Scraping the surface of a hyperdiverse group-new genera and species of Ecuadorian Pselaphinae (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae), with an emphasis on the cloud forest fauna

Based on existing collections and new field collections, 339 new species and 18 new genera of Pselaphinae are described from Ecuador. The majority of these taxa originate from cloud forest sites in Pichincha, Tungurahua, Carchi, Cotopaxi, and Napo Provinces. A smaller proportion are from coastal forests (Guayas, Manabí, Santa Elena, and Esmeraldas Provinces), as well as Amazonian lowlands (Sucumbíos, Orellana, Pastaza, and Napo Provinces) and Páramo sites at high elevations (Carchí, Pichincha, Imbabura, Cotopaxi, Chimborazo, Cañar, and Azuay Provinces).

Most species are known from single sites, with only a small number spanning multiple sites, suggesting a highly diverse fauna characterized by high local endemicity. The following 339 species are described as spp. nov.: BATRISINI: 41 species of Arthmius LeConte (A. orientalis, A. cruciatus, A. rikchak, A. imitator, A. recaldeorum, A. menguali, A. calcaratus, A. awki, A. festivus, A. galeatus, A. penicillus, A. politus, A. smithae, A. atillo, A. igneus, A. aculeus, A. turgidus, A. canandensis, A. villamarini, A. mindoensis, A. tungurahua, A. pachamama, A. francoi, A. minor, A. dolens, A. condor, A. montanus, A. papyrus, A. cuyabeno, A. orbis, A. aries, A. anzus, A. sumak, A. pazminoi, A. rex, A. intricatus, A. insectus, A. tigrillo, A. discors, A. cervoides, A. amazonus), Iteticus oculatus, two species of Oxarthrius Reitter (O. formicatus, O. tiputinus), five species of Syrbatus Reitter (S. cununero, S. chelatus, S. spicatus, S. triceratops, S. yarinae), Syrmocerus swingi; CLAVIGERINI: four species of Fustiger LeConte (F. bucina, F. canistrum, F. chuku, F. tullu); BYTHINOPLECTINI: ten species of Besucheteidos Comellini (B. alternans, B. sofiae, B. ecominga, B. egens, B. perpolita, B. kapya, B. otonga, B. shina, B. simbanai, B. dilatata), five species of Hendecameros Comellini (H. cabezon, H. ceiba, H. grandis, H. tenuis, H. tumes); DIMERINI: seven species of Barroeuplectoides Park (B. cujigualpai, B. donaritae, B. dracula, B. micros, B. obliquus, B. pululahuae, B. pyramicus), two species of Tuberoplectus Park (T. conjugator, T. licens); EUPLECTINI: Euplectamecia suffusa; JUBINI: six species of Arctophysis (A. lanigera, A. marginata, A. nebulosa, A. orellanae, A. rara, A. sumaco), three species of Barrojuba Park (B. penicillata, B. solea, B. tetricum), three species of Endytocera Sharp (E. conjectrix, E. rostrata, E. serrata), 72 species of Jubus Schaufuss (J. placero, J. basantesi, J. pichinchae, J. fuscus, J. mashi, J. pinzai, J. intrepidus, J. paku, J. indiscretus, J. pusillus, J. cribratus, J. digitatus, J. tishechkini, J. dentiventer, J. acuminatus, J. pseudacuminatus, J. telus, J. katsu, J. perplexus, J. effertus, J. pectineus, J. effeminatus, J. gyrus, J. excavatus, J. diazi, J. mutabilis, J. cavus, J. piscator, J. stipulatus, J. reptans, J. tetrad, J. clavus, J. vortex, J. cochleatus, J. arquus, J. sextus, J. parallelus, J. kiru, J. triticius, J. humboldti, J. monilicornis, J. triangularis, J. marissae, J. amplexus, J. sulcatus, J. culebrillas, J. cusicayo, J. ataorupagui, J. chongon, J. depressus, J. lunaris, J. limaorum, J. pendulus, J. tibiodentatus, J. spiralis, J. iactus, J. fraternus, J. denticulatus, J. risus, J. vulgus, J. pradoi, J. specus, J. kutsi, J. ruku, J. superbus, J. sebagoides, J. lyriformis, J. compactus, J. vipereus, J. cinctus, J. tamizado, J. tumidus), four species of Phamisus Aubé (P. angelicus, P. beatus, P. cataracta, P. hatunpaku), 19 species of Sebaga Raffray (S. colunca, S. sapan, S. nocturna, S. agilis, S. bifoveata, S. scurra, S. calcis, S. ampla, S. prodigiosa, S. pulga, S. alpina, S. cirrata, S. simia, S. karu, S. rumipamba, S. laxa, S. ukupacha, S. diffusa, S. renata); METOPIASINI: Rhinoscepsis diabolicus; TRICHONYCHINI: Biblomelba umbracula, five species of Chakanamecia gen. nov.

(C. daga [the type species], C. micra, C. mora, C. panoptes, C. pichan), Thesiastes stellata, three species of Thesium Casey (T. apicale, T. crenulatum, T. magnaclavus), three species of Verabarolus Park (V. obcasus, V. puyu, V. scabrifrons), Cupiloides joniceus gen. and sp. nov., two species of Dalmosanus Park (D. carinatus, D. myops), Melba tabugae, three species of Pachamelba gen. nov. (P. otongachi, P. subtilis, P. yanayacu [type species]), Trimiopsis peragena, Meandrophilus petrus gen. and sp. nov., Placamecia virgenensis gen. and sp. nov.; TROGASTRINI: three species of Rhexius LeConte (R. acutigens, R. collaris, R. micros), nine species of Eurhexius Sharp (E. profundus, E. pilosus, E. cavipygus, E. dentipes, E. mirapygus, E. sol, E. excavatus, E. unguifer, E. napoensis), five species of Kapyatrog gen. nov.

(K. chevere [type species], K. hirsutus, K. mayu, K. pichi, K. saladero), five species of Rhexinia LeConte (R. laloloori, R. seca, R. purun, R. asperata, R. spinipes), six species of Xerhius Raffray (X. blanco, X. confundens, X. crucifer, X. flordelis, X. multidentatus, X. undulatus), two species of Allparhexius gen. nov. (A. barbatus [type species], A. cuspidatus), two species of Mukirhexius gen. nov. (M. furtivus, M. microps [type species]), seven species of Tinkuna gen. nov.

(T. andina, T. borea, T. geniculata, T. gracilis [type species], T. inquisitor, T. jarrini, T. josti); EUPLECTITAE, INCERTAE SEDIS: Formivagus bullatus gen. and sp. nov., Kunkashka sumaco gen. and sp. nov.; BRACHYGLUTINI: 19 species of Euphalepsus Reitter (E. arguelloi, E. globosus, E. tactus, E. disobediens, E. foedus, E. gemellus, E. inclani, E. lopezi, E. obediens, E. sinchi, E. supercilius, E. syrbatoides, E. tuberculigens, E. vibrissus, E. abrazero, E. bidens, E. gigas, E. illuminatus, E. yunkaruna), four species of Nanocephalus gen. nov.

(N. chinchin [type species], N. macrops, N. tenuis, N. timens), 15 species of Globa Raffray (G. angulipes, G. armada, G. ascia, G. dientita, G. falx, G. herniata, G. inflexa, G. mola, G. nauta, G. orbifer, G. pantex, G. pernix, G. pustulifer, G. vex, G. wira), two species of Muyu gen. nov. (M. huambulae [type species], M. merae), three species of Pelota gen. nov. (P. astada [type species], P. monocera, P. riparia), five species of Reichenbachia Jeannel (R. anka, R. anxia, R. cosangae, R. garciae, R. atricornis), two species of Scalenarthrus LeConte (S. calix, S. umina), Decarthron varita, three species of Eupsenius LeConte (E. crassus, E. deflexus, E. quil), Eupsenina guayasensis, five species of Tumbaga gen. nov.

(T. chiruisla, T. esmeralda, T. guandera, T. montana [type species], T. ukumari); INIOCYPHINI: Batriphysis constrictus, Batrisobryaxis bipox, Dalmoburis amator, Dalmonexus bellator, two species of Trimicerus Motschulsky (T. fenestratus, T. horarius); PROTERINI: three species of Harmomima Raffray (H. glabra, H. prominens, H. sulcata), two species of Nunkui gen. nov. (N. lineata [type species], N. parallela); GONIACERITAE, INCERTAE SEDIS: four species of Ayapuna gen. nov.

(A. advector, A. goaltalensis, A. sculptilis, A. tunda [type species]), two species of Zhapra gen. nov. (Z. candelaria, Z. maldonadae [type species]); TYRINI: Cercoceropsis pacifica, Circocerus kuru, six species of Hamotus Aubé (H. asymmetricus, H. auritus, H. cactus, H. horrens, H. obliquus, H. manabensis), and three species of Ephimia Reitter (E. arcifer, E. confusa, E. hanak).