Photinopygus chrysurus (Nordmann, 1837)

(Figs. 14, 71–77)

Staphylinus chrysurus Nordmann, 1837: 108 .

Xanthopygus chrysurus (Nordmann); Kraatz 1857: 539.

Photinopygus chrysurus (Nordmann); Chatzimanolis 2021: 91.

Type material. Lectotype, here designated, male, with labels: “5903” / “Type” / “Hist.-Coll. ( Coleoptera) Nr. 5903 Staphylinus chrysurus Nordm. Para, Sieber Zool. Mus. Berlin ” / “Syntype Philonthus chrysurus Nordmann 1837 labelled by MFNB 2019” / “Lectotype Philonthus chrysurus Nordmann des. Chatzimanolis 2020”. In the collection of MFNB.

Additional Materials. ARGENTINA: Entre Ríos: Paraná [-31.73°, -60.53°], Sharp coll. (1 ♁ NHMUK) ; BRAZIL: Espírito Santo: unknown locality (1 ♁ MFNB); Goiás: Jatai [-17.88°, -51.83°], ix–x.[18]97, Griveau coll. (1 ♁, 1 ♀ MHNG) ; Minas Gerais: Serra [do] Caraça [-20.16°, -43.50°], 1800 m, x.[1]961, Kloss, Lenko, Martins, Silva leg. (1 ♁ CNC) ; Sete Lagoas [-19.47°, -44.25°], Reinhardt leg. (3 ♁, 2 NHMD) ; Paraná: Guarapuava [-25.38°, -51.45°], xi.[19]59, H. Schneider leg. (1 ♁, 1 ♀ CNC) ; Rio de Janeiro: Nova Friburgo [-22.28°, -42.53°], Schaufuss coll. (1 ♁ MFNB) ; Rio de Janeiro [-22.91°, -43.20°], Squires leg., Sharp coll. (1 ♀ NHMUK); Rio Grande do Sul: Santa Cruz [do Sul] [-29.72°, -52.43°], Scheerpeltz coll. (1 ♁ NMW) ; unknown locality, Bierig coll., FMNHINS3975513 (1 ♀ FMNH); Santa Catarina: Hansa Humboldt [-26.43°,-49.24°] (1 ♀ MFNB) ; Nova Teutônia [Seara] [-27.25°, -50.33°], 1.xi.1938, F. Plaumann leg. (1 ♀ MFNB) ; same locality, F. Plaumann leg. (2 ♁ NMW); same locality, x.[19]72, under bark, F. Plaumann leg., Newton coll., FMNHINS3975567 (1 ♁ FMNH); same locality, 1.xi.1938, under bark, F. Plaumann leg., Bernhauer coll., FMNHINS3975869 (1 ♀ FMNH); same locality, ii.[19]41, F. Plaumann leg., Bierig coll., FMNH3975519, FMNH3975521 (2 ♀ FMNH); same locality, F. Plaumann leg., Bernhauer coll., FMNHINS3975868 (1 ♀ FMNH); São Paulo: São Paulo [-23.55°, -46.63°], J. Metz leg., Brancsik coll., FMNHINS3975543 (1 ♀ FMNH) ; PARAGUAY: Guairá: unknown locality, 300 m, 2.x.[19]51, C. Pfannel leg., Scheerpeltz coll. (1 ♁, 1 ♀ NMW); Itapúa: Hohenau [-27.08°, -55.65°], Scheerpeltz coll. (2 ♁ NMW) ; same locality, FMNHINS3975873 (1 ♀ FMNH) .

Diagnosis. Photinopygus chrysurus belongs in the narrow pronotum species group. Photinopygus chrysurus and P. akrodontis can be distinguished from all other Photinopygus species (except P. tepidus) by the shape of antennomere 5, which is quadrate or subquadrate (longer than wide in all other species). Photinopygus tepidus has antennomeres 4 and 5 quadrate, which distinguish it from P. akrodontis and P. chrysurus, where antennomere 4 is longer than wide. Photinopygus chrysurus can be distinguished from P. akrodontis by the shape of the aedeagus: in P. chrysurus, the paramere is much longer than the median lobe and the median lobe (in lateral view) has a subapical tooth; in P. akrodontis, the median lobe (in lateral view) has a characteristic apical tooth and the paramere is shorter than the median lobe.

Description. Forebody (Fig. 71) length 5.1–5.6 mm. Color of head, pronotum and mesoscutellum dark brown to black; antennae dark brown to black; legs dark brown to black; elytra metallic blue with green or purple overtones; abdomen dark brown to black except segment 7 with posterior 5/6 orange (or completely orange) and segment 8 orange. Antenna (Fig. 74) with antennomere 3 without tomentose pubescence; antennomere 4 with tomentose pubescence; antennomere 4 longer than wide; antennomeres 5–6 subquadrate; antennomeres 7–10 transverse. Head transverse; HW/HL ratio = 1.29–1.31. Left mandible with bicuspid tooth. Posterior margin of head slightly extended posteriad on each side of neck. Head with medium-sized punctures, distance between punctures as wide as 1–2 punctures. Pronotum (Fig. 73) subquadrate; PW/PL ratio = 0.94–1.06. Lateral margins of pronotum in dorsal view posteriad of midpoint strongly converging; pronotum with 3–4 sparse rows of punctures on each half beside median impunctate line; distance between punctures as wide as 1–2 punctures but large areas of pronotum without punctures. EL/PL ratio = 1.24–1.47. Elytra with dense punctation; distance between punctures as wide as 0.5–1 punctures. Metepisternum covered with punctures (impunctate area less than 1/3). Abdomen with tergites 3–4 setose; tergites 3–5 with curved carina (arch-like). In males, sternite 7 without porose structure, sternite 7 with shallow and broad emargination posteriorly; sternite 8 with small U-shaped emargination posteriorly (Fig. 72). Aedeagus as in Figs. 75–77; in dorsal view paramere converging to narrow rounded apex; paramere much longer than median lobe; paramere wider (apically) than median lobe; in lateral view paramere becoming narrower near tip; paramere with peg setae as in Fig. 77. Median lobe in dorsal view converging to narrow pointed tip; in lateral view median lobe becoming narrower; median lobe with subapical tooth.

Distribution. Known from the Chacoan and Paraná biogeographic dominions. Distributed in the province of Entre Ríos in Argentina, the states of Espírito Santo, Goiás, Minas Gerais, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and São Paulo in Brazil, and the departments of Guairá and Itapúa in Paraguay. Map is shown in Fig. 14.

Habitat. Collected in low to mid elevations (300–1800 m) under bark.