LOEBLIBATRUS YIN, A NEW GENUS OF MYRMECOPHILOUS PSELAPHINAE (COLEOPTERA: STAPHYLINIDAE) FROM SOUTHERN CHINA

A new southern Chinese genus and species, Loeblibatrus yunnanus Yin, new genus and new species, of the staphylinid subfamily Pselaphinae is described and illustrated. Most individuals were collected from colonies of Ectomomyrmex Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) beneath stones. Adults of L. yunnanus exhibit a strong reduction of external features (e.g., foveae, carinae, sulci) that are typical of myrmecophilous pselaphines. Loeblibatrus is assigned to the supertribe Batrisitae: tribe Batrisini based on the presence of four short, thickened setae at the anterior margin of the labrum, a probable synapomorphy for the supertribe. Within Batrisini, L. yunnanus externally resembles members of the Oriental genera Batrisopsis Raffray and Ophelius Raffray, and, surprisingly, Batriscydmaenus tishechkini Parker and Owens from Central America, which is described in a companion paper. This similarity in general habitus may represent morphological convergence resulting from these beetles' shared symbiotic lifestyles with ants.