A revision of the genus Neosclerus Cameron (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae).

Abstract

Neosclerus Cameron, 1924 is closely related to Sunius Stephens, 1829 of the Medonina and is distributed in the Oriental and southern East Palaearctic regions. The genus is redescribed; its intra- and intergeneric phylogenetic affiliations are discussed. The types of all previously described species and additional material are revised. Twenty-six species are recognized, (re-)described, and illustrated, 19 of them for the first time: Neosclerus armatus sp. n. (Taiwan), N. barbatulus sp. n. (Thailand, Myanmar, China), N. barbatus sp. n. (Thailand), N. bicarinatus sp. n. (Vietnam), N. bifidus sp. n. (Taiwan), N. carinatus sp. n. (Taiwan), N. configens sp. n. (Taiwan), N. dupleseriatus sp. n. (N. India), N. erubescens sp. n. (Borneo), N. glaber sp. n. (S. China, Hongkong, Thailand, Malaysia), N. hlavaci sp. n. (China: Fujian, Jiangxi), N. inarmatus sp. n. (Taiwan), N. incisus sp. n. (China: Guangxi), N. praeacutus sp. n. (China: Yunnan), N. rimatus sp. n. (China: Guangxi), N. rougemonti sp. n. (Thailand), N. schillhammeri sp. n. (Myanmar), N. schuelkei sp. n. (China: Yunnan), N. smetanai sp. n. (Taiwan). Several additional species are listed, but not described, since they are represented only by females. The secondary homonym Lobochilus brachypterus Cameron, 1943 is replaced with Sunius cameroni nom. n. Two synonymies are proposed: Neosclerus brevipennis (Cameron, 1943) = Lobochilus houlberti (Coiffait, 1987), syn. n.; N. granulicollis Cameron, 1924 = N. frater Cameron, 1924, syn. n. Four new combinations are established: Neosclerus assamensis (Cameron, 1931), comb. n. (ex Lobochilus), N. javanus (Bernhauer, 1920); comb. n. (ex Lobochilus), N. nigerrimus (Kraatz, 1859); comb. n. (ex Lobochilus), and "Medon" labralis (Cameron, 1943), comb. n. (ex Neosclerus). Lectotypes are designated for Neosclerus fortepunctatus Cameron, 1924, N. granulicollis Cameron, 1924, N. frater Cameron, 1924, Lobochilus assamensis Cameron, 1931, and Lithocharis nigerrima Kraatz, 1859. Data on the distribution and natural history of the Neosclerus species are compiled. Some of them are apparently active flyers and widespread. Micropterous species with low dispersal power and restricted distributions are known only from southern China and Taiwan, the regions with the highest species diversity. Neosclerus species apparently live in - usually moist - leaf litter and moss in forests, shrub habitats, and on banks of streams. A key to species and a catalogue are provided.

Keywords

Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Paederinae, Medonina, Neosclerus, Sunius, Palaearctic region, Oriental region, taxonomy, new species, new synonymies, new combinations, replacement name, lectotype designations, key to species, additional records.

Nomenclatural Acts

brevipennis Coiffait, 1978 (Lobochilus), primary homonym of Neosclerus brevipennis (Cameron, 1943)
houlberti Coiffait, 1987 (Lobochilus), replacement name, syn. nov. of Neosclerus brevipennis (Cameron, 1943)
labralis (Cameron, 1943) (Medon), comb. nov. hitherto Lobochilus labralis Cameron, 1943
armatus Assing, 2011 (Neosclerus), spec. nov.
assamensis (Cameron, 1931) (Neosclerus), LT; comb. nov. hitherto Lobochilus assamensis Cameron, 1931
barbatulus Assing, 2011 (Neosclerus), spec. nov.
barbatus Assing, 2011 (Neosclerus), spec. nov.
bicarinatus Assing, 2011 (Neosclerus), spec. nov.
bifidus Assing, 2011 (Neosclerus), spec. nov.
carinatus Assing, 2011 (Neosclerus), spec. nov.
configens Assing, 2011 (Neosclerus), spec. nov.
dupleseriatus Assing, 2011 (Neosclerus), spec. nov.
erubescens Assing, 2011 (Neosclerus), spec. nov.
fortepunctatus Cameron, 1924 (Neosclerus), LT
frater Cameron, 1924 (Neosclerus), LT; syn. nov. of Neosclerus granulicollis Cameron, 1924
glaber Assing, 2011 (Neosclerus), spec. nov.
granulicollis Cameron, 1924 (Neosclerus), LT
hlavaci Assing, 2011 (Neosclerus), spec. nov.
inarmatus Assing, 2011 (Neosclerus), spec. nov.
incisus Assing, 2011 (Neosclerus), spec. nov.
javanus (Bernhauer, 1920) (Neosclerus), comb. nov. hitherto Lobochilus javanus Bernhauer, 1920
nigerrimus (Kraatz, 1859) (Neosclerus), LT; comb. nov. hitherto Lithocharis nigerrima Kraatz, 1859
praeacutus Assing, 2011 (Neosclerus), spec. nov.
rimatus Assing, 2011 (Neosclerus), spec. nov.
rougemonti Assing, 2011 (Neosclerus), spec. nov.
schillhammeri Assing, 2011 (Neosclerus), spec. nov.
schuelkei Assing, 2011 (Neosclerus), spec. nov.
smetanai Assing, 2011 (Neosclerus), spec. nov.
cameroni Assing, 2011 (Sunius), nom. nov. for Lobochilus brachypterus Cameron, 1943