Dalotia pseudorphana (Cameron, 1933), 2025

Dalotia pseudorphana (Cameron, 1933) , comb. nov.

( Figs. 1C–D View FIGURE 1 , 2 View FIGURE 2 , 4–6 View FIGURE 4 View FIGURE 5 View FIGURE 6 )

Atheta (Acrotona) pseudorphana Cameron, 1933b: 216 View in CoL (original description; type locality: Kobe, Harada).

Taxicera pseudorphana View in CoL : Sawada, 1977: 214 (redescription); Newton, 2024 (catalogue).

Taxicera (Taxicera) pseudorphana View in CoL : Smetana, 2004: 419 (catalogue); Schülke & Smetana, 2015: 728 (catalogue); Maruyama & Kishimoto, 2013 (catalogue).

Type material. Holotype. Male, data on labels: “Kobe / Harad / 24.VI-12 / A. / pseudorphana / TYPE Cam. // Cameron / Bequest / B.M.1955-147 // Atheta / pseudorphana Cam. / P.M. Hammond / det. 1973 / HOLOTYPE ” ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 dissected by K. Sawada; deposited in the Natural History Museum, London).

Specimens examined. Two males, two females, and five unsexed, FPI (nest number K-9, Parus varius ), 13. VI.2023 ( SEHU) ; one male, one female, and four unsexed, TUS (nest number 22, Parus minor ), 4.VII.2023 ( SEHU) ; one female and one unsexed, TUS (nest number 64, Parus minor ), 19. VI .2023 ( KUM) .

Diagnosis. Dalotia pseudorphana comb. nov. differs from other species of Dalotia by the shape of male tergite VIII, and median lobe. From Dalotia coriaria , this species easily differs by the smaller body ( Figs 1C & D View FIGURE 1 ), truncated apical margin of male tergite VIII ( Fig. 3A View FIGURE 3 ), and vagina with spines ( Fig. 5D View FIGURE 5 ).

Redescription. Body subparallel-sided, flat ( Figs 1C & D View FIGURE 1 ).

Coloration. Head and abdomen black; antennomeres III–XI, pronotum, and elytra reddish brown; antennomeres I and II, legs, and mouth parts yellow.

Head. Capsule circular, weakly shining; infraorbital carina absent; eyes large, longer than temporal length.

Antennae. Antennomeres I–III elongate, II slightly shorter than I, III as long as II, IV–X transverse, XI oval, twice as long as width.

Mouth parts. Labrum transverse, with slightly emarginated apical margin, with 8 macrosetae on each side. Epipharynx with setaceous α-sensillum, with very small β and γ-sensillum. Mandibles triangular, slender, almost symmetrical; light mandible with tiny tooth. Maxilla: maxillary palpus elongate, palpomere I very small, segment II about three times longer than I, III slightly longer than II, segment IV thin, as long as III. Mentum trapezoidal, with slightly emarginate apical margin. Labium ( Fig. 6E View FIGURE 6 ): palpus with three palpomeres, chaetotaxy shown in Fig. 6F View FIGURE 6 ; prementum with narrow and smooth median area; ligula divided at apical half, with seta on each branch in ventral side; premental apodeme slender, as long as labial palpus.

Thorax. Pronotum oblong, wider than long, weakly shining; hypomera almost invisible in lateral view. Elytra longer than wide, densely covered with setae. Hind wing fully developed. Tarsal formula 4-5-5.

Abdomen strongly shining, sparsely covered with setae.

Male. Tergite VIII quadrate, with straight posterior margin, with 4+4 macrosetae ( Fig. 4A View FIGURE 4 ). Sternite VIII semicircular, with 8+6 macrosetae ( Fig. 4B View FIGURE 4 ). Tergites IX, X, and sternite X as shown in Figs. 5A & B View FIGURE 5 . Median lobe of aedeagus ( Figs. 6A–C View FIGURE 6 ): apical lobe simple, slender, as long as basal capsule; basal capsule oval; athetine bridge thin, incomplete; internal structure simple. Parameres of aedeagus broad with slender apical lobe ( Fig. 6D View FIGURE 6 ).

Female. Tergite VIII quadrate, with straight posterior margin, with 4+4 macrosetae ( Fig. 4C View FIGURE 4 ). Sternite VIII semicircular; marginal setae thick, 4 setae of center long ( Fig. 4D View FIGURE 4 ). Tergites IX, X, and sternite X shown in Figs. 5C & D View FIGURE 5 . Vagina weakly sclerotized, longer than wide, with about 40 spines on apical half ( Fig. 5D View FIGURE 5 ). Spermatheca ( Fig. 5E View FIGURE 5 ): head elongate, without umbilicus; stem short (about twice as long as spermathecal head), coiled once helically around base.

Measurements. BL, 1.70–2.14, FBL 0.96–1.28, HW 0.34–0.39, PW 0.47–0.49, PL 0.32–0.37, EW 0.54–0.60.

Distribution. Japan: Hokkaido (new record), Honshu.

Habitat. Bird nest materials ( Parus varius (Temminck & Schlegel, 1848) and Parus minor Temminck & Schlegel, 1848 ).

Remarks. The holotype is in poor condition (whole body soaked with KOH and body color changed ( Fig. 2A View FIGURE 2 ); mouth parts, abdominal segments VIII–X, and aedeagus were dissected and glued by the previous researcher ( Fig. 2B View FIGURE 2 )), so no further information is available. The identification was conducted based on illustrations and descriptions in Sawada (1977).

Only the holotype has been known for this species for nearly a hundred years. It is probably because this species is nidicolous and difficult to collect. As surveys progress, this species will be found in other East Asian areas. We could not find this species from nest materials of Agropsar philippensis (J. R. Forster, 1781) and Passer montanus (Linnaeus, 1758) , composed by plants matter, particularly grasses.

Based on the morphological characteristics, this species should belong to Dalotia , not Taxicera Mulsant & Rey, 1873 (see also Discussion).