoma subflava Ogawa & Löbl, 2014</p> <p>in OGAWA et al. (2014)</p> <p>N Sulawesi</p>Published as part of <i>Löbl, Ivan, 2018, A review of Scaphisomatini from Sulawesi, with descriptions of ten new species (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scaphidiinae), pp. 151-165 in Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 58 (1)</i> on page 164, DOI: 10.2478/aemnp-2018-0013, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/3699163">http://zenodo.org/record/3699163</a&gt

Baeocera incurva Löbl 2022, sp. nov.

Baeocera incurva sp. nov. Figs 4-6 Materiel examined: Holotype; MHNG; male; MALUK: Kai Besar, Bombay, G. Dab, 3.IX.81, D. Agosti F911019. Paratypes; MHNG; 1 male, 2 ex. with the same data as the holotype. – MHNG; 2 males, 1 female; MALUK: Kai Besar, G. Tukrau nr. Bombay, 300 -400 m, 7.IX.81 D. Agosti, F91075. Etymology: The species epithet is a Latin adjective meaning bent. Diagnosis: The species is defined by the following characters in combination: Body-length about 1.25- 1.35 mm, body blackish with lighter apical abdominal segments; lateral margins of pronotum and elytra nearly continuously arcuate; pronotum finely punctate; elytron entirely coarsely punctate, lacking basal stria, sutural stria shortened, starting posterior of level of scutellum; hypomeron very finely punctate; mesepimeron, mesanepisterum, metaventrite and ventrite I distinctly punctate; ventrite I without basal wrinkles or striae; aedeagus symmetrical, with apical process in lateral view abruptly narrowed near apex, parameres sinuate, nearly evenly broad and bent dorsally in lateral view, internal sac with complex sclerites, as in Fig. 6, lacking membranous scale or denticle-like structures. Description: Length 1.25-1.33 mm, width 0.85- 0.88 mm. Head and most of body blackish, apical abdominal segments, femora and tibiae reddish-brown, tarsi and antennae yellowish. Head with interocular distance slightly larger than dorsoventral eye diameter. Antennomere II slightly longer than antennomere III. Length/width ratios of antennomeres as: III 24/6: IV 22/6: V 30/7: VI 30/7: VII 37/9: VIII 33/8: IX 41/12: X 41/14: XI 46/15. Pronotum and elytra nearly continuously arcuate. Pronotum not microsculptured, pronotal punctation hardly visible at 50 times magnification; lateral carinae of pronotum concealed in dorsal view. Point of scutellum exposed. Elytra nearly entirely covering abdomen. Elytron weakly narrowed apically, with lateral margin rounded; lateral margin carinae concealed in dorsal view, adsutural area flat and narrow; sutural stria punctate, shortened, starting well posterior of level of tip of scutellum; basal stria absent; lateral stria punctate. Elytral disc not microsculptured, with punctation well delimited, much coarser than on pronotum, nearly regular, puncture intervals mostly about as to three times puncture diameters. Hind wings fully developed. Impressed inferior part of hypomeron with few very fine punctures. Mesoventrite punctate, without median ridge, fused with metaventral process. Mesanepisternum pubescent, rather finely punctate. Mesepimeron punctate, about four times as long as wide and about three times as long as interval to coxa. Median part of metaventrite flattened, fairly coarsely, irregularly and densely punctate. Lateral area of metaventrite with punctation similar to that on elytron; punctures well delimited, clearly smaller than puncture intervals, evanescent near metacoxal margin. Submesocoxal lines slightly convex, with marginal punctures smaller than punctures on lateral area of metaventrite and not extended laterally along margin of metaventrite. Submesocoxal areas about 0.02-0.03 mm long, about as fifth of shortest interval to metacoxae. Metanepisternum flat, fused with metaventrite, its margin indicated by outer puncture row of metaventrite. Tibiae straight. Abdomen not microsculptured. Ventrite I about as coarsely and densely punctate as lateral area of metaventrite, basal punctures not enlarged and not elongate, basal wrinkles or striae absent. Following ventrites finely punctate. Male characters: Protarsomeres I to III slightly widened. Aedeagus (Figs 4-6) 0.35-0.36 mm long, weakly sclerotized, symmetrical. Apical process abruptly narrowed near apex (lateral view), gradually narrowed in dorsal view. Parameres conspicuously sinuate, nearly evenly broad and bent dorsally in lateral view, hardly sinuate in dorsal view. Internal sac with complex sclerites as in Fig. 6, with very short flagellar guide-sclerite, lacking membranous scale- or denticle-like structures. Habitat: Secondary forests on limestone, litter from dead log and rotting leaves. Distribution: Indonesia: Moluccas, Kai Besar Island. Remarks: The species is also member of the B. lenta group, as shown by its aedeagal characters. It falls in the key to the Moluccan species (Löbl, 2015a) to B. vicina Löbl, 2015. It may be easily distinguished from the latter as from other congeners by the shape of the parameres and by the internal sac possessing a short flagellum and reduced flagellar-guide sclerite. The New Guinean B. praedicta Löbl, 2002 possesses parameres rather similar to those of B. incurva. It differs notably in external characters, in particular by the not fused metanepisterna and the very finely punctate metaventrite.Published as part of Löbl, Ivan, 2022, Supplement to the knowledge of the Scaphidiinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) of the Moluccas, pp. 103-118 in Revue suisse de Zoologie 129 (1) on pages 104-106, DOI: 10.35929/RSZ.0064, http://zenodo.org/record/646102

Scaphisoma tarsale Löbl 2015, sp. nov.

Scaphisoma tarsale sp. nov. <p>(Figs 9–12)</p> <p> <b>Type locality.</b> Indonesia, East Kalimantan, ca. 55 km W of Balikpapan, PT Fajar Surya Swadaya area, 01°13.3′S, 116°21.0′E, 100 m a.s.l.</p> <p> <b>Type material</b>. HOLOTYPE: ♂, ‘ Indonesia, E. Kalimantan, ca 55 km W of Balikpapan PT Fajar Surya Swadaya [area] 01°13.3’S 116°21.0’E, 100m J. Hájek, J. Schneider, P. Votruba leg. 24-25+ 29.xi.2011 / border of Acacia mangium plantation and primary rainforest, stream and waterfall, puddles; individual collecting, + light trap’ (NMPC). PARATYPE: ♂, with the same data as the holotype but ‘ 23.xi.2011 ’ and ‘ base camp surrounded with <i>Acacia</i> plantation; individual collecting on vegetation, dead wood and in puddles, + light trap’ (MHNG).</p> <p> <b>Description.</b> Length 1.95–2.04 mm, width 1.36–1.38 mm. Head, pronotum and apical abdominal segments light reddish-brown, most of elytra, mesoventrite and metaventrite dark reddish-brown, apical fifth of elytra light, almost yellowish, ventrite 1 light, darkened near apical margin, appendages somewhat lighter than pronotum. Pronotum and elytra without microsculpture. Antennae with length/width ratio of antennomeres as follows: III 13/10: IV 46/9: V 67/9: VI 57/9: VII 65/13: VIII 50/8: IX 63/8 (antennomeres X and XI missing). Pronotum with lateral margins rounded, lateral margin carinae visible in dorsal view, discal punctation very fine, punctures dense, not well delimited, slightly larger on basomedian area than in middle, pubescence indistinct. Apical part of scutellum exposed. Elytra with lateral margin carinae exposed in dorsal view, apical margins slightly rounded, inner apical angle not prominent, situated somewhat posterior level of outer angles, sutural margin not raised, sutural striae shallow, starting posterior level of scutellum, almost parallel anterior mid-length, weakly converging posterior mid-length, indicated by puncture row in basal third of elytron; adsutural areas flat, with single puncture row, combined 0.15 mm at elytral mid-length. Elytral punctation coarse and dense, much coarser than pronotal punctation, consisting of punctures fairly well delimited, with puncture intervals mostly about 1.5 to 2 times as large as puncture diameters. Hypomera smooth. Mesepimeron somewhat shorter than interval to mesocoxa, about 3 times as long as wide. Metaventrite with distinct strigulate microsculpture, except on sides, in middle somewhat convex, with two shallow apicomedian, distinctly punctate impressions, antecoxal puncture rows present, in impressed lines, remaining punctation very fine and sparse. Submesocoxal areas 0.04 mm, about as quarter of interval to metacoxa, submesocoxal lines parallel, with coarse marginal punctures. Metanepisternum flat, somewhat below level of metaventrite, 0.12 mm wide, weakly narrowed anteriad, with inner margin almost straight, rounded near apical angles. Protibiae straight, mesotibiae distinctly curved, metatibiae hardly sinuate, slender than protibiae or mesotibiae. Abdomen with strigulate microsculpture. Intercoxal process of ventrite 1 with irregular transverse row of fairly coarse punctures, remaining surface of ventrites very finely and sparsely punctate. Submetaxocal lines convex, coarsely punctate, submetacoxal areas 0.06 mm, as fifth of interval to apical margin of ventrite.</p> <p> <i>Male characters</i>. Protarsomere 1 strongly widened, about as wide as protibial apex, protarsomere 2 moderately widened, protarsomere 3 narrow, about as protarsomere 4. Mesotarsomere 1 conspicuously strongly enlarged, wider than mesotibial apex, mesotarsomere 2 about as wide as mesotibial apex, mesotarsomere 3 moderately widened. Ventrite 6 prominent apically, forming large, about 0.20 mm long, rounded lobe. Aedeagus (Figs 9–12) about 1.15 (proximal part of median lobe damaged) – 1.22 mm long. Median lobe with ventral branch almost perpendicular to aedeagal axis, tapering, in dorsal view appearing sinuate. Dorsal branch of apical process sinuate in lateral view. Parameres with large, overlapping lobes attached to strongly sclerotized processes. Internal sac with basal and apical tufts of spine-like and scalelike structures, and three denticles, basal denticle transverse, following two denticles bent.</p> <p> <b>Differential diagnosis.</b> This new species is similar to and likely closely related with <i>S. tricolor</i> Heller, 1917, from the Philippines. It may be readily distinguished by the broadly triangular dorsal branch of the aedeagal apical process and by the shape of the sclerites of the internal sac, in particular the straight and comparatively short basal sclerite, and the absence of a plate between the two mesal sclerites.</p> <p> <b>Etymology.</b> The species epithet refers to the shape of the strongly widened tarsi.</p> <p> <b>Distribution.</b> Indonesia (Kalimantan).</p>Published as part of <i>Löbl, Ivan, 2015, Notes on Scaphisoma of Kalimantan (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scaphidiinae), pp. 129-144 in Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 55 (1)</i> on pages 141-143, DOI: <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/5318986">10.5281/zenodo.5318986</a&gt