Paussiger Wasmann, 1893

Raveloson, Ricca, Andrianaharison, Fumiko, Rakotonirina, Jean Claude & Hlaváč, Peter, 2025, The Pselaphinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) of Madagascar. X. Revision of the myrmecophilous clavigerine genera Rhynchoclaviger Wasmann, 1891 and Paussiger Wasmann, 1893, Zootaxa 5673 (3), pp. 399-410 : 402-404

Paussiger Wasmann, 1893

( Figs 2–4 , 10, 11)

Paussiger Wasmann, 1893b: 257 . Types species: Paussiger limicornisi Wasmann , by monotypy.

Paussiger Wasmann : Wasmann 1893a: 110 (in key); Raffray 1905: 452 (in key); Raffray 1908: 422 (in key); Raffray 1908: 444 (redescription, catalogue); Jeannel 1954: 295 (in key); Jeannel 1954: 303 (redescription); Jeannel 1960: 191 (in key); Jeannel 1960: 200; Newton & Chandler 1989: 66 (catalogue); Besuchet 2008: 65 (diagnosis, synonymy of Marofusiger ); Sabella, Viglianisi & Petralia 2012: 432 (catalogue).

Sufifer Newton & Chandler 1989: 66 . New name for Fusifer Raffray , preoccupation, not Dendy 1896. Syn. nov.

Sufifer Newton & Chandler ; Sabella, Viglianisi & Petralia 2012: 433 (catalogue).

Fusifer Raffray, 1900: 524 . Types species: Commatoceropsis perrieri Fairmaire , by monotypy.

Fusifer Raffray ; Raffray 1908: 444 (catalogue, as synonym to Paussiger ); Jeannel 1954: 295 (in key); Jeannel 1954: 302 (redescription); Jeannel 1960: 192 (in key); Jeannel 1960: 199 (key to species).

Marofusiger Dajoz, 1982: 517 . Types species: Marofusiger grandis Dajoz , original designation; synonymy in Besuchet 2008: 65.

Diagnosis. Head capsule sub-rectangular, longer than wide, with various number of carina, lacking frontal and vertexal foveae; temples parallel-sided, strongly dentate, head capsule delimited from neck region by occipital carina; posterior tentorial pits small, well-separated; antenna tetramerous, scape cylindrical; antennomere 3 strongly transverse, trapezoidal, well-delimited or fused to terminal antennomere which is longer than 1–3 combined; pronotum slightly transverse, strongly dentate on sides; lateral margin slightly convergent or divergent posteriad; with shallow median longitudinal sulcus, with or without longitudinal carinae, lacking foveae; metaventrite convex in anterior part, declining to posterior margin, lacking any projection or setae; elytral disc glabrous or with small setae, lateral margin with few short setae; with four antebasal foveae; with some striae or lines of adjacent dots; first paratergite with or without round lateral protrusion bearing trichome; mesofemur and mesotibia in males bearing spines or teeth, unmodified in females; aedeagus elongate, moderately slender, clearly longer than wide.

Redescription. Body ( Figs 2–4 ) more than twice as long as wide, 2.10–2.80 mm long; reddish-brown; head capsule and pronotum with rugose surface, elytra with variously structured surface, abdomen smooth, both shiny.

Head capsule sub-rectangular, longer than wide, with various number of carina, widest in level of eyes; lacking frontal and vertexal foveae; clypeus partly visible on sides; rostrum at anterior margin triangular or rounded (one undescribed species); eyes moderately prominent, situated at about midpoint along sides of head capsule; temples parallel-sided, strongly dentate, slightly shorter than frontal rostrum; head capsule delimited from neck region by occipital carina, neck region almost entirely retracted into prothorax; gular plate with variable structure, whole surface rough, lateral portions with transverse ribs, with large median sulcus; posterior tentorial pits small, well-separated, situated on posterior margin of sulcus; neck region ventrally demarcated by transverse impression.

Antenna tetramerous, short, at most as long as head capsule; scape cylindrical, almost entirely hidden under rostrum; pedicel resembles mushroom of the genus Boletus , longer than scape; antennomere 3 strongly transverse, trapezoidal, well-delimited or fused to antennomere 4; terminal antennomere longest, longer than 1–3 combined, slightly narrowed distad, its apex truncate, lacking concentric short setae.

Pronotum slightly wider than long, strongly dentate on sides, slightly shorter than head capsule; lacking squamous setae; lateral margin slightly convergent or divergent posteriad; with shallow median longitudinal sulcus, median and lateral foveae, median fovea sometimes ill-defined, with or without longitudinal carinae.

Prosternum fused with hypomera, with median triangular elevation, procoxae contiguous.Mesoventrite distinctly shorter than metaventrite; mesocoxae narrowly separated, isthmus about half of diameter of mesocoxal cavity; disc of metaventrite convex in anterior part, declining to posterior margin, lacking any projection; metaventral posterior process wide, strongly concave.

Elytra clearly longer than wide, clearly shorter than abdomen, disc glabrous or with small setae, lateral margin with few short setae; with four antebasal foveae; with some striae or lines of adjacent dots; postero-lateral corner of elytron obliquely bevelled mesad, lacking projection; humeri rounded, lacking spines; posterior margin of elytron lacking trichomes.

Abdomen with composite tergite with transverse basal impression; lacking keels, with two lateral large setose foveae; first three visible paratergites well-developed along almost all length of composite tergite, narrow, first paratergite with or without round lateral protrusion bearing trichome. First visible sternite long (III) with median carina, with lateral impressions, about as long as second visible sternite (IV); sternite (IV) clearly longer than third visible sternite (V), sternite (V) longer than (VI).

Legs short and stout; femora with interlocking ridges; mesofemur and mesotibia in males bearing spines or teeth, metatibia bent in antebasal part.

Aedeagus elongate, clearly longer than wide; basal bulb well-separated from distal lobe, distal lobe longer or shorter than basal bulb; endophallus lacking sclerites; dorsal diaphragm round or elliptical.

Sexual dimorphism. Females with mesofemora and mesotibia simple, lacking spines.

Host ant. The only Crematogaster hova -complex Blaimer, 2010 [as Crematogaster (Decacrema) schencki Forel, 1891 ] is so far known to host the genus Paussiger .

Distribution. Madagascar.

Remarks. The synonymy of monospecific Sufifer with Paussiger was already proposed by Raffray (1908) and this synonymy is confirmed here. Except for the different structure of antennae, some differences in external structures, and the different shape of the aedeagus, no relevant diagnostic character to support the separation of these two genera are apparent. Based on this synonymy and the description of one new species bellow, Paussiger has four species which can be identified using the following key

Figures

FIGURES 1–4. Habitus. 1. Rhynchoclaviger cremastogastris, female. 2. Paussiger perrieri, male. 3. Paussiger grandis, male. 4. Paussiger fisheri, male.