Atheta iheringi Bernhauer, 1908

Gusarov, Vladimir I., 2003, A revision of the Nearctic species of the genus Stethusa Casey, 1910 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Zootaxa 239, pp. 1-43 : 38-40

Atheta iheringi Bernhauer, 1908

( Figs. 101­109 )

Atheta (s. str.) Iheringi Bernhauer, 1908 : 361.

Atheta (Hypatheta) Iheringi : Fenyes, 1920: 208 (as valid species).

Atheta (Hypatheta) Iheringi : Bernhauer & Scheerpeltz, 1926: 653 (as valid species). Atheta iheringi: Blackwelder, 1944: 160 (as valid species).

Type material. Lectotype of Atheta iheringi (here designated): ɗ, " Brasil. S. Paulo, Dr. Ihering", " Iheringi Brh. Typus " (yellow label), "8528", "Chicago NHMus. M.Bernhauer Collection" ( FMNH). Paralectotype: Ψ, " Iheringi Bh. Bras.[il] S. Paulo. Barbiellini lg. det. Bernh.", " Iheringi Brh. Cotypus" (yellow label), "Chicago NHMus M.Bernhauer Collection" ( FMNH).

Diagnosis. Atheta iheringi can be recognized by the following combination of characters: brown body with brownish yellow elytra, legs and two basal antennal segments; antennal article 4 transverse, almost twice as short as article 5, articles 5­6 slightly elongate, 7­8 subquadrate, 9­10 slightly transverse, last article longer than 9 and 10 combined; infraorbital carina complete; eye length to temple length ratio 2.5­3.5; pronotum transverse, 1.3­1.4 times as wide as long; pronotal setation of type II ( Benick & Lohse 1974); macrosetae on pronotum, elytra and mesotibia long; posterior margin of male tergum 8 with two blunt medial projections and two lateral denticles (101, 103); and by the distinct shape of the aedeagus ( Figs. 106­108 ) and the spermatheca ( Fig. 109 ). Body length 3.4 mm, pronotal width 0.66­0.70 mm.

Discussion. Because Atheta iheringi together with many species of Stethusa was considered to be a member of the subgenus Hypatheta by Fenyes (1920) and Bernhauer and Scheerpeltz (1926), I examined the types of At. iheringi to determine whether this species is in fact a member of Stethusa . In both examined types of At. iheringi pronotal pubescence is disturbed, but in the lectotype the pubescence seems to be preserved along the anterior 1/3 of the midline where it is directed posteriorly. Therefore, At. iheringi differs from Stethusa in the pronotal pubescence pattern, in the shape of the spermatheca and the aedeagus, including the structure of the internal sac. I place this species in Atheta pending further revision of that genus.

Distribution. Atheta iheringi is known from Brasil.

Natural History. No information is available.

Figures

FIGURES 101 ­ 105. Abdominal segment 8 of Atheta iheringi Bernhauer (lectotype, male (101 ­ 103); and female paralectotype (104 ­ 105 )). 101 – male tergum 8; 102 – male sternum 8; 103 – apex of male tergum 8; 104 – female tergum 8; 105 – female sternum 8. Scale bar 0.4 mm (101 ­ 102, 104 ­ 105), 0.2 mm (103).

FIGURES 106 ­ 109. Aedeagus and spermatheca of Atheta iheringi Bernhauer (lectotype, male (106 ­ 108); and female paralectotype (109 )). 106 – median lobe, parameral view; 107 – median lobe, lateral view; 108 – apex of median lobe, lateral view; 109 – spermatheca. Scale bar 0.1 mm (108), 0.2 mm (106 ­ 107, 109).