Anillinus murrayae Sokolov and Carlton

Sokolov, Igor M., Carlton, Christopher & Cornell, James F., 2004, Review of Anillinus, with Descriptions of 17 New Species and a Key to Soil and Litter Species (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Trechinae: Bembidiini), The Coleopterists Bulletin 58 (2), pp. 185-233 : 222-223

Anillinus murrayae Sokolov and Carlton , new species

( Fig. 34 , Map fig. 42–43)

Holotype ( USNM). Male labeled / USA: NC: Swain Co., GSMNP, Collins Picnic Area , Quiet Walk UTM 287857 E 3938299 N/ LSAM0017616 / HOLOTYPE, Anillinus murrayae Sokolov and Carlton , des. 2003/.

Paratypes (10, NCSU). Six males and 4 females labeled / Jackson Co., NC, V-18 1972, Tom Daggy (also with numbers 60043–60053 on separate labels) .

Specific Epithet. The specific epithet honors Ms. Judy Murray in recognition of her hospitality during CEC’s visit to Chapel Hill and for organizing the search for A. elongatus by the Murray family.

Description. Medium-sized for genus (ABL ¼ 1.72 mm, n ¼ 10). Habitus moderately convex, ovoid (WE/ABL 0.41); head normally proportioned for genus (WH/WPm 0.75); pronotum and elytra relatively narrow (WPm/WE 0.80). Color of body brunneorufous, appendages testaceous. Microsculpture of head limited to small triangular area at middle of vertex, absent from disc of pronotum.

Pronotum moderately convex, and transverse (WPm/LP 1.24), with margins rectilinear and moderately constricted posteriad (WPm/WPp 1.30). Anterior angles evident, slightly prominent. Posterior angles slightly obtuse (1058). Width between posterior angles equal to width between anterior angles (WPa/WPp 1.00).

Elytra moderately convex, moderately depressed along suture, of normal length for genus (LE/ ABL 0.55), with traces of 2–3 interneurs. Humeri moderately prominent, slightly rounded. Vestiture of elytra relatively short (less than one-fourth the length of the discal setae).

Males with metafemora slightly swollen.

Median lobe ( Fig. 34 ) arcuate, twisted, with small, rectangular apex. Internal sac with copulatory pieces of dorsal and ventral sclerites. Dorsal sclerites forming relatively large arcuate blade-like structure, and apex extending beyond internal sac. Ventral sclerites comprising several separate components, including a large recurved sclerite diverging from dorsal sclerite and several clusters of spines and tubercles, including a cluster of ovate or elongate tubercles subapically that vary in number and shape.

Distribution. This species is known from the type locality in Swain County, North Carolina in Great Smoky Mountain National Park ( Fig. 43 ) and from Jackson County, NC ( Fig. 43 ) to the south. Probably two teneral specimens (male and female) from Haywood County, NC (Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Cataloochee area, Rough Fork Trail, moist upland berlese) also belong to this species, but their teneral condition does not permit a conclusive determination.

Habitat. The holotype was collected in hardwood forest litter at mid-elevation (900 m).

Differential Diagnosis. Anillinus murrayae is ovoid in form without microsculpture on the forebody ( Table 2, group VIII of litter species). It is distinguished from all other species in this group (for which males are known) by the form of the median lobe and armature of the internal sac.

This species is likely to be sympatric with at least one species of Anillinus ( A. loweae ) and one species of Serranillus . From A. loweae it differs by the absence of microsculpture on the disc of the pronotum and in lacking head microsculpture, except a small triangle at the middle of the vertex, and by the distinctive aedeagus. The aedeagus of A. murrayae is similar to A. cornelli in that the main dorsal copulatory sclerite is arched and elongate. The accessory aedeagal sclerites of the two species are quite different, with A. cornelli lacking the ventral recurved blade-like sclerite and clusters of spines. Anillinus murrayae also differs in being more ovoid in form and having the male metafemora slightly expanded and bearing a posterior row of small tubercles.

Variation. The group of rounded tubercles borne on the internal sac near the aperture of the median lobe is distinctive and geographically variable. In the holotype, they form a single dense irregular cluster. In specimens from Jackson County, approximately eight regular-sized tubercles form a radially symmetrical, flower-shaped group.

Figures

Figs. 32–37. Aedeagi of Anillinus spp., right lateral aspects, scale ¼ 0.1 mm. 32) A. magazinensis n.sp.; 33) A. moseleyae n.sp.; 34) Anillinus murrayae n.sp.; 35) A. robisoni n. sp.; 36) A. stephani n. sp.; 37) A. tishechkini n. sp.

Fig. 43. Locality records for Anillinus spp. occurring within Great Smoky Mountain National Park.