Seeversiella Ashe, 1986

Gusarov, Vladimir I., 2003, A revision of the genus Seeversiella Ashe, 1986 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Zootaxa 142, pp. 1-102 : 3-9

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.156420

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6274632

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/62088784-C32C-C778-E12E-7298FAA6F91D

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Seeversiella Ashe, 1986
status

 

Seeversiella Ashe, 1986 View in CoL ( Figs. 1­384 View FIGURES 1 ­ 5 View FIGURES 6 ­ 9 View FIGURES 10 ­ 16 View FIGURES 17 ­ 19 View FIGURES 20 ­ 23 View FIGURES 24 ­ 27 View FIGURES 28 ­ 36 View FIGURES 37 ­ 40 View FIGURES 41 ­ 44 View FIGURES 45 ­ 53 View FIGURES 54 ­ 57 View FIGURES 58 ­ 67 View FIGURES 68 ­ 71 View FIGURES 72 ­ 78 View FIGURES 79 ­ 82 View FIGURES 83 ­ 89 View FIGURES 90 ­ 93 View FIGURES 94 ­ 104 View FIGURES 105 ­ 108 View FIGURES 109 ­ 116 View FIGURES 117 ­ 125 View FIGURES 126 ­ 134 View FIGURES 135 ­ 138 View FIGURES 139 ­ 142 View FIGURES 143 ­ 149 View FIGURES 150 ­ 153 View FIGURES 154 ­ 160 View FIGURES 161 ­ 164 View FIGURES 165 ­ 168 View FIGURES 169 ­ 174 View FIGURES 175 ­ 178 View FIGURES 179 ­ 189 View FIGURES 190 ­ 193 View FIGURES 194 ­ 198 View FIGURES 199 ­ 207 View FIGURES 208 ­ 211 View FIGURES 212 ­ 221 View FIGURES 222 ­ 225 View FIGURES 226 ­ 229 View FIGURES 230 ­ 234 View FIGURES 235 ­ 238 View FIGURES 239 ­ 246 View FIGURES 247 ­ 250 View FIGURES 251 ­ 255 View FIGURES 256 ­ 264 View FIGURES 265 ­ 268 View FIGURES 269 ­ 277 View FIGURES 278 ­ 281 View FIGURES 282 ­ 285 View FIGURES 286 ­ 290 View FIGURES 291 ­ 294 View FIGURES 295 ­ 298 View FIGURES 299 ­ 306 View FIGURES 307 ­ 310 View FIGURES 311 ­ 320 View FIGURES 321 ­ 324 View FIGURES 325 ­ 330 View FIGURES 331 ­ 334 View FIGURES 335 ­ 343 View FIGURES 344 ­ 347 View FIGURES 348 ­ 355 View FIGURES 356 ­ 358 View FIGURES 359 ­ 362 View FIGURES 363 ­ 371 View FIGURES 372 ­ 375 View FIGURES 376 ­ 384 )

A new genus: Seevers, 1978: 46 (unnamed new genus appearing in a key). Seeversiella Ashe : 1986: 501 (tribe Athetini Casey, 1910 ).

Seeversiella: Ashe in Newton, Thayer, Ashe & Chandler, 2000: (tribe Athetini , not assigned to subtribe).

Diagnosis. Seeversiella can be distinguished from other athetine genera by the combination of the following characters: body parallel­sided or with broad ovate abdomen ( Figs. 17­19 View FIGURES 17 ­ 19 ); antennal articles 8­10 transverse ( Fig. 9 View FIGURES 6 ­ 9 ); ligula divided into two separate lobes ( Fig. 6 View FIGURES 6 ­ 9 ); pronotum with microsetae directed posteriorly along the midline; in lateral portions of the disc microsetae directed towards the midline and/or obliquely posteriorly ( Figs. 10­12 View FIGURES 10 ­ 16 ) (posteriorly in S. geostiboides ); pronotal macrosetae short; pronotal hypomera fully visible in lateral view; medial macroseta of mesotibia inconspicuous, shorter than tibial width; tarsal formula 4­5­5; metatarsal segment 1 as long as segment 2; one empodial seta; in many species posterior angles of male tergum 3 projecting as spines ( Figs. 15 View FIGURES 10 ­ 16 , 17 View FIGURES 17 ­ 19 ), long in large males, short or absent in small males ( Figs. 10 View FIGURES 10 ­ 16 A­10C in Ashe (1986)); in many species male tergum 7 with medial carina along midline ( Figs. 17­18 View FIGURES 17 ­ 19 ) (absent in small males); copulatory piece of internal sac of aedeagus long and flagellumlike ( Figs. 29, 36 View FIGURES 28 ­ 36 ; CP).

Seeversiella differs from Geostiba in having microsetae of lateral portions of pronotum directed towards the midline; posterior angles of male tergum 3 projecting as spines; and long flagellum­like copulatory piece of internal sac of aedeagus.

Seeversiella differs from Tropimenelytron Pace, 1983 in having contiguous mesocoxae; ligula divided into two separate lobes; microsetae of lateral portions of pronotum directed towards the midline; posterior angles of male tergum 3 projecting as spines; and long flagellum­like copulatory piece of internal sac of aedeagus.

Seeversiella differs from the small species of Atheta Thomson, 1858 with transverse antennal segments in having ligula divided into two separate lobes; microsetae of lateral portions of pronotum directed towards the midline; posterior angles of male tergum 3 projecting as spines; and long flagellum­like copulatory piece of internal sac of aedeagus.

Description. Length 1.6­3.7 mm, pronotal width 0.34­0.74 mm. Body parallel­sided or with broad ovate abdomen ( Figs. 17­19 View FIGURES 17 ­ 19 ), dark brown to brownish yellow.

Head as wide as long; eyes small or large, temple length to eye length ratio 0.8­7.0; infraorbital carina incomplete. Antennal article 2 longer or as long as article 3, articles 4­5 slightly elongate, subquadrate or slightly transverse, 6­7 subquadrate or transverse, 8­10 transverse or strongly transverse (ratio 1.5­2.0), apical article without coeloconic sensilla. Labrum ( Fig. 1 View FIGURES 1 ­ 5 ) transverse, anterior margin slightly concave. Adoral surface of labrum (epipharynx) as in Fig. 2 View FIGURES 1 ­ 5 . Mandibles ( Figs. 4­5 View FIGURES 1 ­ 5 ) broad, right mandible with a small medial tooth; dorsal molar area with velvety patch consisting of very small denticles (not visible at 400x). Maxilla ( Fig. 3 View FIGURES 1 ­ 5 ) with galea extending beyond apex of lacinia; apical lobe of galea covered with numerous fine and short setae; apical fifth of lacinia with row of closely spaced spines, middle portion produced medially and covered with numerous setae. Labium as in Figs. 6­8 View FIGURES 6 ­ 9 ; ligula divided into two lobes; medial area of prementum without pores but with 5­15 pseudopores, lateral areas with 3 (occasionally 4) pores and single spinose pore ( Fig. 6 View FIGURES 6 ­ 9 ). Hypopharyngeal lobes as in Fig. 7 View FIGURES 6 ­ 9 . Mentum ( Fig. 8 View FIGURES 6 ­ 9 ) with slightly protruding anterior angles and straight anterior margin.

Pronotum ( Figs. 10­12 View FIGURES 10 ­ 16 ) slightly transverse, broadest near middle, sides slightly convex; anterior and posterior margins convex; surface covered with microsetae directed posteriorly in midline; in lateral areas of the disc microsetae directed towards midline and/or obliquely posteriorly (posteriorly in S. geostiboides ); macrosetae short; hypomera fully visible in lateral view. Meso­ and metasternum as in Fig. 12 View FIGURES 10 ­ 16 , mesosternal process extending about ½ length of mesocoxal cavities, metasternal process short, mesosternum and mesosternal process not carinate medially; relative lengths of mesosternal process: isthmus: metasternal process in ratio of about 3:3:1; mesocoxal cavities margined posteriorly; mesocoxae contiguous. Medial microseta of mesotibia inconspicuous, shorter than tibial width. Tarsal segmentation 4­5­5, metatarsal segment 1 as long as segment 2. One empodial seta, slightly shorter than claws. Wings fully developed, partially reduced or reduced to short vestiges that are shorter than elytra. Posterior margin of elytra straight or slightly concave near postero­lateral angle.

Abdominal terga 3­5 with moderate basal impressions. Tergum 7 as long as tergum 6. Punctation on terga 6­7 sparser than on terga 3­5. Tergum 7 with wide white palisade fringe or without fringe (in wingless species).

In many species posterior angles of male tergum 3 projecting as spines ( Figs. 15 View FIGURES 10 ­ 16 , 17 View FIGURES 17 ­ 19 ), long in large males, short or absent in small males ( Figs. 10 View FIGURES 10 ­ 16 A­10C in Ashe (1986)); in some species lateral portions of posterior margin of male tergum 3 extending as short and obtuse projections ( Figs. 16 View FIGURES 10 ­ 16 , 18­19 View FIGURES 17 ­ 19 ); in most species male tergum 7 with medial carina along midline ( Figs. 17­18 View FIGURES 17 ­ 19 ) (absent in small males) or with medial subapical tubercle. Copulatory piece of internal sac of aedeagus long and flagellum­like ( Figs. 29, 36 View FIGURES 28 ­ 36 ; CP); medial lamellae narrow ( Figs. 29­30 View FIGURES 28 ­ 36 ; 47; 258; ML). Internal sac with one pair of distal sclerites (not homologous to suspensoria) laterally of copulatory piece; the distal sclerites are hook­shaped ( Figs. 28­29, 31, 35 View FIGURES 28 ­ 36 ), dentiform ( Figs. 63, 65 View FIGURES 58 ­ 67 ) or reduced to elongate ( Figs. 199­200, 203, 206 View FIGURES 199 ­ 207 ) or subquadrate ( Fig. 343 View FIGURES 335 ­ 343 ) plates which may have numerous spicules ( Figs. 99­101 View FIGURES 94 ­ 104 ). Spermatheca short, S­, L­, J­ or C­shaped ( Figs. 32 View FIGURES 28 ­ 36 , 53 View FIGURES 45 ­ 53 , 62 View FIGURES 58 ­ 67 , 104 View FIGURES 94 ­ 104 , 149 View FIGURES 143 ­ 149 , 205 View FIGURES 199 ­ 207 ).

Type species. Seeversiella bispinosa Ashe, 1986 , by original designation.

Discussion. Although most species of Seeversiella described below can be recognized by comparing the external shape of the aedeagus, the details of the internal sac provide additional characters to distinguish the closely related species. Some characters of the internal sac, like long flagellum­like copulatory piece ( Figs. 29 View FIGURES 28 ­ 36 ; 172; 200, 203­204; 301; CP) and narrow medial lamellae ( Figs. 29­30 View FIGURES 28 ­ 36 ; 274­275; 304­305; ML), are consistent within the genus. The base of the copulatory piece and the medial lamellae are linked together by two connecting bands ( Figs. 243­245 View FIGURES 239 ­ 246 ; CB). These bands are sclerotized areas of the internal sac wall. In everted internal sac the bands are situated on the parameral face of the sac ( Fig. 245 View FIGURES 239 ­ 246 ; CB). When the sac is retracted the bands are clearly visible laterally of the copulatory piece ( Fig. 243 View FIGURES 239 ­ 246 ; CB).

Other elements of the internal sac may differ significantly between species. One such element is a pair of distal (in everted sac) sclerites located laterally of the copulatory piece ( Figs. 28­29 View FIGURES 28 ­ 36 ; DS). These sclerites are not attached to the copulatory piece and probably they are not homologous to suspensoria. In S. globicollis and S. texana the distal sclerites are hook­shaped ( Figs. 31 View FIGURES 28 ­ 36 ; 51) and, when retracted, lie in the separate pockets of the internal sac. In many species the distal sclerites are reduced to elongate ( Figs. 199­200, 203, 206 View FIGURES 199 ­ 207 ) or subquadrate ( Fig. 343 View FIGURES 335 ­ 343 ) plates which may have numerous spicules ( Figs. 99­101 View FIGURES 94 ­ 104 ). The homology of these plates to the hook­shaped sclerites of S. globicollis can be established by their similar position in the internal sac, laterally of the copulatory piece ( Figs. 28­29 View FIGURES 28 ­ 36 ; 199­200, 203­204). Another detail of the internal sac which varies within the genus is the lateral diverticula which may be covered with numerous setae ( Figs. 29 View FIGURES 28 ­ 36 ; 169, 172­ 173; LD), have sclerotized denticles ( Fig. 200 View FIGURES 199 ­ 207 ) or possess long spiniform sclerites which may look like the medial lamellae but their location in the internal sac is different ( Figs. 301, 304 View FIGURES 299 ­ 306 ; 318; SLD). In retracted sac, the setae, the denticles or the sclerites of the lateral diverticula are usually well visible in cleared preparations ( Figs. 173 View FIGURES 169 ­ 174 ; 299, 303; 316; 327).

In Seeversiella , as in many other aleocharine genera (e.g., Geostiba , Tropimenelytron ) the male secondary sexual characters are subject to intraspecific variation. Larger males have longer spines on male tergum 3 (up to 3 times as long as tergum medial length) and longer carina on tergum 7. In smaller males the spines are very short or absent altogether. Therefore the male secondary characters cannot be reliably used to distinguish the species of Seeversiella .

My examination of available specimens of Seeversiella suggests that some species differ from each other in the length of elytra and wings, and in the eye size. On several occasions these characters are used below in the key to species. However, these characters should be used with caution because some species are polymorphic. Ultimately the details of male genitalia are the most reliable characters to recognize the species of Seeversiella .

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Coleoptera

Family

Staphylinidae

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