﻿The genus Pseudophanias Raffray (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Pselaphinae) from Nanling Priority Area for Biodiversity Conservation, China

﻿Abstract Prior to this study, no species of Pseudophanias Raffray had been reported from Nanling, a vast biodiversity conservation area that spans five provinces in southern China. In this paper, three new species of the genus are described: Pseudophaniasfurcilobussp. nov. (Guizhou, Guangxi), P.leigongsp. nov. (Guizhou), and P.mulunsp. nov. (Guangxi), suggesting that additional study on the diversity of this group in the area is required. These species are characterized, keyed, and compared to similar congeners, supplemented with illustrations of the habitus and other morphological characters.

The four species of China were all recently described.Two of them inhabit Taiwan (Inoue et al. 2020), and one each in Yunnan (Yin 2019) and Zhejiang (Yin and Zhao 2022), but information on the diversity of the genus in southern China remains virtually absent.As a part of an ongoing project documenting the Pselaphinae fauna of Nanling, which was recently proposed as a vast biodiversity conservation belt spanning Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Guizhou provinces (https://www.mee.gov.cn/gkml/hbb/bgg/201601/t20160105_321061.htm),we report the first occurrence of Pseudophanias and describe three new species.The limited available specimens, both quantitatively and geographically, suggests that additional members of the genus are likely to be found from suitable forest habitats in the region.

Material and method
The material treated in this paper is deposited in the Insect Collection of Shanghai Normal University (SNUC).The label data of the material are quoted verbatim.
Dissected parts were mounted in Euparal on plastic slides pinned with the specimen.The habitus image of the beetle was taken using a Canon EOS R5 camera, equipped with a 7.5× Mitutoyo M Plan Apo lens, and two Godox V860III-C TTL Li-Ion flashes were used as the light source.Images of morphological details were produced using a Canon G9 camera mounted to an Olympus CX31 microscope under reflected or transmitted light.Zerene Stacker v. 1.04 was used for image stacking.All images were modified and grouped into plates using Adobe Photoshop CC 2020.
Measurements were taken as follows: total body length was measured from the anterior margin of the rostrum to the apex of the abdomen; head length was measured from the anterior margin of the rostrum to the head base, excluding the cervical constriction; head width was measured across the eyes; the length of the pronotum was measured along the midline, the width of the pronotum equals the maximum width; the length of the elytra was measured along the suture; the width of the elytra was measured as the maximum width across both elytra; the length of the abdomen is the length of the dorsally exposed part of the abdomen along its midline, the width is the maximum width.
All legs elongate and slender; femora coarsely punctate; each tarsus with one major and one reduced setiform pretarsal claw.
Comparative notes.The male of this species is morphologically similar to Pseudophanias excavatus Inoue, Nomura & Yin from Taiwan, China by the antennal modification composed of apical seven antennomeres (Inoue et al. 2020), i.e., antennomeres 5-11 greatly transverse and distinctly larger than 1-4.They can be readily separated by the different shapes of the antennal modification and aedeagus.In P. excavatus the antennomeres 5 and 10 have their ventral surfaces greatly projected (Inoue et al. 2020: fig.10B) (projection lacking in P. furcilobus sp.nov.), and the median lobe of the aedeagus lacks a ventral projection, and the apical part in lateral view is greatly extended, twisted, and more strongly recurved (Inoue et al. 2020: fig.13B).
Etymology.The specific epithet is a combination of Latin stem furc, meaning, "fork", and noun lobus, meaning, "lobe", referring to the apically forked ventral projection of median lobe of the aedeagus.Diagnosis.Male.Body moderately elongate, length 2.0 mm.Vertex coarsely punctate, with punctiform vertexal and frontal fovea.Antennomeres 9-11 enlarged, successively larger, much wider than other antennomeres, 10 ventrally protruding on apical margin, 11 hemispherical, truncate at base.Pronotum with smooth disc, coarsely punctate at basal part.Legs simple.Tergite 1 (IV) more than 2.5 times as long as 2 (V), lacking discal carinae.Median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view strongly curved, at middle greatly projected ventrally, and markedly enlarged at apex; parameres each with two long setae at apex.Female.Unknown.
All legs elongate and slender; femora coarsely punctate; each tarsus with one major and one reduced setiform pretarsal claw.
Legs elongate; femora coarsely punctate; each tarsus with one major and one reduced setiform pretarsal claw.
Comparative notes.The male of this species is externally similar to those of P. furcilobus and P. mulun, both described here, but can be readily separated by the different antennal modification, i.e., only antennomeres 9-11 enlarged in P. leigong sp.nov. vs. antennomeres 6-11 enlarged in the latter two species, and the configuration of the aedeagus.
Etymology.The named is taken from Leigong Mountain, the type locality of the new species.Diagnosis.Male.Body moderately elongate, length approximately 1.9 mm.Vertex coarsely punctate, with punctiform vertexal and frontal fovea.Antennomeres 6-11 enlarged, each distinctly transverse, antennomere 69 much wider than 7-9 and as wide as 10, 10 angularly protruding ventrally.Pronotum with smooth disc, coarsely punctate at basal part.Legs simple.Tergite 1 (IV) more than 2.5 times as long as 2 (V), lacking discal carinae.Median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view C-shaped, abruptly narrowed before apex; parameres each with two long setae at apex.Description.Male.Body (Fig. 3A) length 1.89 mm; color reddish-brown, tarsi and mouthparts lighter.Dorsal surface finely punctate, covered with dense pubescence.Female.Unknown.
Comparative notes.This species is morphologically similar to the Burmese Pseudophanias spinicornis Inoue & Nomura and P. tanintharyiensis Inoue & Nomura by the male antennal modification composed of apical six antennomeres (Inoue and Nomura 2021), e.g., antennomeres 6 greatly enlarged and distinctly larger than 5 and 7. Otherwise, these species can be readily separated by the different shapes of the antennal clubs and aedeagus.Pseudophanias spinicornis has coarsely punctate head dorsum and pronotum, while P. mulun sp.nov.has a smooth, finely punctate pronotal disc, similar to that of P. tanintharyiensis.
Distribution.Southwestern China: Guangxi.Etymology.This species is named after its type locality, Mulun Nature Reserve.