Paussiger fisheri Hlaváč, 2025

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 : 407-408

Paussiger fisheri Hlaváč , new species

( Figs 4 , 10, 11)

Material studied. HOLOTYPE: MADAGASCAR: ♂, two labels: “ MADAGASCAR, Befingotra / (6.5 km SSW) Rés. Anjanaharibe-Sud / 14°45'S, 49°30'E, 875 m / rainforest, 19.X.1994 “ [white, printed], “FMNH #94-54, Winkler / extraction of sifted litter (leaf / mold, rotten wood), / B. L. / Fisher # 1070 (1-50) / FIELD MUS. NAT. HIST.“ [white, printed] ( FMNH) . PARATYPES: MADAGASCAR: 1 ♂, 3 ♀, same data as for holotype ( PCPH, NHMG) ; 2 ♂, two labels: “ MADAGASCAR: Antsiranana / Befingotra (9.2km WSW) Rés. Anjanaharibe-Sud / 14°45' S, 49°28'E, 1200m / 9.xi.1994 “ [white, printed], “FMHD #94-56, montane / rainforest, sifted litter / Winkler B. L. Fisher / BF#1990 / FIELD MUSEUM NAT.HIST“ [white, printed] ( CASC, FMNH, MHNG, PHPC) .

Diagnosis. Antenna long, about 0.38–0.40 mm long, terminal antennomere about 2.1 times as long as wide; pronotum with well-defined median sulcus, median fovea ill-defined; first visible paratergite strongly protruding laterally, distal lobe of aedeagus slightly longer than basal bulb.

Redescription. Body length 2.45–2.65 mm. Head capsule rectangular, about 1.4–1.5 times as long as wide, slightly longer than pronotum, with five parallel lateral carinae; lateral sides dentate, with about 5-6 sharp teeth located from under eyes to posterior margin of head capsule; anterior margin of rostrum triangular. Antenna 0.38– 0.40 mm long, antennomere 3 well-separated from 4, terminal antennomere about 0.25 mm long, evenly narrowed to truncate apex.

Pronotum 1.15–1.20 times as wide as long, straight on sides, with about five to six sharp teeth, lacking median carinae, with dentate lateral carinae; with wide, well-defined median sulcus; lacking foveae.

Elytra 1.40–1.55 times as wide as long, shorter than abdomen, glabrous, with almost entire sutural striae, with five discal and one humeral stria, humeral stria and lateral elytral margin finely dentate; interstriae with small punctures, punctation evenly distributed between striae.

Abdomen long, 1.7–1.8 times as long as elytra; anterior part of composite tergite with transverse impression; lateral foveae large, distant from posterior margin of elytra, with well-defined trichome; first visible paratergite slightly shorter than second, strongly protruding to side, protrusion rounded, with well-defined trichome, second visible paratergite longest, clearly longer than third visible paratergite, both narrowed distad.

Legs short and stout; mesofemur with sharp, short, almost straight basal spine; mesotibia with small, apical spine.

Aedeagus (Figs 10, 11) elongate, about 0.62 mm long, about 2.9 times as long as wide, slightly asymmetrical; apical lobe slightly convergent distad, modestly rounded at apex, about 1.17 times as long as basal bulb; endophallus lacking internal sclerites, apical lobe laterally curved, with pointed apex.

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

Host ant. Unknown, all known specimens were collected by sifting of leaf, mold and rotten wood litter.

Distribution. Madagascar.

Figures

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