MYRMECOPHILOUS PSELAPHINAE (COLEOPTERA: STAPHYLINIDAE) FROM NEW ZEALAND

Apart from one species of lucanid, myrmecophily of beetles has been poorly documented in New Zealand, where there are 11 species of endemic ants. We record Pselaphinae from ants of the genera Austroponera Schmidt and Shattuck, Huberia Forel, and Prolasius Forel consisting of true inquilines for Euplectitae and possibly accidental associations for Faronitae and Goniaceritae. We redescribe Kenocoelus Broun and Neosampa Broun ( type species: N. granulata Broun) and newly describe four genera and seven species in Trichonychini as follows: Panaphantina: Kenocoelus ( type species: K. dimorphus Broun; K. johni Nomura and Leschen new species and K. mikonuiensis Nomura and Leschen new species), Myrmecoplectus Nomura and Leschen new genus ( type species: M. wellingtonicus Nomura and Leschen new species; M. attenuatus Nomura and Leschen new species), Parkerola Nomura and Leschen new genus ( type species: Parkerola gigantea ( Broun) new combination), Zeadalmodes Nomura and Leschen new genus ( type species: Z. myrmecophilus Nomura and Leschen new species; Z. brevis Nomura and Leschen new species); Trogastrini: Zeasampa Nomura and Leschen new genus ( type species: Zeasampa nunni Nomura and Leschen new species). Lectotypes are designated for K. dimorphus Broun and N. granulata Broun. The Australian genus Plectostenus Lea and Kenocoelus are likely sister taxa and are found with ponerine ants. The nature of ant associations, morphological features, and origin of beetle/ host ant associations are discussed.