Thursday, January 7, 2021

[Entomology • 2021] Dasycerus poseidon • The First Record of the Subfamily Dasycerinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) in Taiwan, with Description of A New Species


Dasycerus poseidon Hu & Liang


Abstract
Dasycerus poseidon Hu & Liang, sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on fresh specimens from central and southern Taiwan, which filled in the disjunct distribution between the Japanese archipelago and south-eastern Asia. The new species represents the first record of the subfamily Dasycerinae in Taiwan. The barcoding sequence of the holotype of D. poseidon Hu & Liang, sp. nov. is provided, and revealed a surprisingly large genetic distance within the genus. Detailed illustrations of D. poseidon Hu & Liang, sp. nov. by scanning electron micrograph and micro-computed tomography are also provided. Living individuals of D. poseidon Hu & Liang, sp. nov. were observed eating the mycelium of Pleurotus ostreatus in lab conditions, which represents the first direct evidence of mycophagous habits of Dasycerinae.

Keywords: Coleoptera, rove beetle, new species, taxonomy, mycophagy, distribution, Oriental region, barcoding, micro-CT

FIGURE 1. Habitus of Dasycerus poseidon Hu & Liang, sp. nov.
(A) Dorsal view. (B) Ventral view. (C) Lateral view.

FIGURE 7. Habitat of Dasycerus poseidon Hu & Liang, sp. nov. 
(A) Habitat environment. (B-C) The dead wood covered with fungi. (D) The surface of fungi. (E) The living habitus of D. poseidon Hu & Liang, sp. nov. (Photo by C.-H. Wu).


Fang-Shuo Hu and Wei-Ren Liang. 2021. The First Record of the Subfamily Dasycerinae in Taiwan, with Description of A New Species (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae). Zootaxa. 4903(2); 242–254. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4903.2.4

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