Review of Cephennomicrus and Pomphopsilla of the Seychelles (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae)

Abstract

All species of the cephenniine genus Cephennomicrus known to occur in the Seychelles were described by Scott (as Neseuthia) nearly a century ago. The descriptions were based on external characters, which does not allow for species identification. All the species are redescribed here: C. cordithorax, C. cornutus, C. minor, C. perexiguus, C. politus and C. typicus. Cephennomicrus crenatus is transferred to another genus, resulting in Pomphopsilla crenata comb. n. Lectotypes are designated for Neseuthia minor, N. perexigua and N. crenata. A new species group within Cephennomicrus is proposed to accommodate all species treated here, which share, among other characters, a long flagellum with a broad proximal portion, very short setae on the pronotum and elytra, five pronotal antebasal pits, a transverse groove connecting three of them, and unique modifications of the head in males.