Lissohypnus fullertoni Frank and Kelly, 2014

Frank, J. H., Kelly, S. L. & Almquist, D. T., 2014, Notes on Diochus Erichson, Lissohypnus Casey, and Oxybleptes Smetana (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) in Florida, including a description of a new species of Lissohypnus, Insecta Mundi 2014 (382), pp. 1-8 : 4-6

Lissohypnus fullertoni Frank and Kelly , new species.

Figures 2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d

In March 2014, SLK sent an unidentified xantholinine specimen suspected to be Neohypnus to JHF for identification. It proved to be a male Lissohypnus , but was not L. texanus . For further clarification of its systematic position especially in relation to the genera Xantholinus and Neohypnus , see Newton et al. (2001). Against the possibility that the specimen belongs to a West Indian species, JHF checked the key to West Indian ‘ Xantholinus ’ provided by Blackwelder (1943); the specimen keyed out to X. oakleyi Blackwelder , but did not at all match the description of the diminutive (2.5-4.5 mm) adults of that species known from Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. Against the possibility that the specimen belongs to a Mexican species, the original descriptions of all the four species of Lissohypnus reported in Mexico by Navarrete-Heredia et al. (2002) were read and found not to match the specimen. Although we have seen only this one specimen, we think it is distinct from the single U.S. species known to belong to Lissohypnus , and it is not a West Indian species known to Blackwelder (1943), nor a Mexican species known to Navarrete-Heredia et al. (2002) so we here describe it as a new species.

Description. Head piceous, pronotum castaneous, elytra, abdomen, maxillary palpi and legs paler to rufo-testaceous on apical 2/3 of elytra and first two visible segments of abdomen and 2 nd and 3 rd pairs of legs, antennae castaneous with antennomeres IV-X and base of XI infuscate. Head longer than wide (index 1.20), only slightly dilated posteriorly, posterior angles rounded; frontal groves moderately distinct and long, slightly curved medially in posterior half, ocular grooves absent; eyes small and almost flat, tempora much longer than length of eyes seen from above (index 2.2), punctation of head coarse and moderately dense laterally, punctures becoming sparser medially and gradually disappearing anteriorly; without impunctate median strip on posterior half of head; surface of head glossy, without microsculpture; gula short and narrow, sutures behind it contiguous. Antennae geniculate with first antennomere (scape) long and stout, widened toward apex, antennomeres II and III elongate, III slightly longer than II, outer antennomeres strongly transverse, apical antennomere about as long as preceding two combined, and acorn-shaped. Pronotum longer than wide (index 1.3), slightly narrowed posteriorly; dorsal rows each with 11-12 punctures; lateral rows each with 6 punctures; surface of pronotum without microsculpture. Elytra moderately long, at suture a little (index 0.80); at sides feebly (index 0.97) shorter than length of pronotum at midline; punctation rather coarse and moderately dense, irregular; surface without microsculpture. Macropterous. Abdomen with punctation fine and moderately dense, gradually becoming sparser medially; pubescence pale, moderately dense; base of each tergite narrowly covered with microsculpture of fine and dense meshes; rest of tergite with microsculpture of dense and extremely fine transverse waves. Tergite VIII ( Fig. 2b ) with no special modification. Genital segment of male ( Fig. 2c ) very similar to that of L. texanus as described by Smetana (1982) and thus probably a generic character as specified by him. Aedeagus ( Fig. 2d ) similar to that of L. texanus described by Smetana (1982) as a generic character, but differing in the following details: parameres long and narrow, curved laterally and curved distally dorsad; each paramere with a short and acutely pointed basal apophysis, curved distally dorsad; apical portion of median lobe blunt, but having an extension consisting of a split structure narrowed and curved dorsad; distal to the fovea is a sclerotized ridge in form of a letter E turned at 45 o (with short splines pointing basally); the internal sac with unsclerotized internal elongate spines. Slide-mounting of an aedeagus, perhaps with staining, might reveal the internal structures of the internal sac, but this was not attempted due to risk to the unique holotype (and at this stage in the description is not necessary because of the now obvious differences from the only known congener).

Male. Length 7.5 mm, described above.

Female. Yet unknown.

Holotype. Male in UCFC with collection no. UCFC 0 085 911. Label data: USA, FL, Brevard Co. Malabar, Malabar Rd. 23 Sept - 15 Oct. 2000 P.J. Russell, Z. Prusak, S.M. Fullerton / Malabar scrub sand Fire Unit 16 xeric oak scrub Malaise trap / UCFC 0 085 911/.

Distribution. Malabar, Brevard Co., Florida, USA.

Etymology. Named in honor of Stuart M. Fullerton, the founder and benefactor of the University of Central Florida Insect Collection (UCFC), who was one of the named collectors of the type specimen. Stuart departed this life on 5 April 2014.

Diagnostic note. The L. fullertoni adult differs from L. texanus in color, slenderer appearance, head less broadened basally ( Fig. 1 vs. 2), and aedeagal structure. The parameral apophyses are short, and acutely pointed, differing greatly from the slender, longer apophyses of L. texanus ; the parameres are distinctly longer than the median lobe, as contrasted with equal length in L. texanus . It agrees with Smetana’s generic diagnosis of Lissohypnus in that the distance between the ocular punctures ( Fig. 2a ) is no more than 2.5 times the distance from the inner margin of the eye ( Fig. 1a, 2a ), and in a similar complex structure of the aedeagus including a fovea in the distal part of the bulbus ( Fig. 2d ).

Figures

Figures 1-2. 1) Lissohypnus texanus, habitus of female, 8 mm long. 1a) head further magnified showing ocular punctures (arrowed). 2) Lissohypnus fullertoni, habitus of male holotype, 7.5 mm long, 2a) head further magnified showing ocular punctures (arrowed), 2b) tergite VIII, 2c) genital segment, dorsal side up, 2d) aedeagus (with fovea arrowed).