Lithocharodes montanus, Irmler, 2024

Irmler, Ulrich, 2024, Additions to Neotropical species of the genera Lithocharodes Sharp, 1881 and Somoleptus Sharp, 1881 (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae), Contributions to Entomology 74 (1), pp. 13-34 : 13

Lithocharodes montanus sp. nov.

Figs 8a-d , 20B

Material examined.

Holotype: ECUADOR male; Pichincha; Maquepucuna Biological Station ; 0°5'34"N, 78°37'37"W; 1600 m elevation; ridgetop montane forest litter; mixed Cecropia /cloud forest; 29 Oct 1999; R, Anderson leg.; KNHM ECU1A99 214B.

Paratypes: ECUADOR 2 females; same data as holotype KNHM ECU1A99 214B ; 1 male; Pichincha; Maquepucuna Biological Station; Principal Trail ; 0°7'22"N, 78°39'0"W; 1275 m elevation; flight intercept trap; 27-29 Oct 1999; Z.H. Falin leg; KNHM ECU1F00 048 ; 1 female, same location but; 0°7'0"N, 78°38'6"W; 1200 m elevation; montane evergreen forest litter; 27 Oct 1999; R. Anderson leg.; KNHM ECU1A99 208D ; 1 female; same data; UIC ECU1A99 208D ; 1 female, same location but; 0°5'34"N, 78°37'37"W; 1620 m elevation; ridgetop montane forest litter; 29 Oct 1999; R. Anderson leg.; KNHM ECU1A99 213E , 2 females; same location but; 0°6'25"N, 78°37'18"W; montane evergreen forest litter; 1480 m elevation; 27 Oct 1999; R. Anderson leg.; KNHM ECU1A99 209A ; 1 female; same location but; 50 km NW Quito ; 1300 m elevation; banana duff; berlesate; 23 Dec 1991; C. Carlton, R. Leschen leg.; KNHM #72 (KNHM) ; 1 female; Esmeraldas; Bilsa ; 0°20'0"S, 79°43'0"W; flight intercept trap; 5 Jun-7 Jul1996; P. Hibbs leg.; KNHM ECU1H96 014 ; 1 female; same location but; 28 Apr-10 May 1996; P. Hibbs leg.; KNHM ECU1H 015 .

Diagnosis.

The structure of the aedeagus characterises L. montanus as a member of the L. simillima -group by the elongate endophallus with lobes. It differs from the other species of the group by the elongate head with short eyes. Eyes are less than one fifth as wide as postocular space. The other species of the group have mostly a triangular head with distinctly larger eyes. Lithocharodes somoleptoides Irmler, 2021 has a similar shape of the head, but the endophallus has distinct torsions, which are absent in L. montanus .

Description.

Length: 6.0 mm; Colouration: completely blackish; legs and antennae yellow brown.

Head: 1.02 mm long, 0.78 mm wide; eyes short; PS:E ratio nearly 5.2; postocular sides parallel; without postocular angles; posterior part rounded; nearly semi-circular; inter-antennal furrows indistinct; indistinct depression between eyes; setiferous punctation moderately deep and dense; on average, interstices between punctures 1-1.5 times as wide as diameter of punctures; surface without microsculpture; polished; antennae with first antennomere elongate; half as long as head; second and third antennomere triangular; longer than wide; combined longer than half-length of first antennomere; following antennomeres transverse; on average, twice as wide as long; width increasing to apex. Pronotum: 1.21 mm long, 0.72 mm wide; sides parallel; anterior and posterior part nearly semi-circular; without distinct angles; setiferous punctation deep and dense; on average, interstices between punctures less wide than diameter of punctures; wide mid-line impunctate. Elytra: 1.22 mm long, 0.98 mm wide; humeral angles obtuse; posteriorly, sides slightly divergent; posterior margin retreated to suture; setiferous punctation deep and dense, but slightly finer and sparser than on pronotum; on average, interstices between punctures as wide as to slightly less wide as diameter of punctures; surface without microsculpture; polished. Abdomen finely and sparsely punctate; surface without microsculpture; polished; sternite VII of male with posterior margin sinuate with distinct prominent centre; posterior margin of tergite VII of male less sinuate as sternite; meso-tibia with 4, meta-tibia with 3 ctenidia. Aedeagus oval with sub-rectangular anterior margin; dorsal plate nearly total covering central lobe; endophallus elongate with one basal and one apical torsion; covered by short lobes in central part, teeth-like structures in basal part and smaller lobes in apical part; paramere lunulate; on inner edge with long setae at base and shorter setae near apex.

Etymology.

The species name is derived from the Latin word mons and refers to the high montane area, where it was collected in Ecuador.

Geography.

Western Ecuador.

Ecology.

Floor of montane and cloud forests or similar agricultural systems between 1300 and 1600 m elevation from October to May.

Figures

Figure 20. A. Fore-body of Lithocharodes lituratus; B. L. montanus; C. L. parallelus; D. L. zamorae; E. Somoleptus alajuelae; F. S. curtioculatus. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figures 5 - 8. 5. Lithocharodes hansoni; 6. L. hibbsi; 7. L. lituratus; 8. L. montanus. a. Aedeagus; b. Paramere; c. Sternite VII; d. Tergite VII. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (a, c, d); 0.1 mm (b).