Taxonomy of the genus Hesperus Fauvel (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Philonthina) from China

Seven new species of the genus Hesperus Fauvel 1874 from China are described and illustrated: H. beijingensis sp. n. from Beijing, Henan, Hubei, Anhui, Zhejiang, Fujian, Sichuan and Yunnan; H. hainanensis sp. n. from Hainan and Guangxi; H. emeishanus sp. n. and H. pulchellus sp. n. from Sichuan; H. coarcticollis sp. n. from Yunnan; H. gracilantennatus sp. n. from Tibet and H. elongatus sp. n. from Yunnan and Hainan. Hesperus amabilis (Kraatz 1859) from Sichuan and Yunnan, and H. susannekontrusae Schillhammer 2005 from Hainan are reported from China for the first time. In addition, H. amabilis is also reported from Afghanistan, Thailand and Laos for the first time. Hesperus feae Fauvel 1895 is placed in synonym with H. amabilis (Kraatz 1859). Thus, a total of 12 species of the genus Hesperus are known from China; and the world fauna of the genus is now increased to 219 species. A key to the Chinese species of the genus Hesperus is provided and species geographical distributions are discussed.