Procirrina Bernhauer and Schubert

Herman, Lee, 2010, Generic Revision Of The Procirrina (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae: Pinophilini), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2010 (347), pp. 1-78 : 7-9

Procirrina Bernhauer and Schubert

Procirrina Bernhauer and Schubert, 1912 .

— Arnett, 1963: 243, 267 (characters; genera of the United States). — Fagel, 1971: 11 (characters; revision of African species). — Blackwelder and Arnett, 1974: 48 (checklist; North America, Central America, West Indies). — Newton and Thayer, 1992: 62 (subtribe of Pinophilini ). — Newton et al., 2000: 328, 389 (characters; genera in North America; notes). — Navarrete-Heredia et al., 2002: 293 (characters; general notes; genera and species of Mexico). — Smetana, 2004: 623 (Palaearctic catalog).

Procirri Bernhauer and Schubert, 1912: 197 (genera included: Procirrus , Eucirrus , Oedodac- tylus, Palaminus , Oedichirus ). Type genus: Procirrus Latreille, 1829: 436 .

— Leng, 1920: 100 (North American catalog). — Blackwelder, 1944: 130 (checklist for Latin America). — Coiffait, 1978b: 323 (characters; genera and species of Palaearctic Region). — Newton and Thayer, 1992: 62 (type genus). — Outerelo and Gamarra, 1985: 20, 21 (characters; key to genera of Iberia Peninsula).

DIAGNOSIS: The Procirrina are separated from all other Paederinae except the Pinophilina by the enlarged, securiform (fig. 71) or fusiform (fig. 56) maxillary palpomere 4. The genera of the Procirrina have the first three (fig. 89) or four (figs. 59, 92) tarsomeres inflated and that character will separate them from the Pinophilina and all other genera of the subfamily. Abdominal segments IV to VII lack paratergites in the Procirrina (fig. 26). The tergum and sternum of each of segments IV to VI are fused and each segment is cylindrical in the Procirrina . In the Pinophilina segments IV to VI each have paratergites and the tergum and sternum of each segment are separated.

Other features that help define the Procirrina are the emargination of the posterior margin of the conjoined elytra (figs. 1, 3, 5) and the apically expanded metatibia (fig. 39), which has a comb on both sides of the apex. The procoxae are long and strongly exserted from the procoxal cavity. Finally, the mesospiracular peritremes are enlarged and fused medially, forming a large plate (figs. 17, 19, 54, 80) that is fused to the furcasternum and to the hypomeron, so the procoxal cavities are closed posteriorly.

DESCRIPTION: Head elongate (figs. 6, 7) to transverse (fig. 77). Neck not petiolate, nuchal constriction shallow to moderately deep. Occiput gradually expanded posteriorly, without longitudinal carinae. Gena not expanded laterally. Eyes without setae (figs. 10, 15); posterior margin rounded; posteroventral margin rounded to slightly flattened. Dorsal surface without carinae. Head without trichobothria. Antennomere 1 straight, not geniculate, and slightly shorter to slightly longer than antennomeres 2 and 3 combined. Mandibles with one denticle near middle (figs. 56, 98); prostheca present (figs. 56, 79, 98). Maxillary palpomeres 2 and 3 gradually expanded apically (figs. 57, 95); palpomere 4 enlarged, securiform (fig. 81, 95) to fusiform (fig. 57), compressed, pubescent, without transverse suture, and longer than palpomere 2 or 3. Labial palps three, segmented (figs. 13, 69, 83, 94). Ligular sclerite present (figs. 83, 94). Mentum (figs. 69, 83) transverse; surface without tumescence. Labrum not fused to frontoclypeal margin; anterior margin emarginate (figs. 55, 84); surface without median carina; denticles and lobes without spinelike setae.

Prothorax widest anteriorly. Pronotum without trichobothria; surface without carinae. Postprocoxal lobe without row of setae on ventral edge. Basisternum narrow anterior to coxae, without transverse carina, and with intercoxal carina. Furcasternum moderately long; apicolateral margin fused to mesospiracular peritreme (figs. 17, 19, 54); surface with median, intercoxal carina. Mesothoracic spiracular peritremes enlarged, strongly sclerotized, fused medially to one another, anteromedially to furcasternum, and laterally to hypomeron (figs. 17, 19). Procoxal cavity closed posteriorly by enlarged mesospiracular peritreme (figs. 70, 80). Elytral epipleural ridge absent; punctation uniform, not arranged in rows (figs. 11, 14); posterior margin of conjoined elytra emarginate (figs. 1, 3, 5). Mesosternal-metasternal suture present and poorly to moderately developed. Mesendosternite straight and slender. Metendosternite forked.

Procoxa elongate, nearly as long as femur, and strongly exserted from cavities. Profemur without comb of closely spaced setae on ventral edge; ventral edge with ridge or fissure near middle (figs. 36, 40). (Note: It may be that all procirrines have a slit or fissure, but because the slit is usually closed in dried specimens and because of the small size of the animals, the slit is difficult to see and the ridge may have a fissure.) Protibia with diagonally transverse combs on ventral surface (fig. 35); ctenidial depression feeble or absent. Protarsomeres 1–3 (fig. 89) or 1–4 (fig. 59) inflated; ventral surface of enlarged protarsomeres without setose pad, but with slits, setae, and processes (figs. 41–43, 45, 46); tarsomere 4 not expanded beneath 5 and apical margin entire, not bilobed (figs. 76, 89); tarsomere 5 of normal form, slender basally and expanded apically (figs. 59, 92). Mesotibia without spinelike setae. Metatibia expanded apically; spinelike setae absent along length; apex with comb on both sides (fig. 39); combs long and diagonally oriented. Mesotarsomeres and metatarsomeres 1–4 slender, not bulbous (fig. 50); mesotarsomere and metatarsomere 1 longer than others, as long as to longer than combination of tarsomeres 2 and 3, 2–4, or 2–5; tarsomeres 1–3 pubescent beneath, but without setose pad; tarsomere 4 extending beneath tarsomere 5, apical margin entire to feebly emarginate, dorsal surface deeply impressed medially (figs. 50, 51), and ventral surface with setose pad (figs. 48, 49); tarsomere 5 inserted at base of tarsomere 4 (fig. 51, arrow).

Abdominal segment III with or without paratergites; paratergal carina present in absence of paratergite (figs. 23, 26); tergum and sternum fused (fig. 23) or separated. Segments IV to VI without paratergites (fig. 26); tergum and sternum of each segment fused. Segment VII without paratergites; tergum and sternum separated or fused (fig. 33); palisade fringe of posterior margin absent (fig. 33). Segment VIII without paratergites and tergum and sternum separated. Sternum II (fig. 22) narrow, fused to III, and with midlongitudinal ridge; posterior margin with row of setae. Sternum III (figs. 22, 27) with median intercoxal carina; base with transverse ridge; surface with sublateral ridge extending posteriorly from transverse ridge (figs. 22, 27). Tergum IX fused medially (figs. 61, 65, 99, 103). Tergum X (figs. 73, 103) present and largely exposed, covered only slightly laterally and basally by tergum IX; fused to tergum IX in one genus (fig. 87).

DISCUSSION: This distinct, easily identified group has been segregated for only about 100 years. Initially nine genus-group names, five valid genera (including a homonym replaced later), one valid subgenus, and three synonyms were included in the Procirrina . After 1912 only five more names were added, a replacement name, two genera, and two subgenera. In the last 100 years the number of species has increased by more than four times and many more remain to be described. Few specimens of most species are known. The habitat of the group is poorly known, but most species are probably collected from leaf litter and ground debris and some are found in bushes and trees.