Torobus laetipes ( Bernhauer, 1911 )

Chatzimanolis, Stylianos, 2018, A Review of the Genera Dysanellus Bernhauer and Torobus Herman (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae: Staphylinini), The Coleopterists Bulletin 72 (2), pp. 279-291 : 287-288

Torobus laetipes ( Bernhauer, 1911)

( Figs. 3 , 7 , 10 , 14 , 19–21 , 26 )

Trigonopselaphus laetipes Bernhauer 1911: 418 .

Torobus laetipes (Bernhauer) ; Herman 2001a: 29.

Type Material. Holotype, female with labels: “ Paraguay? Bang-Haas ” / “ laetipes Brh Typus” / “Chicago NHMus M. Bernhauer Collection”. In the collection of FMNH.

Additional Material. ARGENTINA: Jujuy: P. N. Calilegua, Sendero Tataupa , -23.7414 -64.8531, 11–12.iii.2011, M. Caterino & A. Tishechkin (1 female, CNC) ; Missiones: El Soberbio, 27.18S 54.13W, ii.1985, S. Bolle (1 female, FMNH) ; Tucumán: unknown locality (1 male, FMNH) . BRAZIL: Santa Catarina: Nova Teutonia , -27.1833 -52.3833, 300–500 m, ix.1950, F.Plaumann (2 males, CNC) ; same locality and collector except 21.i.1949 (1 male, CNC) ; same locality and collector except 15.iii.1948 (1 male, AMNH) ; same locality and collector except 13.iii.1952, SM0079876 (1 female, SEMC) ; same locality and collector except 16. i.1964, UTCI000014740 (1 male, UTCI) ; same locality and collector except 193x (1 female, FMNH) ; same locality, A. Moller, iii.1967 (1 female, NMW) ; S~ ao Paulo: Araras , 15.i.1981, M. M. Capuano, UTCI000003897 (1 male, UTCI) ; Ribeirao Preto , iii–vii.1899, Riedel (1 female, FMNH) ; Unknown state: unknown locality (1 female, SDEI) . PARAGUAY: Alto Paraná: Hohenau , 10.ix.1932, J. Jacob (1 male, NMW) ; same locality and collector except 26.xi.1928 (1 male, NMW) ; same locality and collector except 21.ii.1932 (1 male, NMW) ; same locality and collector, 1932 (1 male, BMNH) ; same locality and collector except unknown date (1 female, NMW) ; same locality, i.1955, unknown collector (1 female, FMNH) ; Asunción: Asunción, U. Dreschel , 20.ix1990, SM0079875 (1 female SEMC) ; Guairá: Villarica , Fr. Schade, x.1922 (1 female, NMW) ; unknown locality, C. Pfannel , 300m (1 male, NMW) ; Paraguar´ı: Sapucai , 190 m, -25.6667 -56.91676, 28.ix.1994, U. Dreschel, SM0648025 (1 female, SEMC) .

Diagnosis. Torobus laetipes is among the most easily recognizable species in Xanthopygina due to the different coloration of the head, pronotum, and elytra ( Fig. 3 ). Even if no coloration is taken into account, T. laetipes can be distinguished from T. purpurascens based on the shape of the head (head rounded in T. laetipes , rectangular in T. purpurascens ) and the shape of the aedeagus (paramere much wider in T. laetipes than in T. purpurascens ). A few rare specimens of T. laetipes that have the same color on the head and prothorax can be confused with Nausicotus castaneipennis Lynch. However , the two species can be easily distinguished from each other due to the lack of extensive pronotal punctuation on T. laetipes (at least two rows of large punctures on the pronotal disc of N. castaneipennis ) and the coloration of segment VIII (orange in T. laetipes , brown in N. castaneipennis ).

Description. Body length 13.2–17.9 mm. Coloration of head metallic green with yellow, orange, and red overtones; pronotum metallic dark bluegreen [in three specimens examined, coloration of head also metallic dark blue-green]; elytra and mouthparts orange; antennomeres 1–2 orange, 3–11 dark orange-brown; mesoscutellum and ventral surface of head brown; ventral surface of thorax orange except mesoventrite brown; legs orange except parts of pro- and metacoxae; abdomen brown except VIII orange. Head transverse, width:length ratio = 1.30, appearing rounded. Epicranium with dense polygonal microsculpture and micropunctures; few large to medium-sized punctures around margin of head and eyes and few other scattered medium-sized punctures anteriorly on epicranium. Clypeus not emarginate. Eyes medium-sized, length of eyes / length of head ratio = 0.46, distance between eyes as wide as 1.82 times length of eye. Neck with polygonal microsculpture and few micropunctures. Pronotum quadrate, width:length ratio = 1.03; surface of pronotum uniformly covered with dense polygonal microsculpture and micropunctures; appearing matte due to microsculpture. Pronotum without well-defined rows of punctures on disc; at most with 2–3 punctures near center; with few scattered medium-sized punctures near anterolateral margins; pronotal margin without thick area of micropunctures. Elytra appearing smooth and impunctate at low magnification due to shallow, sparse, medium-sized punctures (about 8–9 punctures / elytral width); distance between punctures 1–2 times width of puncture; elytra with rugose microsculpture. Abdominal terga III–IV with faint subbasal (arch-like) carina. Male secondary sexual structures ( Fig. 14 ) on sternum VII with broad, shallow emargination medially; porose structure present on sternum VII; sternum VIII with moderate U-shaped emargination medially; sternum IX with deep, V-shaped emargination medially. Female without obvious sexual structures. Aedeagus as in Figs. 19–21 ; in dorsal view, paramere wide, converging to rounded tip; paramere slightly shorter (or subequal) and narrower than median lobe; in lateral view, paramere straight, narrower apically; paramere with peg setae along lateral margins. Median lobe in dorsal view wide, converging to narrow rounded apex, with a large tooth apically; in lateral view, becoming much narrower near apex.

Distribution. Known from the provinces of Jujuy, Missiones, and Tucumán in Argentina, the states of Santa Catarina and S~ ao Paulo in Brazil, and the departments of Alto Paraná, Asunción, Guairá, and Paraguar´ı in Paraguay.

Figures

Figs. 3–4. Torobus species, habitus. 3) T. laetipes, total length = 17.2 mm; 4) T. purpurascens, total length = 18.3 mm.

Figs. 7–8. Heads and pronota of Torobus species. 7) T. laetipes; 8) T. purpurascens. Not to scale.

Figs. 9–10. Head, ventral view. 9. Dysanellus transverserugosus; 10) Torobus laetipes. Not to scale.

Figs. 13–15. Abdominal sterna VII and VIII. Arrows indicate the position of porose structure. 13) Dysanellus transverserugosus (While there is a broad area with no setae on VII, it is not clear if there is a porose structure. See text for more details); 14) Torobus laetipes; 15) Torobus purpurascens. Not to scale.

Figs. 19–21. Aedeagus of Torobus laetipes. 19) Dorsal view; 20) Lateral view; 21) Paramere, ventral view.

Fig. 26. Distribution map of Torobus laetipes and Torobus purpurascens.