A new troglobitic Tychobythinus from Sicily (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Pselaphinae)

Abstract

A new species of a troglobitic Pselaphinae is described. Tychobythinus molarensis sp. n. has shown many adaptations to cave life: wingless and anophthalmous, very elongated legs and antennae. The new species differs from others related taxa in different arrangement of some characters of external morphology, especially the shape of profemora and protibiae of male, and for the peculiar morphology of aedeagus. The new species up to now is known only from Molara Cave, a single limestone cave of the north‐western Sicily. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Tychobythinus inopinatus, a new troglobitic species from Sicily (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Pselaphinae)

“…14 with Fig. 12 in Sabella et al 2019), and differences of the internal sac (cfr. Figs 14-15 with Fig.…”

“…Five species of Tychobythinus are known from Sicily. They include, in addition to the present new species: 1) T. glabratus (Rye, 1870), widely distributed in Western Europe, and reported in Sicily only from the Peloritani Mountains (Sabella 1998); 2) T. effeminatus Sabella, 1999, strictly endogean and endemic to Sicily, known only from Mount San Giuliano (Erice, Trapani); 3) T. molarensis Sabella, Grasso & Spena, 2012, a troglobitic species from Molara Cave (Palermo province); and 4) T. villasmundi , a troglobitic species endemic from Villasmundo Cave (Melilli, Syracuse province).…”

“…It shares affinities with Tychobythinus villasmundi Sabella, Amore, Nicolosi, 2019, however it differs from the latter in numerous characters: antennal scape more than 4 times longer than wide (less than 4 times longer than wide for T. villasmundi); last palpomere about 5 times longer than wide, with lateral margin distinctly curved and sinuate at middle (about 4 times longer than wide with lateral margin slightly curved and sinuate at middle for T. villasmundi), different shape of gular ridge of male (cfr. Figs 10-11 with Figs 8-9 in Sabella et al 2019), aedeagus with different apical morphology of the parameres, which are not narrowed in T. inopinatus sp. nov., and are distinctly narrowed in T. villasmundi (cfr.…”

“…Extensive field work over the last year allowed the discovery of a new troglobitic species of Pselaphinae, which is described here. The new species belongs to the genus Tychobythinus Ganglbauer, 1896, a large Holarctic genus of the tribe Bythinini, with 91 taxa (87 species and 4 subspecies) known from the Palaearctic region (Schülke & Smetana 2015;Sabella et al 2019), and five species from the Nearctic region (Chandler 1997;Newton et al 2001).…”

Subterranean Campodeidae fauna from Sicily (Diplura): its biogeographical interest with the description of a new species of Plusiocampa

“…The establishment of a protected area together with the presence of a rather narrow entrance tunnel, which prevents access to people without technical training, has favored a high degree of conservation of the cave. A long-term study is currently underway and the presence of other troglobitic species has been documented, including a new Pselaphinae (Sabella et al 2019). Although the cave remains well preserved, heavy grazing impacts occur in the surrounding areas.…”