Vol. 37 No. 2, 1998

A New Species of the Genus Coprophilus Latreille, 1829 from the High Mountain Elevations in Taiwan, with Comments on Zonyptilus Motschulsky, 1845 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Oxytelinae)

Ales Smetana

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Research Branch, C.E.F., K.W. Neatby Bldg., Ottawa, ON K1A 0C6, Canada

Ales Smetana (1998) Coprophilus (Zonyptilus) difformis, a new species of the genus Coprophilus Latreille, 1829 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) from high mountain elevations in Taiwan, is described and illustrated. It is compared to C. formosanus Shibata 1993 (Coprophilus s.str.), the only other species of the genus occurring in Taiwan. The pronounced sexual dimorphism of C. difformis is briefly discussed. A key to determination of the two Taiwanese species of Coprophilus is given. Some nomenclatorial and orthographical problems concerning the name Zonyptilus are addressed. The name Zonyptilus, in its original orthography (not in the emended form Zonoptilus by Agassiz, 1846) is attributed to Motschulsky, 1845.

Key words: Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Coprophilus, Zonyptilus, Taxonomy.

*Correspondence: Tel: (613) 7591808. Fax: (613) 7591927. E-mail: smetanaa@em.agr.ca