Epirotyphlus dusicae Hlaváč, Janák & Baňař, 2025

Epirotyphlus dusicae Hlaváč, Janák & Baňař , sp. nov.

Figs 25–54 View FIGURES 25–33 View FIGURES 34–42 View FIGURES 43–48 View FIGURES 49–54 , 85 View FIGURE 85

Material studied. Holotype, ♂: MONTENEGRO with one label “MONTENEGRO SW013, Đurovići / 42°11’56’’N, 18°58’44’’E / 60 m, 23.III.2024, soil / washing near oak tree, P. Baňař lgt” [white, printed] ( MMBC) GoogleMaps . Paratypes: 7♂, 7♀, same data as holotype: (3♂, 4♀ in MMBC, GoogleMaps 4♂, 3♀ in JJRC) GoogleMaps . 4♂, 5♀: “MONTENEGRO SW009, Đurovići , 2.v.2023, 42°11‘56‘‘N, 18°58‘44‘‘E, 60 m, soil washing near oak tree, P. Baňař & P.Hlaváč lgt.” [white, printed] ( BMNH, MMBC, JJRC) GoogleMaps . 1♂: MONTENEGRO SW002, Rumija, road from Bar → Mikulići , 30.iv.2023, 42°07‘01‘‘N, 19°09‘35‘‘E, 675 m, soil washing near oak tree, P. Baňař lgt.” [white, printed] ( MMBC). GoogleMaps 5♀: MONTENEGRO SW010, Rumija, road from Bar → Mikulići, 21.iii.2024, 42°07‘01‘‘N, 19°09‘35‘‘E, 674 m, soil washing near Carpinus tree, P. Baňař lgt.” [white, printed] ( MMBC) GoogleMaps . 2♂, 2♀, “MONTENEGRO SW014, Đurovići / 42°11‘55‘‘N, 18°58‘46‘‘E / 58 m, 23.III.2024, soil / washing close stream, P. Baňař lgt” [white, printed] ( MMBC) GoogleMaps . 1♂, 2♀: “MONTENEGRO SW006, Đurovići , 2.v.2023, 42°11‘57‘‘N, 18°58‘49‘‘E, 70 m, soil washing near olive tree, P. Baňař lgt.” [white, printed] ( MMBC) GoogleMaps . 2♀: MONTENEGRO SW007, near Blizikuće , near petrol station, 29.iv.2023, soil washing near Juniperus tree, P. Baňař & P. Hlaváč lgt. [white, printed]” ( MMBC) .

Diagnosis. Head longer than wide ( Fig. 28 View FIGURES 25–33 ), longer than pronotum; maxillary palpi with palpomeres 2 and 3 dilated, 3 larger than 2 ( Fig. 29 View FIGURES 25–33 , 45 View FIGURES 43–48 ); ligula indistinct ( Fig. 44 View FIGURES 43–48 ); mandibles falciform ( Fig. 45 View FIGURES 43–48 ); labrum dentate ( Fig. 30 View FIGURES 25–33 ); gular suture confluent anteriorly in about midlength of head capsule ( Fig. 31 View FIGURES 25–33 ). Antennae with 11 antennomeres, antennal club composed of 5 antennomeres, with sensorial appendages which are inserted on lower part and oriented towards upper part of antennomere, antennomeres 3–10 strongly transverse ( Figs 32 View FIGURES 25–33 , 49 View FIGURES 49–54 ). Elytra tetragonal, dilated posteriad ( Fig. 33 View FIGURES 25–33 ), shorter than pronotum. Procoxal cavities ( Figs 34 View FIGURES 34–42 , 50) rounded on anterior margin, lacking excision, prosternum and proepisternum fused.Abdominal sternites lacking deep, transversal sulcus, visible sternite 2–5 with shallow basal impression ( Figs 27 View FIGURES 25–33 , 46 View FIGURES 43–48 ). Tarsal formula 3-3-3, tarsomere 1 minuscule, 2 slightly longer, 3 longest, clearly longer than 1 and 2 combined ( Figs 38–40 View FIGURES 34–42 , 52). Aedeagus elongate, slender and nearly symmetrical ( Fig. 41, 42 View FIGURES 34–42 ); lacking parameres, lateral protrusions of median lobe long ( Fig. 42d View FIGURES 34–42 , arrows). Terminal abdominal segments of female ( Fig. 37 View FIGURES 34–42 ) with one paired longitudinal sclerite.

Description. Body ( Figs 25, 26 View FIGURES 25–33 , 46, 48 View FIGURES 43–48 ) depigmented, most part of surface shagreened ( Figs 43, 47 View FIGURES 43–48 , 54 View FIGURES 49–54 ), body length about 0.95 mm.

Head capsule ( Fig. 28 View FIGURES 25–33 , 43 View FIGURES 43–48 ) wider than long, about 1.2 times as wide as long, shorter than pronotum; maxillary palpi ( Fig. 29 View FIGURES 25–33 , 45 View FIGURES 43–48 ) with palpomeres 2 and 3 dilated, 3 larger than 2; ligula indistinct ( Fig. 29 View FIGURES 25–33 , 44 View FIGURES 43–48 ); mandibles falciform ( Fig. 45 View FIGURES 43–48 ); labrum dentate ( Fig. 30 View FIGURES 25–33 ); gular suture confluent anteriorly behind midlength of head capsule, after meeting point again separated to two divergent arms ( Fig. 31 View FIGURES 25–33 ).

Antennae ( Fig. 32 View FIGURES 25–33 , 49 View FIGURES 49–54 ) with 11 antennomeres, scape bulbous, larger than pedicel, pedicel dilated distad, distally truncate, antennomeres 3–10 strongly transverse, antennomere 5 larger than 4 and 6, antennal club composed of 5 antennomeres, with sensorial appendages which are inserted on lower part and oriented towards upper part of antennomere.

Pronotum ( Fig. 33 View FIGURES 25–33 , 43 View FIGURES 43–48 ) wider than long, convergent posteriad.

Elytra ( Fig. 33 View FIGURES 25–33 , 47 View FIGURES 43–48 , el) tetragonal, dilated posteriad, shorter than pronotum, external posterior angles rounded, internal ones right-angled.

Venter, procoxal cavities ( Fig. 34 View FIGURES 34–42 , 50) rounded on anterior margin, anterior margin with inconspicuous excision (50, arrow), lacking suture separating proepisternum from prosternum, lateral portions of prosternum shagreened, medium portion smooth.

Abdominal sternites ( Fig 27 View FIGURES 25–33 , 46, 48 View FIGURES 43–48 ) lacking deep, transversal sulcus, visible sternite 2–6 with shallow basal impression ( Fig. 27 View FIGURES 25–33 ).

Legs ( Figs 38–40 View FIGURES 34–42 , 52, 53) short, all tibiae dilated distad, tarsal formula 3-3-3, tarsomere about half of length of 3, tarsomere 2 shortest, about 3 times shorter than 1.

Aedeagus ( Figs 41, 42 View FIGURES 34–42 ) about 0.17 mm long, median lobe with long lateral protrusions ( Fig. 42d View FIGURES 34–42 , arrows).

Terminal abdominal segments of female ( Fig. 37 View FIGURES 34–42 ) with one paired longitudinal sclerite.

Etymology. Named after our friend Dušica Šoljaga, owner of a beautiful house which is a base of our expeditions to the coastal part of Montenegro.

Natural History. The majority of specimens (holotype and 27 paratypes) of newly described species was collected by the soil washing of a sample taken near and around a solitary oak ( Fig. 85 View FIGURE 85 ) on the border of terrace garden together with Ubychia ganglbaueri (Reitter, 1912) and an undesribed species of Cephennium and Tychobythinus in May 2023 and March 2024. Several specimens were collected in Rumija Mts. in about 675 m a.s.l. and two females also in coastal Mediterranean forest under junipers tree near Blizikuće village.

Distribution. Montenegro.